Skip Navigation LinksAbout_Us

Center for Healthy Communities

Skip to main content

ā€‹About the Center for Healthy Communities

The Center for Healthy Communitiesā€™ā€‹ā€‹ vision is to lead the way toward healthy communities and safe environments for all.ā€‹ā€‹ Comprised of nine branches, four offices, and an Emergency Preparedness Team, the Center houses over 40 community health programs. 

Skip to main contentā€‹

The Centerā€™s activities are organized among three pillars

ā€‹Community Wellness
ā€‹Chronic Disease Prevention
ā€‹Environmental & Occupational Healthā€‹
ā€‹Aims to eliminate commercial tobacco use, reduce substance use/misuse and problem gambling, and prevent intentional and unintentional injuries and death, including suicide.
ā€‹Strives to prevent chronic disease by conducting disease surveillance and research and promoting healthy nutrition, physical activity, and oral health, including through Kā€“12 schools.
ā€‹Prevents, controls, and investigates disease associated with toxic exposures, including lead and other chemicals in the environment, and monitors health, safety, and emerging hazards in the workplace.ā€‹

ā€‹The Center Operations and the Program Alignment, Communications, and Equity (PACE) sections support CHC Branches/Offices and Center leadership with coordination, policy guidance, and resources. Center Operations ā€‹ā€‹is comprised of three units: legislation/policy; fiscal/procurement; and personnel/support. PACE provides expertise in the areas of health equity, communications, behavioral health, and strategic planning.

Shared vision

ā€‹ā€‹The Center engages with local health jurisdictions on strategic planning that informs Center activities. Below is the shared vision for 2022ā€“24 planning.

Shared Vision for Healthy and Resilient Communities (PDF) 

Focus on equity

We are committed to placing equity, diversity, and inclusion practices at the forefront of our daily work. Our work is to build and sustain an environment that strengthens our workforce and the health of the communities we serve.

We embrace a definition of diversity that includes the recognition that diversity is not limited to gender, race and ethnicity, but must also include age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious commitment, physical ability, ideas, and values. Diversity is necessary but not sufficient to achieve equity, which demands an ongoing commitment not just to include, but to value and empower, all people.ā€‹ā€‹

ā€‹ā€‹We have partnered with local health jurisdictions to recognize local equity champions. Below is the announcement for the pilot project, completed in 2022. Stay tuned for future opportunities.

Page Last Updated :