Our mission

Protect, promote, and improve the health, safety, and quality of life for everyone in Putnam County.

OUR VISION

A vibrant Putnam County where everyone lives and works in a healthy environment and has access to quality care.

We are able to achieve that vision by maintaining and protecting the health of our residents by providing services such as communicable disease control, immunizations, environmental health management and health education to promote a healthy lifestyle, prevent illnesses and chronic diseases.

We work with a variety of community partners to ensure that necessary services and programs are available to the county residents. In addition to providing services, our agency helps to facilitate efforts to assess and prioritize the county’s health needs and contributes to the efforts to address the identified needs to improve the health of our community.

Core values

Professionalism

We demonstrate the highest standards of conduct, integrity, and accountability by displaying respect, reliability, and ethical behaviors to our partners, community, and co-workers.

Collaboration

We actively engage with partners, community, and co-workers, openly communicate ideas, and share expertise to foster an environment of inclusion and health.

Quality

We prioritize excellence and continually improve practices to ensure exceptional public health services to all.

Leadership

Health Commissioner

Kimberly Rieman, RN, MPH, CHES

Director of Nursing & Health Promotion

Sherri Recker, RN, MSN

Director of Finance/HR-Registrar

Jodie Lammers

Environmental Health Director

Beth Skulina, M.Ed.,REHS

Ten essential public health services

Public Health is the science of improving the health of individuals, families and communities by promoting healthy lifestyles, preventing the spread of disease and protecting the environment and health and safety of the population.

The following 10 services represent the spectrum of public health activities that should be provided in any jurisdiction by the public health system, in which the local health department and other entities are involved, including the following organizations: healthcare, public safety, human service, charity, education, youth development, recreation, arts related, economic and environmental.

Ten essential public health services:

  1. Monitor health status to identify community health problems.
  2. Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.
  3. Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.
  4. Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.
  5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.
  6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
  7. Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.
  8. Assure a competent public and personal health care workforce.
  9. Evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility and quality of personal and population-based health services.
  10. Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.