The Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department (HCS) recognizes April 3-9, 2023, as National Public Health Week — a time for residents and public health officials alike to spring into action, uniting against pressing public health issues and social determinants facing our country. This year’s theme, Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health, is focused on building healthier, safer, and stronger communities by continuing to support and engage one another.

HCS’s mission is to improve health for all residents of Kalamazoo County. This begins with acknowledging social determinants of health, like access to transportation, education, safe housing, and health care—and their impact on an individual’s well-being and quality of life. For example, people who don’t have access to grocery stores with healthy foods are less likely to have good nutrition, raising their risk of health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. In turn, this can even lower life expectancy relative to people who do have access to healthy foods.

“Like the seasons, our public health playbook continues to change as we encounter new threats, or uncover new strengths and weaknesses within our communities,” said Kalamazoo County Health Officer Jim Rutherford. “It’s our goal to create a social, physical, and economic landscape that benefits the health and well-being of all, so we can build an army of antibodies against pressing health issues. I’m honored to share that sentiment with a team of dedicated workers who show up to serve Kalamazoo County every day.”

National Public Health Week highlights themes that emphasize the role of public health in promoting equitable and accessible health for all residents. The KCHCS Facebook page will focus on those daily themes, which can also be found on the National Public Health Week website — along with information and resources about the topics and how residents can get involved.

More information about the Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department, including how we celebrate public health every day, can be found at www.kalcounty.com/hcs. For details on National Public Health Week 2023 and its themes, visit www.nphw.org.