SIDNEY — In 2023, the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department (SSCHD) became nationally accredited through the Public Health Accreditation Board. This was a great achievement for not only the health department and staff, but for the community. Being accredited assures residents the health department is meeting national standards of practice and care. Improving our services and making them more available is a priority of the health department. In 2023, the SSCHD implemented an online system to allow individuals to purchase birth and death certificates.

Health Commissioner Erica Lenz has submitted the following report:

The health department remains dedicated to being fiscally responsible and applies for grantsto help offset costs of programs and improvements. In 2024, the health department will be installing automatic sliding doors to the front of the building. This needed improvement will be paid for by a grant the health department received in 2023. Program fees are assessed every year and adjusted to provide services at cost to Shelby County residents.

The SSCHD programs are valuable to the community. In 2023 along with the Nursing and Environmental Divisions, the SSCHD continued to offer the Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, Help Me Grow, and Cribs for Kids.

The Nursing division continues to serve the community by offering the Children of Medical Handicap program, communicable disease control and investigation, health promotion, immunizations, international travel vaccine consultations, newborn home visits, vision assistance, and school health. Resources offered to the community include; car seat inspection and distribution, cribs, vision payment assistance, and bike helmets.

The Environmental division continues to serve the community by offering nuisance report investigations, inspections of food service operations, rabies control and animal bite investigations, radon education, swimming pool/spa inspections, school/correctional inspections, solid waste program, household sewage treatment systems program, land survey/building lot approval, tattoo and body piercing licensing, and Smoke-Free Workplace enforcement. The EH division received outstanding reports for their Solid Waste program, pools, and campground surveys in 2023. The EH division partnered with other county agencies to offer a scrap tire recycling event at the Fairgrounds in addition to the annual Solid Waste Cleanup Day.

The SSCHD continues to work with community partners to prepare the community for emergencies or disasters that may affect our community. The SSCHD is a member of the Local Emergency Planning Commission (LEPC) and helps organize the Shelby County Healthcare Preparedness Coalition with the Shelby County EMA. The SSCHD also hosts a very active group of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers that are willing to help during public health emergencies or disasters.

Looking into 2024, the health department has partnered with local agencies to complete a Community Needs Assessment. This will help the health department and other agencies better serve populations and improve services offered. Also, in 2024, the health department will have a 0.3-mil renewal levy on the March ballot. This levy is essential for the health department to continue to provide the same level of services to the community.

We greatly appreciate the support of our community and look forward to continuing to provide services to prevent, promote and protect the health of the community by providing these quality essential services in the future years.

Visit us at 202 W. Poplar St., Sidney, Ohio, on the web at www.shelbycountyhealthdept.org, or by phone at 937-498-7249.