Director's Message

Feb. 24, 2006

To: DHS employees

From: Dr. Bruce Goldberg, DHS Director

"The health of nations is more important than the wealth of nations." -- Will Durant

Each year since 1995, during the first week of April, the country recognizes and celebrates National Public Health Week.  The week traditionally focuses on an issue that is important to improving the public's health. This week, I'd like to recognize work that goes on each and every day, often inconspicuous, but vitally important.

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, public health is there for all of us.  Yet, many of us don't often think about how public health impacts our lives unless there is an emergency. 

These are the hundreds of employees who work in the DHS public health offices, as well as others who work in county health departments around the state. All of us have safer drinking water, healthier babies, fewer diseases and are better prepared for emergencies -- thanks to the efforts of public health.

Our public health workers research and track chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer and help prevent them from afflicting us. They help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and work to prevent injuries.

Public health helps create healthy communities by educating people about the deadly health effects of tobacco and second-hand smoke, ensuring all newborn babies are screened for 26 metabolic disorders, helping encourage people to exercise regularly to avoid chronic diseases, overseeing the inspection and licensing of restaurants, certifying paramedics and monitoring the state's trauma system, and alerting all of us to potentially dangerous disease outbreaks.

The work of our dedicated public health staff touches every one of us in this state. Through their collective efforts, they help make us all healthier.  Thanks.

Thanks also go out to Louise Calder of Happy Valley. Louise and her husband, Bill, a former Portland police officer, have taken in more than 400 medically fragile foster children including drug-addicted babies, infants awaiting surgery, and brain-damaged children since 1980. This week, Louise was recognized by the NBC Today show for her efforts, winning a cruise ship vacation every year for life.

Like Louise, hundreds of foster parents dedicate their time and energy every day, doing critical work for abused and neglected children, far from the gaze of television camera and the glare of newspaper headlines. This is another group of dedicated people -- who often work behind the scenes as well -- impacting lives on a daily basis, helping to keep all Oregonians healthy and safe.

This message is intended for all department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.

If you have a disability and need this message to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us, or call (503) 947-5107. You can also fax your request to (503) 373-7690, or call (503) 947-5080 for TTY service. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.