More than the Pandemic:
From Challenges Come Opportunities
Tulsa Health Department Annual Report 2021-22
Dear Tulsa County Residents,
The Tulsa Health Department had tremendous challenges this fiscal year and has served our diverse and growing community regardless of what issues and obstacles Tulsa County residents were confronted with. We have wonderful community partners, stakeholders, Board of Health and City/County agencies that help us provide services and programs needed in our communities. As the pandemic has changed and evolved so has our agency’s response and focus, but our efforts to keep people safe and protected remained flexible and nimble to adequately respond to whatever changes they dynamic environment brought before us.
THD is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment, freeing residents from having to worry about the basics of city living to pursue opportunities that improve their lives and futures. In public health, this includes supporting healthy lifestyles and disease prevention strategies; ensuring appropriate access to health care; addressing disparities in health outcomes; and minimizing exposure to environmental hazards.
Attention to substance misuse, health equity and social determinants of health are also part of how we measure success in reaching community health goals. THD staff is constantly monitoring and measuring the health status of Tulsa County and using that information. Our agency is innovative and efficient in pursuing initiatives that provide opportunity for our residents obtain an optimal quality of life. We are very fortunate to be a part of a community where the Mayor, the Tulsa City Council and the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners expect and support the best possible health conditions and outcomes for our residents
COVID-19 continued to be a large part of our agencies focus but as the year progressed, we modified our operations to reflect how COVID-19 has evolved from pandemic to endemic status. It is no longer an emergency response, but our actions reflect the virus is no longer novel - it is here and will always be a part of our lives going forward. We now have clinical treatments and vaccines and wide levels of community immunity that can help all of us turn back towards normalcy and focus on the future. That being said, we continue to track and report data on the virus and now are using other surveillance tools such as wastewater testing to proactively determine what pathogens are circulating in our community so our response can be proactive as opposed to reactive.
I'm pleased to help lead a community and a department of dedicated employees who truly cares about public health. This department is committed and invested to the public's health and to helping every individual in Tulsa County reach their greatest potential. Thank you to our Board of Health for your support! We are truly a team in Tulsa County!
- Dr. Bruce Dart, Tulsa Health Department Executive Director
2021-22 Highlights
• Established an Office of Health Equity to address inequities in Tulsa County.
• Began to reexamine the agency’s COVID response to improve and make future responses better.
2021-22 Highlights
• Expanded internal referrals to help clients receive necessary services.
• Reopened in-person services and restarted participating community events throughout Tulsa County.
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About THD
With its rich history, beautiful surroundings and friendly faces, Tulsa County is a great place to call home. Community spirit runs deep here, and our residents take pride in taking care of each other. The same spirit to care and protect is found at the Tulsa Health Department, where we put the needs of the community first.
Since its establishment in 1950, THD serves as the primary public health agency to more than 600,000 Tulsa County residents, including 13 municipalities and four unincorporated areas. The agency is one of two autonomous local health departments in Oklahoma, with statutory public health jurisdiction throughout Tulsa County and the City of Tulsa. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of all Tulsa County residents, in order to make Tulsa County the healthiest county in the country.