Ready. Set. Action! this year’s theme for National Public Health week.
This is a time to recognize how public health has improved our daily lives, safeguarded families, extended
lifespans and strengthened communities.
For more than 150 years, public health has reshaped health in the United States – adding decades to life
expectancy and improving quality of life. These achievements didn’t happen by accident. They were the
result of public health workers, medical professionals, scientists and advocates pushing for policies and
practices grounded in evidence and focused on equity.
Rice County Public Health would like to recognize and honor staff for their hard work, dedication and
commitment to serving our community!
Rice County Public Health’s mission is to protect, promote and improve the health of ALL individuals and
families in our community. Public health responsibilities include assuring an adequate local public health
infrastructure, promoting healthy communities and behaviors, preventing the spread of infectious disease,
protecting against environmental health hazards, preparing for and responding to public health
emergencies, and assuring accessibility of health services for all.
The department, through its five divisions -- Family Child Health, Clinic and Community, Disease Prevention
& Control/Emergency Preparedness, Home Care, and Long-term Care -- provides a significant number of
services for thousands of county residents. Services are varied; from prenatal support, family home visiting,
WIC and vaccination clinics, infectious disease follow-up, to homecare and case management for those 65
years and older.
On April 7, Public Health Director Deb Purfeerst gave a presentation to the Rice County Board of
Commissioners recapping 2025 public health activities.
Some of the highlights included: 1,787 vaccines administered to 858 individuals, 1,965 individuals receiving
nutrition education and healthy food support through the WIC program, 226 car seats distributed with
education on proper use and installation by bilingual certified car seat technicians, over $130,800 in grant
awards to community partners to support healthy eating , physical activities and tobacco-free living, more
than 2,100 home visits for health and parenting education, and over 3,000 nurse visits and 9,000 aide visits
to support individuals in need of home care services.
Learn more about the public health work in Rice County by reading the 2025 Rice County Public Health
Annual Report, which can be found on the county website at https://bit.ly/RiceCoPublicHealthAnnualReport2026.
