About The Department
The Cook County Board of Commissioners established the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) on December 10, 1945. Decades later, CCDPH continues to improve the quality of life for suburban Cook County residents through the prevention of illness, early disease detection and the promotion of personal and community health. In 1945, the health department served a jurisdiction of 600,000 people on a budget of $162,000.00. Today, our budget nears $40,000,000.00 and over two million residents depend on CCDPH for disease control and prevention and health promotion activities. From 90 employees in the mid-forties, to over 300 today, CCDPH has expanded its traditional health services from limited nursing to many personal, clinic-based health care services.
CCDPH is one of seven operating units of the Cook County Health & Hospitals System. The System’s seven operating units include the Ambulatory and Community Health Network of Cook County, Cermak Health Services of Cook County, Cook County Department of Public Health, The Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County, and Provident Hospital of Cook County.
The scope of healthcare services range from preventive and primary care, specialty care, to prenatal care. The System is a leader in innovative health programs that target those diseases and conditions that disproportionately impact the populations it serves; such as, asthma, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, trauma, cancer, high risk pregnant women and babies.
The Cook County Department of Public Health is the state certified public health agency for suburban Cook County with the exception of Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park, and Stickney Township. These three municipalities and 1 township have separate, state certified public health departments and are operated by the local unit of government. CCDPH serves the people of its jurisdiction from four district offices, as well as many community and mobile sites. CCDPH is the official agency of county government that strives to meet the public health needs of its citizens through effective and efficient disease prevention and health promotion programs.