History

History of the Health Department

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) is charged with protecting the environmental and public health of 1.2 million County residents through Pennsylvania Act 315(PDF, 101KB), the Local Health Administration Law.

Its mission is to protect, promote, and preserve the health and well–being of all county residents, particularly the most vulnerable. Formed in 1957, ACHD strives daily to assure quality public health services by promoting individual and community wellness, preventing injury, illness and premature death or disability, and protecting the population from harmful effects of chemical, biological and physical hazards within the environment.

The Health Department’s impressive milestones from its founding in 1957 include:

  • 1958 – Opens the first public dental clinic for children
  • 1960 – Completes the nation’s first polio vaccination campaign
  • 1965 – Initiates the Maternity and Infant Care Project
  • 1966 – Enacts a rent withholding program to upgrade housing
  • 1969 – Adopts waste disposal regulations
  • 1970 – Implements use of a Countywide plumbing code
  • 1972 – Crafts comprehensive air quality regulations
  • 1974 – Launches the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program
  • 1977 – Institutes the Public Drinking Water Protection Program
  • 1981 – Creates the “Buckle-Up Baby” campaign promoting infant car seats
  • 1983 – Approves asbestos removal regulations
  • 1985 – Initiates the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Project
  • 1989 – Performs a pilot study for the national AIDS survey
  • 1991 – Begins the “Healthy Start” program to combat infant mortality
  • 1992 – Completes a Medicare study on flu shots for seniors
  • 1993 – Sets up the Breastfeeding Helpline for mothers
  • 1995 – Introduces sewer overflow warnings for rivers and streams
  • 1996 – Meets national air quality standards at all monitoring sites
  • 1997 – Starts the County’s Dental Sealant Program for school students
  • 1999 – Wins a national award for a poster campaign promoting healthy handwashing techniques
  • 2001 – Implements a comprehensive HIV reporting system
  • 2002 – Institutes a raccoon rabies vaccination program
  • 2004 – Adopts a stringent school bus idling regulation
  • 2005 – Establishes an Office of Emergency Preparedness
  • 2007/09 – Constructs and begins operation of a new public health laboratory
  • 2013 – Receives national recognition for meeting national standards and being “Public Health Ready” from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
  • 2014 – Launches "Live Well Allegheny" – a grassroots initiative to improve the health and wellness of county residents
  • 2015 – Issues a county–wide standing order, allowing licensed pharmacies to dispense naloxone to individuals at risk of a heroin or opioid–related overdose, or those who may witness one
  • 2016 – Awarded a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant to improve community health through multi–sector collaboration
  • 2017 – On its 60th Anniversary, achieves national accreditation for continuous improvement in the quality of public health services and performance
  • 2018 – Receives re-recognition for being “Public Health Ready” from NACCHO
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