About Us

MISSION: To promote public health, prevent disease, and protect the environment, utilizing leadership and partnership to empower individuals and communities to achieve optimal health.

VISION: Healthy People. Healthy Environments. Healthy Communities.

VALUES: Accountability, Communication, Dedication, Ethics, Innovation


Who We Serve

The Portage County Combined General Health District is responsible for preventing disease and promoting health in the following Portage County Areas:

  • Serving the Townships of: Atwater, Brimfield, Charlestown, Deerfield, Edinburg, Franklin, Freedom, Hiram, Mantua, Nelson, Palmyra, Paris, Randolph, Ravenna, Rootstown, Shalersville, Suffield, Windham
  • Serving the Villages of: Garrettsville, Hiram, Mantua, Mogadore, Sugar Bush Knolls, Windham
  • Serving the Cities of: Aurora, Ravenna, Streetsboro

10 Essential Functions of Public Health

  1. Monitor health status to identify and solve 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 and action 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 competent public and personal health care workforce.
  9. Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services.
  10. Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.

Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals

Overview

The Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) are a consensus set of skills for the broad practice of public health, as defined by the 10 Essential Public Health Services. Developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice (Council on Linkages), the Core Competencies reflect foundational skills desirable for professionals engaging in the practice, education, and research of public health. These competencies are organized into eight domains, reflecting skill areas within public health, and three tiers, representing career stages for public health professionals. (www.phf.org )

Document: Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals