2023 Health Check-Up! Durham Region Health Department’s Annual Report

I am pleased to present the 2023 Durham Health Check-Up! which highlights and summarizes our achievements to show the impact and reach of our efforts across Durham Region Health Department programs and services.

The Health Department is responsible for the protection and promotion of the health of Durham Region residents; we work collaboratively to deliver public health and paramedic programs and services to support the health and well-being of our residents.

Our excellent team is a devoted and talented group of professionals with a diverse range of expertise.

In 2023, Health Department programs and services were fully restored, and staff continued to respond to spikes in the COVID-19 virus, as needed.

A few other highlights for 2023 include:

The addition of a denture lab as part of our dental clinic services to meet the needs of our community.

Implementing a cognitive behaviour therapy initiative within our Healthy Families program to support residents experiencing perinatal mood disorder.

The launch of our Connection campaign to increase awareness of the importance of meaningful connections to support mental health, through our Healthy Living program.

Expanding advanced care paramedic training opportunities through Region of Durham Paramedic Services.

Implementing several new online dashboards including the new Maternal and Infant Health Data Tracker outlining information on pregnancy, birth, maternal health and breastfeeding data for Durham Region.

And the Durham Region Respiratory Virus Tracker to provide details on the status of COVID-19 and influenza activity in the region.

We are honoured to serve our community with an outstanding suite of programs and services. I hope you find the information in this report both informative and useful in helping to understand the full scope of your Health Department’s commitment to the Durham Region community.