Sanford, Fla.  This week is National Public Health Week and the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County is giving Floridians an inside look at some of the careers behind public health and the dedicated professionals who do them. Each day, the department will highlight a different area of public health including epidemiology, emergency preparedness and response, environmental health and public health nursing. These fields and many more help the department carry out our mission to promote, protect and improve the health of Florida residents and visitors.

"The health department in Seminole County and all the public health workers who serve the community every day are committed to protecting the public's health in the health clinic, while out in the community providing services and when collaborating with partners," said Donna Walsh, health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County.

Last year, the department was the first state in the nation to receive national accreditation as an integrated department of health through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Accreditation by PHAB signifies that the department, including the state health office and all 67 county health departments, is meeting national standards for ensuring essential public health services are provided in the community.

For the next two years, the department will focus on several key areas to improve health in our state including increasing childhood vaccination rates, achieving health equity in all communities, developing a high quality trauma service, reducing HIV infection rates, reducing infant mortality rates, decreasing inhaled nicotine use and decreasing licensure processing time for health care professionals.

The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County (DOH-Seminole) continues to provide core public health services along with clinical services according to the needs of the community. Preventative care and education, disease monitoring, and the inspection and regulation of facilities are some of DOH-Seminole's ways to keeping the community safe and healthy.

DOH-Seminole has a series of free activities open to the public to celebrate NPHW:

• Monday, April 3rd - Public Health Professionals will display "Pinwheels for Prevention" which raises awareness on child abuse. The pinwheels can be seen at DOH-Seminole located at 400 West Airport Boulevard in Sanford.

• Tuesday, April 4th

• • Yoga Class from 5:15-6:30pm at DOH-Seminole located at 400 West Airport Boulevard in Sanford. Please bring water, a yoga mat, and a towel (optional).
  • Free confidential STD testing from 8:30am to11:30am, and 1:30pm to 3:30pm at DOH-Seminole's Health Clinic located at 400 West Airport Boulevard in Sanford.

• Wednesday, April 5 - Yoga class from 5:15-6:30pm at DOH-Seminole located at 132 Sausalito Boulevard in Casselberry. Please bring water, a yoga mat, and a towel (optional).

• Thursday, April 6 - "Stress Reduction" Lunch and Learn from 12:00-1:00pm at DOH-Seminole located at 400 West Airport Blvd. in Sanford.

• Sunday, April 9 - 3rd Annual Live, Work, Move Seminole 5K & Kid's Dash taking place on Sunday, April 9, 2017 starting at 7:30 a.m. at the Oviedo on the Park-Center Lake Park located at 299 Center Lake Lane in Oviedo. To register please visit www.seminolecohealth.com.

Use #ThankAPublicHealthPro on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to recognize a public health professional in your area during National Public Health Week.

For more information about National Public Health Week, please visit www.nphw.org. For more information about the different programs and services offered at DOH-Seminole please visit www.seminolecohealth.com or call (407) 665-3000.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.