January is Radon Action Month!!
“I tested my home for Radon... You should too!”
More than 1 in 8 homes could have elevated indoor radon levels. Get your free test kit at the Western U.P. District Health Dept. today!
Health Department Accredited “With Commendation”
Western U.P. District Health Department has been granted full accreditation with commendation by the Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation Program. Formal presentation of accreditation was made to the Western U.P. District Board of Health on December 5 by Jean Chabut, Chief Administrative Officer, Michigan Department of Community Health. The agency and its Superior Home Health & Hospice Division are also accredited by the national Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP).
This is the second awarding of the status, accreditation with commendation, for the health department, said Guy St. Germain, Health Officer/Administrator. 
1998, and Western U.P. District Health Department has maintained its accredited status through two cycles, St. Germain noted. “The awarding of accredited status followed a three-year preparation phase, extensive self-evaluation report, and an on-site inspection of all health department programs in 2004. All programs in the health department were assessed against standards set by Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Department of Agriculture, and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality,” said St. Germain.
“Accreditation is designed to assure the quality of local public health in Michigan by identifying and promoting public health standards for local public health departments, and evaluating health departments on their ability to meet the standards,” said Daune Smith, Chair of Western U.P. District Health Department’s five county Board of Health. “We are pleased with the excellent result achieved by our health department.”
Maintaining its status as a fully accredited health department is central to the health department’s mission to provide the residents in its five county region with the best public health service, noted St. Germain. “This award of the highest level of accreditation is a credit to the skill of the health department’s employees and commitment of our Board,” said St. Germain.
Western U.P. District Health Department is a five-county agency providing public health services to residents in Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Ontonagon, and Gogebic counties. In addition, its Superior Home Health & Hospice Division provides Medicare certified skilled home nursing and hospice services in the five counties. Western U.P District Health Department has offices in Hancock, L’Anse, Ontonagon and Bessemer.
