MORGANTOWN, W.Va. The Monongalia County Health Department (MCHD) is conducting a community health survey to inform the public about the services they provide. MCHD Executive Director Anthony DeFelice said the department is in the implementation phase of a strategic plan developed with the help of Morgantown-based Forge Business Solutions.
MCHD services touch many aspects of life, from inspecting restaurants to providing health care to the Quick Response Team.
“We permit all those, we inspect them, and we train their food workers,” DeFelice said. “So again, every time someone goes to an establishment for dinner or beer, we’re involved in that.”
In order for the public to take advantage of the services offered, they have to understand what all there is. So, this is a chance to talk about things like the mobile dentistry Smile Express program, services for mothers and young children through the WIC program, testing for sexually transmitted infections, and the Monongalia County Quick Response Team (QRT).
“We want them to get to know us and tell us what’s important to them,” DeFelice said. “So, we can make decisions on our initiatives on what direction we should go.”
Monongalia County has the only health department in the state with a full-service dental section with a dentist trained at West Virginia University. The mobile Smile Express travels to area schools and is now expanding.
“We touch about five counties, and we have also expanded Smile Express into a nursing home and recovery centers,” DeFelice said.
The process also includes a community survey that is required by law every five years. The survey is available at the health department office and online here.
“Part of this is going to be telling the community what we do, and hopefully some of these services will be helpful to them,” DeFelice said. “Also, we want to listen to them to see if there’s something we can align with that might fit a need they have.”