Health Promotions

Mission: To encourage optimal wellness in Escambia County through evidence-based public health education and promotion strategies.

About Health Promotions

 The Health Promotions Division works to educate people in our community about healthful living by giving public presentations, implementing health programs, exhibiting at local health fairs, and conducting comprehensive marketing and advertising strategies.

The Escambia County Health Department (ECHD) has adopted five vital community health issues on which to concentrate efforts.

1. Nutrition, to include obesity and diabetes prevention,

2. Environmental Health concerns such as landfill issues, dioxin, and lead exposure,

3. Smoking, to include youth and adult prevention as well as cessation,

4. Healthy Pregnancies, to include reduction of infant mortality rates and immunization compliance, and

5. Communicable Disease Prevention including pandemic (bird/avian) flu planning.

The Health Promotions Division in conjunction with all other ECHD divisions have chosen these areas for our laser focus and work to promote ways to improve community health by conducting public health events, providing health education to local businesses, churches, and social groups upon request.

Some of the current strategic initiatives being implemented by the Health Promotions Division are:

1. Kids in the Kitchen: a partnership with the Junior League of Pensacola combating childhood obesity which aims to educate children in after school programs about healthy nutrition and the importance of daily exercise. This program shows children not only what these strategies are, but teaches them how to make healthy food choices and prepare nutritious snacks.

2. Tobacco prevention: a partnership with the School District of Escambia County designed to educate youth on the deceitful marketing strategies of the tobacco industry. The program is based on peer to peer teaching and gives the youth an opportunity to rally their fellow students around rejecting tobacco use and resisting the glamorous propaganda designed to lure them into a lifetime of smoking addiction.

3. Step Up Florida: an annual event that encourages people of all ages to increase their daily activity levels and teaches proper exercise techniques and good nutrition.

4. Pedometer program: an internal pilot program for volunteer employees wishing to make a change in their personal fitness levels. The program requires the participants to closely monitor their daily activity levels. It will be studied for a year with the intent for development into a community wellness program that will be offered to the public.

The Health Promotions Division is also in charge of the ECHD’s internship program. We interview and oversee the placement of college interns studying various disciplines within public health. Students can choose from a variety of ECHD internship focuses including HIV/AIDS, Public Health Preparedness, Health Promotions, Environmental Health, & WIC/Nutrition.

Health Promotions is involved throughout the community not only as partners in various local initiatives, but also as outreach educators. To name a few, the health promotions staff serve on a variety of boards and planning committees that includes the Hope Center for Teens, Health Excellence Symposium, Junior League of Pensacola, Healthy Families Day Committee, Obesity Task Force, Step Up Florida Planning Board, and the Escambia Community Collaborative.

Our health promotions staff is available for community presentations. Our presentations are limited to the 5 main health areas of ECHD’s laser focus and the general services provided by the health department.

The Health Promotions Team welcomes the opportunity to serve the businesses and community organizations of the Escambia County area, and recognizes the great need in the community for education regarding prevention measures and vital health concerns.

Escambia County Wellness Resources

Escambia County - Parks & Recreation

Please contact us at 595-6273

Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships

MAPP is a community-wide strategic planning tool for improving community health.  Facilitated by public health leadership, this tool helps communities prioritize public health issues and identify resources for addressing them. 

Community ownership is the fundamental component of MAPP.  Because the community’s strengths, needs and desires drive the process, MAPP provides the framework for creating a truly community driven initiative.  Community participation leads to collective thinking and, ultimately, results in effective, sustainable solutions to complex problems. 

Public, private and voluntary organizations join community members to activate change.  The MAPP process brings diverse interests together to collaboratively determine the most effective way to conduct public health activities.

Reference:  MAPP Field Guide

CATCH Survey(67mb; pdf)

Escambia County We Care was the #1 We Care Volunteer Physician Program in the State of Florida for 2005-2006. The We Care Program of Escambia County meets the specialty medical needs of our community's uninsured residents. The program is administered by the Escambia County Health Department and was founded by the Escambia County Medical Society.  The program meets a critical gap in healthcare access to those who otherwise would not receive care or would seek care in emergency rooms and further contribute to the current heath care burden of hospitals and their communities.  

We Care clients must prove residency in Escambia County for at least 6 months and be under 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.  Only patients referred to the program by a physician are accepted by the We Care Program. 

We Care has approximately 250 physician providers, three participating hospitals and 18 ancillary service providers that work together to help those who cannot help themselves.

Physicians click here 

Physicians line: 595-6660.