Starting this month, there’s a new way you can hear from Cowlitz County Health & Human Services – our “Cowlitz Health Spotlight” blog!
We’ll dive deeper into a variety of topics so you can make informed decisions about your health and well-being. The blog will also highlight services and activities we and partner organizations are providing in the community.
Our hope is that this blog will help answer some of your questions, and that you’ll get to know us better!
Have a blog idea? Let us know! Email: AskCowlitzHealth@co.cowlitz.wa.us
Our team is made up of about 35 employees who serve residents across Cowlitz County. We work out of locations in Longview and Kelso to fulfill environmental and community health, human services, and administrative functions.
Not sure what we do? That’s OK! Here’s a quick look:
Environmental Health
Our Environmental Health section focuses on reducing hazards in the environment to keep the community safe and healthy. This work includes inspecting new individual on-site sewage systems, monitoring performance of solid waste facilities, certifying potable water for individual and shared water systems – and more!
Health and safety inspections are also done by our Environmental Health section at food establishments, K-12 schools, and at some recreational water facilities.
Community Health
Public health nurses and outreach specialists comprise our Community Health section, which oversees prevention and response efforts to communicable diseases present in the community – including COVID-19. They work closely with healthcare partners, school districts, and community members to provide relevant health guidance and resources.
Our Community Health section also specializes in services and supports for children up to age 18 who are at increased risk of adverse physical, behavioral, or emotional conditions.
Human Services
Our Human Services section coordinates county and state funding for local partners, including those that provide programs for people with developmental disabilities or who are experiencing homelessness.
Through its developmental disabilities program, Human Services promotes individual worth, self-respect, and dignity. It helps to fund services for adult employment and day programs, including child development services for children up to age 3.
Human Services acts as a resource for community members who need information about housing and homeless services. It also oversees the county’s Homeless Housing Task Force, which maintains the county’s five-year plan to address homelessness.
Administration
In addition to supporting community members in person and by phone, our Administrative staff process vital records. This includes certified copies of birth and death records. They also perform important accounting and contract duties.
Administration oversees the Veterans Relief Fund, which supports local veterans, their families, and nationally-recognized veterans service organizations in the county. They are also a resource for community members who want to learn more about emergency preparedness.
Supporting both health and human services functions, our epidemiologist tracks health-related data to identify time trends and groups of people at higher or lower risk of disease and publishes regular reports and presentations, some of which can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3AtVPCA.
Have more questions about Cowlitz County Health & Human Services? Explore our website: https://bit.ly/3tI6VkV or follow us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3lrmcD0.
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