Prevention Branch
The best way to ensure the safety and health of the people in Montgomery County is to prevent diseases from spreading. By promoting solutions that minimize health risks, the whole community benefits.
Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County provide resources that keep the community safe from health risks, including:
- Improving the infant mortality rate for every mother, across demographics and social classes.
- Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS through the community through addressing gaps in treatment and methods of filling them.
- Breaking the bonds of substance abuse, whether the substances are legal (cigarettes, alcohol) or illegal (heroin, methamphetamines).
Safe Sleep Branch
One contributor to the national infant mortality rate is unsafe sleep practices. Informing expecting and new mothers through educational programs helps improve the chances of every baby to make it to one year.
Along with the state of Ohio, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County promotes safe sleeping practices, including:
- Infants should be Alone, on their Back, in a Crib (ABC) to ensure they are in the safest sleep environment possible.
- Developing a Sleep Ambassador Program to educate the public about safe sleep practices further.
- Offering a Cribs for Kids Program, ensuring that every child has a safe place to sleep at night.
Community Engagement Branch
The people that make up the Dayton region are a diverse group, from grandparents to new babies located in Vandalia to Germantown. Our staff makes sure we are out in the community for education and engagement purposes.
Staying accessible to the public and building relationships through projects like:
- Developing a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to engage all aspects of healthcare, from physical to mental.
- Exploring the needs of the entire community to make sure we consider the health needs of our most vulnerable populations.
- Working with other departments and communities to improve their access and exposure to Public Health – Dayton and Montgomery County and its programs.
Fatherhood Coalition
The role of a father is critical to raising a child. Studies show that the involvement of the father increases everything from academic achievement to greater comfort in society.
EveryOne Reach One, along with many other programs in Montgomery County, offer new fathers the support they need as they learn about new relationships with their new family:
- Providing emotional and financial support for the child while the new mother recovers from her pregnancy.
- Helping fathers become more involved in their child’s life at every stage.
- Connecting fathers with other new or expecting fathers, helping them with their advice and their experience.
Substance Misuse Branch
Addiction to a substance, whether the substance is legal or not, can be devastating to a community. Understanding substance abuse, and how to treat it, can reduce its impact in the community.
Addressing growing substance misuse issues impacts not just the health of the community, but makes the community a safer place for everyone by:
- Identifying the key factors that contribute to substance misuse, from socioeconomic status to availability of the substance.
- Reducing the amount of exposure teens receive to easily abused substances like tobacco and alcohol.
- Providing support for people addicted to substances and their families.
Breastfeeding Branch
How to feed your newborn is a decision that every woman has to make. Breastfeeding is strongly recommended by many medical experts, with benefits to the baby that go well beyond the nutritional ones.
The health officials in Montgomery County agree with the experts. They offer many informational events and resources to help women with this personal decision:
- Informational meetings for women to discuss breastfeeding with other women; what it was like and how they came to their choice.
- Providing equipment like breast pumps and pads to help women that have to return to work keep breastfeeding as long as they choose.
- Engage with underserved communities to provide facts about breastfeeding and its benefits.
Preterm and Low Birth Weight Branch
One of the leading causes of infant mortality is preterm births. Babies born before full term are typically born smaller and with more health issues, including difficulty breathing and inability to swallow milk.
The risks of having a preterm baby can be health-related, environmentally related, or a combination of the two. Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County offer mothers help when they are trying to cope with:
- Substance abuse issues.
- Stressful environments, from abuse at home to being a single mother.
- Existing health issues or the possibility of twins or triplets.
Resources to Prepare the Family
Every expectant mother is happier and healthier with a support network in place. There are many resources in Montgomery County available to assist during pregnancy and after the child is born.