About Us
Our Mission
“The Ross County Health District strives to improve the health and safety of our community through education, prevention, policy, and partnerships.”
History
The Ross County Health District was formed in 1979, when the Boards of Health of the Chillicothe City Health Department (1888) and the Ross County General Health District (1920) agreed to a merger. Even before the merger, the two health agencies shared one health commissioner and often shared office space and other resources. During the 20th century, the health agencies occupied offices at various sites, including West Main St., West Second St., and later in the old Tuberculosis Hospital on Pohlman Rd. In 1978 the agencies moved once again, this time locating their offices in the former Chillicothe Hospital on Chestnut Street, where the office remained for another 20 years. In 1998, the Ross County Commissioners purchased the former Harts Department Store building at 475 Western Ave., for use as the Ross County Service Center. The combined Health District relocated offices to that facility in early 1999. The health district has been at its current location, 150 East Second Street, since August of 2014.
Governance
The Health District is governed by a seven-member Board of Health: four members are appointed by the District Advisory Council; three by the Mayor of Chillicothe. The Health District is made up of five major divisions: Administration, Environmental Health, Health Promotion and Quality Improvement, Public Health Nursing, and WIC which all contain a variety of programs that employs 55 people. Programs are divided into those that are mandated and those that are non-mandated. Mandated programs include public health nursing (TB case management, lead poisoning case management, immunizations, etc.); environmental health programs such as sewage treatment systems and food safety; and the Vital Statistics services of birth and death records. The health district also administers a number of grants. Financially, the health district is supported by a 1-mill, voter approved tax levy and receives additional funding from fees charged and grants administered.