Williamson County Health, TX

Assess and monitor population health status, factors that influence health, and community needs and assets 

This Service Includes:

• Maintaining an ongoing understanding of health in the jurisdiction by collecting, monitoring, and analyzing data on health and factors that influence health to identify threats, patterns, and emerging issues, with a particular emphasis on disproportionately affected populations
• Using data and information to determine the root causes of health disparities and inequities
• Working with the community to understand health status, needs, assets, key influences, and narrative
• Collaborating and facilitating data sharing with partners, including multisector partners
• Using innovative technologies, data collection methods, and data sets
• Utilizing various methods and technology to interpret and communicate data to diverse audiences
• Analyzing and using disaggregated data (e.g., by race) to track issues and inform equitable action
• Engaging community members as experts and key partners

Investigate, diagnose, and address health problems and hazards affecting the population

This Service Includes

• Anticipating, preventing and mitigating emerging health threats through epidemiologic identification
• Monitoring real-time health status and identifying patterns to develop strategies to address chronic diseases and injuries
• Using real-time data to identify and respond to acute outbreaks, emergencies, and other health hazards
• Using public health laboratory capabilities and modern technology to conduct rapid screening and high-volume testing
• Analyzing and utilizing inputs from multiple sectors and sources to consider social, economic, and environmental root causes of health status
• Identifying, analyzing, and distributing information from new, big, and real-time data sources

This Service Includes:

• Developing and disseminating accessible health information and resources, including through collaboration with multi-sector partners
• Communicating with accuracy and necessary speed
• Using appropriate communications channels (e.g., social media, peer-to-peer networks, mass media, and other channels) to effectively reach the intended populations
• Developing and deploying culturally and linguistically appropriate and relevant communications and educational resources, which includes working with stakeholders and influencers in the community to create effective and culturally resonant materials
• Employing the principles of risk communication, health literacy, and health education to inform the public, when appropriate
• Actively engaging in two-way communication to build trust with populations served and ensure accuracy and effectiveness of prevention and health promotion strategies
• Ensuring public health communications and education efforts are asset-based when appropriate and do not reinforce narratives that are damaging to disproportionately affected populations

Strengthen, support, and mobilize communities and partnerships to improve health

This Service Includes: 

• Convening and facilitating multisector partnerships and coalitions that include sectors that influence health (e.g., planning, transportation, housing,
• education, etc.)
• Fostering and building genuine, strengths-based relationships with a diverse group of partners that reflect the community and the population
• Authentically engaging with community members and organizations to develop public health solutions
• Learning from, and supporting existing community partnerships and contributing public health expertise

Create, champion, and implement policies, plans, and laws that impact health

This Service Includes

• Developing and championing policies, plans, and laws that guide the practice of public health
• Examining and improving existing policies, plans, and laws to correct historical injustices
• Ensuring that policies, plans, and laws provide a fair and just opportunity for all to achieve optimal health
• Providing input into policies, plans, and laws to ensure that health impact is considered
• Continuously monitoring and developing policies, plans, and laws that improve public health and preparedness and strengthen community resilience
• Collaborating with all partners, including multi-sector partners, to develop and support policies, plans, and laws
• Working across partners and with the community to systematically and continuously develop and implement health improvement strategies and plans, and evaluate and improve those plans

Utilize legal and regulatory actions designed to improve and protect the public’s health

This Service Includes:

• Ensuring that applicable laws are equitably applied to protect the public’s health
• Conducting enforcement activities that may include, but are not limited to sanitary codes, especially in the food industry; full protection of drinking water supplies; and timely follow-up on hazards, preventable injuries, and exposure-related diseases identified in occupational and community settings
• Licensing and monitoring the quality of healthcare services (e.g., laboratory, nursing homes, and home healthcare)
• Reviewing new drug, biologic, and medical device applications
• Licensing and credentialing the healthcare workforce
• Including health considerations in-laws from other sectors (e.g., zoning)

Assure an effective system that enables equitable access to the individual services and care needed to be healthy

This Service Includes:

• Connecting the population to needed health and social services that support the whole person, including preventive services
• Ensuring access to high-quality and cost-effective healthcare and social services, including behavioral and mental health services, that are culturally and linguistically appropriate
• Engaging health delivery systems to assess and address gaps and barriers in accessing needed health services, including behavioral and mental health
• Addressing and removing barriers to care
• Building relationships with payers and healthcare providers, including the sharing of data across partners to foster health and well-being
• Contributing to the development of a competent healthcare workforce

Build and support a diverse and skilled public health workforce

This Service Includes:

• Providing education and training that encompasses a spectrum of public health competencies, including technical, strategic, and leadership skills
• Ensuring that the public health workforce is the appropriate size to meet the public’s needs
• Building a culturally competent public health workforce and leadership that reflects the community and practices cultural humility
• Incorporating public health principles in non-public health curricula
• Cultivating and building active partnerships with academia and other professional training programs and schools to assure community-relevant learning experiences for all learners
• Promoting a culture of lifelong learning in public health
• Building a pipeline of future public health practitioners
• Fostering leadership skills at all levels

Improve and innovate public health functions through ongoing evaluation, research, and continuous quality improvement

This Services Includes:

• Building and fostering a culture of quality in public health organizations and activities
• Linking public health research with public health practice
• Using research, evidence, practice-based insights, and other forms of information to inform decision-making
• Contributing to the evidence base of effective public health practice
• Evaluating services, policies, plans, and laws continuously to ensure they are contributing to the health and not creating undue harm
• Establishing and using engagement and decision-making structures to work with the community in all stages of research
• Valuing and using qualitative, quantitative, and lived experience as data and information to inform decisionmaking

Build and maintain a strong organizational infrastructure for public health

This Service Includes:

• Developing an understanding of the broader organizational infrastructures and roles that support the entire public health system in a jurisdiction (e.g., government agencies, elected officials, and non-governmental organizations)
• Ensuring that appropriate, needed resources are allocated equitably for the public’s health
• Exhibiting effective and ethical leadership, decision-making, and governance
• Managing financial and human resources effectively
• Employing communications and strategic planning capacities and skills
• Having robust information technology services that are current and meet privacy and security standards
• Being accountable, transparent, and inclusive with all partners and the community in all aspects of practice