January 4, 2012

As 2011 closes and a new year begins, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health would like to thank you for supporting our efforts in improving and sustaining the health of every person in our county.

This past year, our department celebrated the opening of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Public Health, the first public health center to open in the county in 35 years. This multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art facility will help revitalize the city of Willowbrook and surrounding areas, and will provide quality, accessible community health care for the residents of South Los Angeles. Other important actions for Public Health included a sustained emergency response to the nuclear power complex crisis in Japan, which arose from that country’s devastating earthquake in March; a successful campaign to assure vaccination against pertussis for thousands of 7th-12th grade students, in accordance with California’s school immunization law; and the inauguration of an Epidemiology Scholars Program to further educate graduate students on health disparities and other public health areas of concern. We also received a $9.8 million grant under the federal Community Transformation Grants initiative, which will allow us to continue to promote tobacco-free living; active living and healthy eating; clinical and other preventive services; social and emotional wellness; and healthy and safe environments.

For the coming year, we will continue to strive toward the Healthy People 2020 goals of improving preconception, adolescent, and older adult health; social determinants of health; and emergency preparedness. We look forward to working with you as we take on these and other challenges in improving the health of the residents of Los Angeles County. May the New Year bring health and happiness to you, your family, and friends.