Healthy Communities
The Healthy Communities Division helps communities create social and physical environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice for everyone.
The Healthy Communities Division provides health education - a basic service of local health departments in California, mandated under Title 17 of the California Administrative Code.
The Healthy Communities Division uses all the strategies on the Spectrum of Prevention. Here are some examples of our work:
- We provide individuals with information and tools to prevent HIV and hepatitis C
- We offer nutrition education classes to families and teach health topics in schools
- We offer trainings for service providers and leaders in our community so that they can be better equipped to support their clients and neighbors
- We work with various community groups like the Safe Routes to Schools Task Force, Tobacco Education Network, Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council’s Prevention Committee and the Latino Community Providers’ Network—just to name a few
- We work with decision makers and organizational leaders to help them develop and implement policies that promote health.
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North Coast AIDS Project (NorCAP)
The North Coast AIDS Project (NorCAP) is a division of the Humboldt County Health and Human Services Public Health Branch - Health Education Division. NorCAP provides HIV education and prevention and client (case management) services.
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Tobacco-Free Humboldt (TFH)
Tobacco Free Humboldt (TFH) works to create a healthier Humboldt County by preventing and reducing nicotine addiction. The program works with community partners to create smoke-free environments and to increase the availability of free quit smoking resources.
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Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program works with Public Health Nursing, Environmental Health, the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program, and the Public Health Laboratory to prevent, detect, and eliminate lead poisoning in children under 6 years of age.
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Substance Use Prevention
Substance Use Prevention programs work to raise awareness about the impacts of alcohol and other drug abuse in our community and to create a healthy environment for youth and adults. We offer educational presentations to youth, adult, school and parent groups and have brochures and printed materials on alcohol and other drugs available upon request.
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Suicide and Violence Prevention Program
The Suicide and Violence Prevention Program concentrates on implementing primary prevention and early intervention strategies aimed at the reduction of suicide and violence in Humboldt County.
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Water Safety Program
The Humboldt County Water Safety program serves to reduce the number of water rescue incidents and drownings in Humboldt County through media messages and education.
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Physical Activity and Nutrition Program
The mission of the Physical Activity and Nutrition Program is to create partnerships that support healthy eating, physical activity, and food security with the goal of preventing obesity and other diet related chronic diseases.
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Older Adult Falls Prevention
This program works to reduce the number of falls, the risk and fear of falling, and improve functional balance and physical performance among older adults.
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Safe Routes to School
Safe Routes to School is an initiative that enables schools, parents/caregivers and community leaders to encourage children to safely walk and bicycle to school through infrastructure improvements and educational programs. When more people walk and bike communities experience safer streets, a stronger sense of community, reduced traffic demands, improved air quality and greater physical fitness.
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Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program is for income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding women and children under the age of 5 who have a nutritional need.