Welcome to Jackson County Health & Human Services Website!
From the Jackson County
Health Officer and Public Health Director
Christine Hovell, RN, BSN, PHN
Public health takes many hands……
The public health system is like a complex
puzzle – and all the pieces must fit together to make a sensible whole.To achieve successful outcomes,
professionals and organizations in the public and private (the interlocking
pieces of that community puzzle) – must work together.While cooperation among the sectors has
always been a cornerstone to advancing the health of the public, as the world
health issues become more complex and resources scarcer, the need for creative
strategic partnerships in all aspects of public health has never been greater.
In 2004, only three County Health Departments in Wisconsin employed fewer people
for public health work than did Jackson County. Therefore, for us especially,
these partnerships yield many benefits including a stronger public health
infrastructure . None of them occur simply because there is a local health
department.Without the assistance and
cooperation of many others in the community, these services could not happen.
Therefore, On behalf of the health department, I would like to thank all of
those many people and organizations (old and new)who continue to share resources and time and work together with
the health department to make Jackson County a Healthier place to live. The
Health of our Community depends on us all!
What is Public Health?
Public Health Departments are like fire departments –
they teach and practice prevention and at the same time they stay ready to take
on emergencies.
Just like fire departments, Public health
Departments are most appreciated when they respond to emergencies like
food-borne illness outbreaks or infectious disease. But they are most successful
- and least noticed – when their prevention methods work the best.
In our day to day lives we have come to assume
that the water we drink is safe, that our children won’t have to suffer from
measles or polio, that the air we breath is clean and that “someone” is
watching and monitoring communicable diseases.
We can all celebrate and be proud of the
standard of health that has been achieved through the efforts of public health
services locally, statewide and nationally.
