Every April, communities across the country pause to recognize National Public Health Week, and this year's theme could not be more fitting: Ready. Set. Action! In Union County, a dedicated team of public health professionals is working behind the scenes and on the front lines in ways most residents never think about, until they need to.

Clinical Services: Care for Every Resident

Clinical services available right here in Union County include family planning, maternal health care, tuberculosis and STI screening and treatment, and breast and cervical cancer screenings for eligible women. Many services are available regardless of insurance status.

Environmental Health: Protecting You Before You Walk Through the Door

Think about your week. You enjoyed a meal at a local restaurant. Your kids went to daycare. You may have visited a community pool or a tattoo studio. Before you arrived, Union County Environmental Health had already been there — inspecting and ensuring those places meet the health and safety standards that protect you and your family.

Communicable Disease: The Work Behind the Scenes

When a contagious illness is reported in Union County, the Communicable Disease Team jumps into action — tracking down who may have been exposed, alerting them quickly, and working to stop the spread before it reaches more families. Long after the headlines move on, the team is still watching, still responding, and still making sure Union County stays as safe as possible. From flu season to emerging health threats, this work never stops because neither do the diseases they track.

Community Health Education: Meeting Residents Where They Are

Good health does not happen alone. The Community Health Education team works in classrooms, child care facilities, neighborhoods and community events across Union County, offering programs on chronic disease prevention, tobacco cessation, mental health, and more. Organizations, schools and workplaces can request a speaker by filling out this online form.

Vital Records: There for Life's Biggest Moments

Life's biggest moments come with paperwork, and Union County Public Health is there to help. The Vital Records team registers home births, processes affidavits of parentage, issues burial transit permits, and handles disinterment and reinternment permits. They also provide medical records, proof-of-care letters, and non-communicable disease letters for international transport, services that matter most when time is short and the details have to be right.

"Public health works best when the whole community is part of it," said Traci Colley, Union County Public Health Director. "National Public Health Week is a great reminder that the work we do every day is for every resident in Union County."

This year's theme encourages residents to move from awareness to action, whether that means scheduling a preventive screening, attending a community health program, or simply learning more about what is available right here in Union County.

This week, Union County Public Health invites every resident to take one action, however small, toward a healthier community. To learn more about Union County Public Health and the full range of services available, visit unioncountync.gov/publichealth.