Erie County Department of Health (ECDH) provides public health services and programs to the 270,000 residents in Erie County’s 38 incorporated municipalities, which includes 2 cities, 14 boroughs, and 22 townships.
Through partnerships and coalitions, it also collaborates with counties in the Northwest Pennsylvania region on public health efforts.
Vision, Mission, History, Values
Vision: People of Erie County enjoying good health in a safe and healthy environment.
Mission: Preserve, promote and protect the health, safety and well-being of the people and the environment in the county.
By:
- Acting as the guardian and as an advocate in all matters relating to the public’s health;
- Promoting healthy lifestyles;
- Reducing preventable illness and controlling the spread of communicable diseases;
- Identifying and eliminating health and safety hazards;
- Protecting and promoting the quality of the environment.
History: Established by referendum vote on Nov. 8, 1955, as provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Local Health Administration Law (Act 315), ECDH started operations in May 1956.
Values: Collaboration, Integrity, Ethics, Quality and Equality
Nationally Accredited
ECDH is proud to be nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). ECDH has demonstrated that it meets or exceeds a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process. It has proven that it has the capacity to continue to evolve, improve and advance, thereby becoming increasingly effective at improving the health of the residents of Erie County.
ECDH first received accreditation, which is effective for five years, in 2014. ECDH holds the distinction of being the first health department in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to receive national accreditation. It received its second accreditation in 2021.
PHAB’s national accreditation program sets standards and measures that the nation’s nearly 3,000 governmental and public health departments can use to improve the quality of their services. PHAB, supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, works to advance and transform public health by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure and innovation.
Affiliations
ECDH is a member of National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). NACCHO seeks to improve the health of communities by strengthening and advocating for local health departments. It serves 3,000 local health departments and is the leader in providing cutting-edge, skill-building, professional resources and programs, seeking health equity, and supporting effective local public health practice and systems.
Since its inception, NACCHO has sought to improve the public’s health while adhering to a set of core values: equity, excellence, participation, respect, integrity, leadership, science & innovation.
ECDH is a member of the Pennsylvania Health Policy Coalition. An alliance of every local public health department in the state, the coalition’s mission is to improve the health of Pennsylvanians through public health policies.
The Coalition espouses a shared vision for improved public health and coordinated, sustained policy implementation at the local, state, and federal levels. ECDH director.
Organizational Structure
ECDH currently follows the divisions and functions outlined in this Organizational Chart as of 2021.
The County Government Organizational Structure can be found here.
Quality Improvement
ECDH is committed to providing high quality services to the community, in line with the mission, vision, and values of the department. Fostering a culture of quality improvement is a top priority for Department of Health leadership. For this reason, quality improvement is at the basis of all the work that is done at the Erie County Department of Health.
Culture of Quality Self-Assessment Results
Quality Improvement Plans
Strategic Plan
To guide its efforts in advancing public health in Erie County, ECDH prepares and uses a strategic plan that formalizes organizational processes and work plans to achieve collective goals.