Tuscaloosa County Health Department Centennial Day

WHEREAS, in the year 1915, the Tuscaloosa County Health Department became the second county health department organized in the State of Alabama, and was charged with the duty to protect the health of the people of the community; and

WHEREAS, during the past century the Tuscaloosa County Health Department has played an important role in preventing and controlling communicable diseases, ensuring environmental health, decreasing infant and maternal mortality, decreasing deaths from heart attack, stroke, and cancer, and developing a healthier county; and

WHEREAS, the Tuscaloosa County Health Department educates the public about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and early detection of preventable health problems results in reduced rates of mortality from disease and injury; and public health professionals continue to develop effective initiatives to extend lives, respond to emerging health threats, and promote healthy choices; and

WHEREAS, the Tuscaloosa County Health Department, in conjunction with the Tuscaloosa County Diabetes Coalition, strives to improve the lives of Tuscaloosa residents at risk or affected by diabetes through community advocacy, education, awareness, and services; and

WHEREAS, the Alabama Personal Responsibility Education Program educates and equips youth to resist sexual risk behaviors and to make choices that will promote better health and well-being as they mature into young adulthood; and

WHEREAS, the Tuscaloosa County Health Department promotes prevention and reduction of tobacco use, educates about the need for proper nutrition and increased physical activity, and violence reduction through prevention efforts; and

WHEREAS, the Tuscaloosa County Health Department promotes healthy equity in all programs and policies, increases community preparedness and resilience, links public health and health care system to collaboratively achieve improved health outcomes, develops and maintains strategic public and private partnerships that improve community health, develops and maintains an organizational culture of continuous quality improvement; and

WHEREAS, the centennial of the Tuscaloosa County Health Department is an appropriate occasion on which to recognize the achievements of this pioneer public health department:

NOW THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim April 6, 2015, as

Tuscaloosa County Health Department Centennial Day

in the state of Alabama.