Community Health Services Division (CHS)

Division mission

The mission of CHS is to encourage, support and empower residents to be healthy, to build capacity for self-sufficiency, and to improve the health and well-being of the community.

The primary division goal is to develop and support neighborhood-based strategies that:

• Promote healthy choices through education and information dissemination
• Protect the health and well-being of residents with appropriate interventions and health policies based on state-of -the-art knowledge
• Ensure access to quality health services through collaboration with individuals, families, institutions and available resources in the community
• Provide culturally and ethnically sensitive services to the community
• Engage in on-going planning and evaluation in partnership with the community
  

Major division components

Alcohol/Drug Prevention - Through contracts with non-profit agencies, this program promotes systemic change through changes in public policy, social norms and customs regarding alcohol and drug use.

Asthma Start - Asthma Start provides services to families with asthmatic children 0-5 years of age. Program components consist of education and case management; a quality assurance initiative with local clinics; training of medical providers; and development of policy initiatives to improve clean air.

Office of Dental Health - This program provides education and training regarding oral health, direct services, including exams and the application of sealants to school-aged children and referrals to other dental providers for individuals in need of other treatment.

Disparities/Diabetes - Funded by a grant from the California Endowment, this program supports the development of a continuum of services to combat the rising incidence of adult diabetes. Program activities will include the administration of a countywide behavioral risk factor survey, implementation of community based prevention initiatives in Hayward and Oakland and the case management of adult, Type II diabetes cases.

Health Care for the Homeless - This innovative program ensures access to basic needs for Alameda County's homeless population. Services include outreach, primary care via a mobile health van and contracted clinic-based services and case management.

Legislative Council - This program works to develop legislative proposals, monitor and react to pending legislation and inform department staff on health policy related issues.

Nutrition Services Program - Nutrition Services Program offers a full range of professional nutrition services in addition to working with elementary schools, senior centers and the general public to promote health eating behaviors and expanded access to nutritious food.

Tattoo Removal (Project New Start) - This novel program allows youth who are tattooed and involved with gangs to change their lives by assisting with the laser removal of their tattoos coupled with mentoring, community volunteer work and social services.

Tobacco Control - The Tobacco Control Program actively promotes health policies and educational programs to reduce exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, decrease access of minors to tobacco products and limit tobacco product advertising aimed at youth & ethnic communities.

WIC - This supplemental nutrition program for low-income pregnant, post-partook and breastfeeding women and their children. It includes one mobile and four static clinics (North Oakland, East Oakland, Hayward and Fremont) to serve over 17,000 women and children throughout the county.

Contact Information

Community Health Services
Kimi Watkins-Tartt, Acting Director
1000 Broadway Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: 510 208-5901