The Putnam County Department of Health is made of several divisions all working towards improving and protecting the health of the entire community, through the lens of equity.
Department of Health staff assess the health of Putnam County to develop and coordinate health promotion campaigns and programs tailored to the needs of the community. This includes planning for emergencies, creating linkages to care, analyzing health related data collected from the community, and providing timely and accurate information to residents. A variety of assessments are conducted to capture the full picture of the health in Putnam County.
A Community Health Assessment (CHA) is conducted every three years in each county in New York State. A Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is developed from the CHA along with input from various community partner organizations with direction from theNew York State Prevention Agenda. Public Health Summits have been held in the past to inform planning and priority focus areas. Progress reports on priority areas are shared with New York State annually.
County Health Rankingsare released annually by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Health outcomes and factors are measured across the United States. Putnam County consistently tops the list of healthiest counties in New York. Click here for more information or to view the most current health rankings.
Certain diseases are tracked and analyzed to help inform healthcare provider decision making. Click here to view flu reports and click here to view COVID-19 trends.
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The Putnam County Department of Health plays a vital role in emergency preparedness. Health department staff plan for a variety of public health emergencies and perform drills to refine the response. Planning is coordinated with wide-ranging community partners, all with an interest in keeping residents and organizations safe and healthy. Following a public health emergency or event, health department staff are called upon to participate in a coordinated response. Preparing for public health emergencies builds resiliency and helps to protect residents from disease outbreaks and other hazards due to contaminated food and water, chemical releases, natural disasters, unmet medical needs and biological events.
Start by having a discussion with your family, friends, or household. Talk about how you plan to receive emergency alerts or warnings, your shelter plans, your evacuation route and your emergency kit.
Consider specific needs in your household. Tailor your plan to specific daily living needs of your family. Consider special needs, responsibilities, pets, children, disabilities, and languages spoken.
Start your kit by gathering food, water, and other supplies to last several days. Your kit should be one or two easy to carry containers like plastic bins. Store your kit in a cool, dry place. Rethink your needs each year and make sure to replace expired food.
Basic supplies include:
Water: 1 gal/person per day
Food: 3 day supply of non-perishables
Battery or hand crank radio
Flashlight
First Aid Kit
Extra Batteries
Fire extinguisher
Can opener
Extra supplies may include:
Hand sanitizer
Disinfecting wipes
Prescription and non-prescription medications
Infant formula, bottles, diapers and wipes
Pet food
Other items to include in your emergency kit can be found at www.ready.gov/kit.
Stay Informed
Familiarize yourself with the kinds of emergencies or disasters that might occur in your area. In Putnam County, it is usually extreme weather like tropical storms, tornadoes, or a nor’easter.
Before, during, and after an emergency, following directions from local authorities can keep you safe. Stay informed by signing up for New York Alerts at alert.ny.gov.
Join the Medical Reserve Corps
The Putnam County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) recruits and trains volunteers to support the county in the event of an emergency or disaster. Their mission is to serve the community by strengthening public health, improving emergency response capabilities and building community resiliency. The Putnam County MRC is one of nearly 1,000 MRCs nationwide that organize locally.
The Putnam County Department of Health uses a variety of ways to share health related information. From traditional print media to online news outlets and social media, the health department shares timely and pertinent health information with residents. Additionally, information is frequently provided to community organizations, healthcare providers, permitted facilities, and other businesses that intersect with public health.
If you are a member of the media and would like to contact the health department, please emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To request a presentation/ guest speaker from the health department our attendance at an informational booth/ table, please complete this form.
Contact Us
Phone:
845-808-1390
Fax:
845-278-7921
Fax (Nursing):
845-447-9490
Toll free (TTY) for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Speech Impaired:
Complaints on facilities will not be addressed through email. To file a complaint, please call the Department of Health directly at 1-845-808-1390.
Animal bite reports should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In the event of an emergency, Health Department staff are available 24/7. Please call 845-808-1390 to report a public health emergency, rabies exposure, communicable disease, water outage or sewer overflow.
If you are a member of the media and would like to contact the health department, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..