HOPATCONG
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
What is
the Health Department?
The Health
Department provides health services and education to the residents of Hopatcong.
Under the guidance of the Board of Health, the Health Department’s
trained professionals perform the day-to-day work of protecting the public health
of Borough residents. Health Department activities include inspections and permitting
of septic systems and drinking water wells, sanitary inspections of local restaurants,
water sampling of drinking water and beaches, free or reduced-fee health clinics
(see below), health education, marriage licensing, dog licensing, animal control
("dog catcher") activities, and functioning as the Register of Vital
Statistics.
ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH: The Health Department provides monitoring and enforcement of applicable
federal, state and Borough environmental health laws and regulations, as they
apply to 1.public bathing places, 2. retail food establishments, and food and
beverage vending machines, 3. insect and rodent infestations, 4. tobacco products
as to the restrictions on the age of potential purchasers, 5. potable water, and
6. noise, air, and stream pollution control.
HEALTH
EDUCATION: The Health Department provides for a variety of education programs
by professional health educators to interested residents, and groups. Health related
materials are made available.
PUBLIC
HEALTH NURSING: The Health Department provides: 1. free child health conference
service for infants and pre-school children, which includes physical exams, immunizations
against childhood diseases, and nurse and physician counseling. 2. lead poisoning
control services including free screening of Hopatcong children one year through
five years of age. 3. free adult health counseling and risk factor screening adults
for high blood pressure and other select conditions. 4. a W.I.C nutritional program
which is a program that provides free nutritional counseling and nutrition supplements
for pregnant or breast feeding women, infants and children up to five (5) years
of age who come to the Health Department twice a month.
COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE CONTROL: The Health Department provides reporting and case investigation
of all communicable diseases that are reportable under the law, provision of free
immunizations against childhood diseases of school aged children, and provision
of rabies control through the annual free rabies vaccination clinic for dogs and
cats, the dog and cat licensing program, animal control/shelter services and enforcement
of all state and local animal control laws.
VITAL
STATISTICS: The Health Department is responsible for issuing marriage licenses,
for recording the births, deaths, and marriages that occur in the Borough of Hopatcong,
and for issuing certified copies of records of births, deaths, and marriages.