Healthy People Build Strong Communities
The Lawrence and Douglas County community has benefited from a strong public health presence for more than 120 years. On your behalf, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department works to:
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Safeguard community health and safety through swift response to illness outbreaks
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Identify urgent and everyday health problems by tracking the health of the community to identify health trends early on
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Assess health problems and promote wellness by fostering community health initiatives
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Collaborate with community partners to protect health and control the costs associated with health problems
Learn about the biggest issues in public health today >>
Learn more about the Health Department:
How does public health serve everyone in the community?
Click to watch "The Healthiest Nation in One Generation video >>
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) profiled local health departments in 2005. Click here to see Excerpts from the 2005 NACCHO National Profile of Local Health Departments report and how the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department compares to other agencies of similar size.
Click on The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department Story for a brief overview of the Health Department's history, its current efforts and future plans to improve public health in Lawrence and Douglas County.
Read the "State Board of Health First Annual Report," published in 1885 –
the year the Kansas State Board of Health came into existence. The report provides a snapshot of the public health issues of more than a century ago. Most of the diseases mentioned have now been almost completely eradicated in the United States.
Developed in 2007, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department's Strategic Plan provides a framework for the agency's future.
Health Department Organization Chart >>
The agency timeline below is a snapshot of the public health developments during its first 100 years in Lawrence and Douglas County.
Click here to zoom in >>
