Social work is an integral part of our public health system in Mississippi, supporting programs such as Genetics, Early Intervention, Perinatal High Risk Management/Infant Services System, and STD/HIV. Public Health Social Workers are found in county health departments, MSDH administrative offices, and community agencies.
Services and Activities
Public health social workers perform a variety of services and activities in the community. Working through various MSDH programs, they provide supporting services for mothers and children, couples planning a family, and people living with HIV. They also help:
- Monitor health conditions to identify community health problems.
- Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.
- Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.
- Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.
- Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.
- Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
- Link people to needed personal health services and remove barriers to needed health care.
- Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and public health services.
- Engage in research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.
MSDH Programs that use Public Health Social Workers
- First Steps (Early Intervention)
- Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies
- Genetics
- HIV/STD
- Family Planning
- Child Health
For more information about public health social workers or any of the programs above, contact the county health department near you.
