Download Understanding Public Health - The Physical Activity Resource Centre

Understanding
Public Health
Working with Public Health
Public health professionals improve the health and well-being of the whole population through the promotion and protection of health and the prevention of illness.
The public health system:
• protects health by controlling infectious diseases through regulatory inspections and
enforcement, and by preventing or reducing exposure to environmental hazards;
It takes a community to raise healthy and active
children and youth. This poster will help you understand how the public health sector works and
the important role it plays in the lives of children
and youth.
• promotes health by supporting the development of public policy that promotes a
healthy population; and working with community partners to promote healthy living;
• prevents disease and injury by surveilling outbreaks, screening for cancer, immunizing
to control infectious disease, and conducting research on injury prevention.
(Reference - Ministry of Health and Long Term Care - http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/en/healthycommunities/public-health/)
Key Mandates
Funding Sources
Partnering with Public Health
Ontario Public Health Standards:
Some key funding sources for public health
units include:
• Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Multiple partners can benefit from a
strong relationship with public health
including:
• Ministry of Children and Youth Services
• Schools
• Local municipalities
• Municipalities
• Funding for special projects from community partners
• Parents
Health units must work with schools, workplaces, families and
community partners to promote healthy eating, healthy
weights, and physical activity. They advocate across a number
of key priority areas such as: active and safe routes to schools,
healthy eating environments in schools and communities, and
injury and substance abuse prevention strategies. Programs
and services support teachers, parents and community partners
through knowledge exchange, skill building and the promotion
and implementation of best practices.
• Community organizations
(e.g. community and
regional police services,
emergency services,
housing authorities, etc.)
• Mental Health
Organizations
• Non-Profit Groups
• Government of Ontario
(multiple ministries)
• Veterans Affairs
• Early Years Centres and
Programs
• Physicians and
Pharmacists
• Community Health
Organizations
• Youth Groups
• Seniors Groups
*
Other posters in the
series include:
• Understanding Parents
• Understanding Recreation
• Understanding Schools
Programs and services
offered by health units
address a wide variety of
topics including (but not
limited to):
• Chronic Disease and Injury
Prevention
• Family Health (including
Reproductive Health and Child
Health)
• Infectious Diseases (which
includes Sexual Health,
Communicable Diseases and
Vaccine Preventable Diseases),
*(Reference - Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care - www.mhp.gov.on.ca)
• Environmental Health
(including Food Safety and
Water Safety)
• Emergency Preparedness
• Support to Healthy Schools
initiatives across a variety of
topic areas
For a list of tips that will support you in working with public health professionals or to access the other posters in the series, visit ophea.net/healthy-schools-communities
PARKS AND RECREATION ONTARIO
PARC is funded by the Government of Ontario
Working with Public
Health: Tip Sheet
When working with the public health sector, it helps
to understand how to engage them in a meaningful
way. Use this tip sheet for ideas about how to
successfully partner with public health professionals
in your community.
Tips:
ǩŽ“†‡”š™”œ•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™˜™†‹‹ˆ†“Š‘•ž”š†‰›†“ˆŠž”š—•—”Œ—†’DŽ”šˆ†“˜™†—™‡ž
—Š›ŽŠœŽ“Œž”š—‘”ˆ†‘•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™š“Ž™ȉ˜œŠ‡˜Ž™Š™”›ŽŠœ•—”Œ—†’˜†“‰—Š˜”š—ˆŠ˜†›†Ž‘†‡‘ŠDŽ
ǩ“”œœ†™•—”Œ—†’˜†“‰˜Š—›ŽˆŠ˜†—Š”‹‹Š—Š‰Ž“ž”š—˜ˆ””‘†“‰ˆ”’’š“Ž™žǬŽDŽŠDŽ‰Š“™†‘ǁ
Ž’’ŽŒ—†™Ž”“ǁŠ†‘™ž˜ˆ””‘˜ǁ‰Ž˜Š†˜Š•—Š›Š“™Ž”“ǁ•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™Ž“˜•Šˆ™Ž”“ǭDŽ
ǩ—”›Ž‰Š†‹†Ž—†’”š“™”‹“”™ŽˆŠŽ‹ž”š•‘†“™”•†—™“Š—œŽ™•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™”“†•—”Œ—†’DŽ
Š™Š—’Ž“Š”œ’šˆ™Ž’Š™Šž†—Š†‡‘Š™”ˆ”“™—Ž‡š™Š™”™Š•†—™“Š—˜Ž•ǬŽ“†‰›†“ˆŠ”‹‡ŠŒŽ“ning the work).
ǩ“›Ž™Š•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™†™™ŠŠ†—‘ž˜™†ŒŠ˜”‹•‘†““Ž“Œ‹”—†“ž•—”Œ—†’DŽ
ǩŠ†ˆ”š™™”ž”š—‘”ˆ†‘Š†‘™š“Ž™™”Ž‰Š“™Ž‹ž™Š•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™˜™†‹‹Ž“™Š‡Š˜™•”˜Ž™Ž”“™”
support your work (i.e. school health nurse).
ǩ‰Š“™Ž‹žˆ”’’”“Œ”†‘˜˜”™†™ž”š—œ”—Ž˜’š™š†‘‘ž‡Š“ŠƣˆŽ†‘†“‰’ŠŠ™˜™Š“ŠŠ‰˜”‹‡”™
partners.
ǩ“”œœ†™™ŠŠ†‘™š“Ž™•—Ž”—Ž™ŽŠ˜†—Š‹”—†“žŒŽ›Š“žŠ†—ǬŽDŽŠDŽŠ†‘™š“Ž™˜’†ž†›Š†˜•ŠˆŽƣˆ
area of focus for their school programming).
ǩ”“˜Ž‰Š—ˆš——Š“™•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™•—Ž”—Ž™ŽŠ˜‡ž›ŽŠœŽ“Œ™ŠŠ†‘™š“Ž™Ǔ˜œŠ‡˜Ž™Š†“‰‡”†—‰”‹
health documents.
ǩŠ›Š‘”••‘†““Ž“Œ‰”ˆš’Š“™˜˜šˆ†˜ǃ†ˆ™Ž›Ž™ž”—˜™—†™ŠŒŽˆ•‘†“˜™”‹”—’†‘ŽŸŠ•†—™“Š—˜Ž•˜ǁ
Š˜™†‡‘Ž˜ˆ‘Š†——”‘Š˜†“‰—Š˜•”“˜Ž‡Ž‘Ž™ŽŠ˜ǁ†“‰’”“Ž™”—ž”š—œ”—†‘”“Œ™Šœ†žDŽ
ǩ——†“ŒŠ‹”—Ž“dž•Š—˜”“’ŠŠ™Ž“Œ˜ǬœŠ“Š›Š—•”˜˜Ž‡‘ŠǭDŽ
”—’”—Š‰Š™†Ž‘Š‰Ž“‹”—’†™Ž”“”“œ”—Ž“ŒœŽ™•š‡‘ŽˆŠ†‘™ǁˆŠˆ”š™™Š
Understanding Public Health Poster at: ophea.net/healthy-schools-communities
PARKS AND RECREATION ONTARIO
Ž˜‹š“‰Š‰‡ž™Š
”›Š—“’Š“™”‹“™†—Ž”