FREEPORT, Ill. -- Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today presented Carroll County Board of Health member Charles Kopecky with a $25,000 check to assist with the development of the county's new health department.

"Carroll County is joining 94 other counties and communities, representing more than 99 percent of the state's population, in having access to services such as food sanitation, infectious disease prevention and control, immunizations, testing of potable water supplies and health promotion programs," Dr. Whitaker said. "We are very happy to welcome Carroll County to the public health family."

A resolution to form the Carroll County health department was approved Oct. 16, 2003 by the Carroll County Board. Carroll County has contracted with the Stephenson County Health Department to provide an administrator (Jeffrey Todd, who also serves at the Stephenson County Health Department administrator) for the health department and public health services are slated to begin this spring after a staff has been hired.

In order to be a fully certified public health department, Carroll County will need to complete a community health needs assessment identifying the health priorities unique to their area. The assessment will include public hearings and be overseen by a 25-member community advisory panel of citizens and representatives from business, allied health agencies, schools and hospitals.

Once the health assessment is completed and the department certified, Carroll County would be eligible for a $50,000 local health protection grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health and other state and federal funding opportunities.

"Local health departments have been the front line providers of basic health care services since the first one was formed in Quincy in 1833, pre-dating the establishment of the state health department by some 44 years," Dr. Whitaker said. "It is our goal that all citizens of Illinois have the benefit of the protection and services provided by a local health department. Carroll County moves us one step closer to that reality."

The three remaining counties in Illinois without a local health department are Edwards, Richland and Warren counties.