SMITHVILLE, Tenn. – The DeKalb County Health Department is proud to be a part of National Public Health Week April 1-7, 2019. NPHW is about celebrating the power of prevention, advocating for healthy and fair policies, sharing strategies for successful partnerships and championing the role of a strong public health system.

“Improving the health of our residents is extremely important to us, and Public Health Week is an opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of public health in our communities,” said Michael Railling.”We look forward to continuing to work with our local partners to provide people with more opportunities to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The DeKalb County Health Department takes an active role in the health of DeKalb County residents through many primary prevention projects and programs to help prevent disease before it happens. These include:

·         Baby & Me Tobacco Free – helping pregnant women and new mothers stop smoking

·         TNSTRONG – Youth-led movement advocating for tobacco-free lifestyles

·         Community walking/biking trails

·         School Walk/Run Clubs

·         Women, Infants and Children, or WIC – supplemental nutrition for mothers and young children

“In addition to primary prevention programs and projects, the DeKalb County Health Department provides numerous services including well-child exams, immunizations, birth and death certificates, and family planning,” said Michael Railling. “We encourage and invite the public to call or come by to learn about the many services we have to offer.”

The DeKalb County Health Department is planning activities for National Public Health Week. The staff at the DeKalb County Health Department will be spending the day outdoors playing team building games, walking the TN Old 56 trail, and having a healthy lunch.

National Public Health Week is sponsored by the American Public Health Association. Learn more at www.nphw.org.