HS 328

Thursday Folder #3- Governmental Public Health Systems

For TH #3 you will do the following:

 Review the CDC slides on the role of public - we will discuss this more on TH.
health- https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/docs/usph101.pdf (link also on course

Locate the county/regional public health department & the state public health department in
your home state.  Based on your findings answer the following questions for Thursday Folder
#3. (each 5 pts.)

1. What local and what state public health organization did you explore? Write out the title
and provide the weblink. As a citizen, what can you learn by looking at local and state
public health websites?

Panhandle Health District:

https://panhandlehealthdistrict.org/

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare:

https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/

As a citizen, looking at both the local and state public health websites I learned about
the services each organization can offer, community programs, environmental health,
food/cash/assistance programs, health in general, events, about the organizations, news,
and contact information .

2. Based on your review of state and local public health websites, how are the roles and
responsibilities the same and different between local and state public health?

Local public health has a lot more specific information that relate to people
within that local area. For example, on the state page there is information on
food assistance while the local page has a link directly to WIC information
because that is the program available in the area. The local website also provides
information on specific events within the are and service available to that area
while the state website is more general information.

3. What public health related work on the state or local level intersects with the sort of
work you hope to do in the future? Discuss how/why.
 I really want to work with legislation regarding Medicaid. As a future Dietician I
think it is important to include Dietetic consults in medical coverage and I know
The Academy of Food and Nutrition is working towards implementing this policy
and I would love to help with this movement.

4. Write down three questions you would like to ask a local public health official and why
these questions are important to you.
a. In your opinion, what Is the largest health issue we are facing as a state?
i. I think this is an important question, because in order to help the state as
a whole we must better understand what is our biggest challenge in
regards to health.
b. How we can better address food insecurity in schools?
i. Especially with the current economic climate and other issues relating to
the pandemic a lot of children are facing food insecurity and some
children are only receiving their food solely from school attendance. In
case of an emergency how can we ensure those children still have food if
schools do shut down or how can we offer them more meals and food.
c. What can we do to ensure more people in the state of Idaho receive affordable
health care?
i. Health insurance is a nationwide issue and in the state of Idaho there are
still people that do not have health insurance or lack good quality
insurance. I think this is something we can improve on and have death
with the lack of good quality insurance in the past and can relate to how
detrimental it can be financially.

5. To Share Th Folder- 5 pts

Section 2- On-line-learners- In one paragraph

Panhandle Health District:

https://panhandlehealthdistrict.org/

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare:

https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/

I found the that state website covered more of a general array of information the state offers,
while the local public health department went into more detail. For example, the state website
had a general tab for food and cash assistance while the local public health department had a
tab on WIC. So, if I were to direct someone to programs or ways their public health can help
them I would direct them to the local website for more specific information and resources they
can use. I did not find food bank location which I found odd. I think food banks are a great
resource for the community and something people could really benefit from knowing more
about. I would like to learn more about school lunch protocols and which the websites laid out
more information on what the schools are required to feed and provide to children.