Public Health
Advancing health equity and community wellness
A Healthier Future for Our Community
During the production years of 1938 to 1974, St. Joe Paper Company discharged mill wastewater in various locations. From the 1940s to the early 1950s, the company constantly filled in a “sock-shaped” area east of the paper mill with wastes carrying dangerous chemicals and toxins, including arsenic, lead, and manganese.
This environmental harm continues to unfold within the multi-generational community of North Port St. Joe. North Port St. Joe's health and welfare has been an issue since 2019, when the Florida Department of Health in Gulf County carried out a project solely for the community.
When able to, the CDC responded by working with two expert universities: the University of West Florida and the University of South Florida. Several efforts have been undertaken to ensure that the work of the CDC ultimately brings greater health to residents.
In the Community
Public Health Work With Residents
Health assessment and future planning bring scientific data, health expertise, and public input together.
Projects
Public Health Efforts
2019 Health Impact Assessment
2021 Health Impact Assessment with the University of West Florida and the University of South Florida
Transformative Scenario Process for the Healthy Future of Port St. Joe
Grassroots efforts addressing structural racism in health
Connecting people to each other to create a Culture of Health
Public input, health expertise, and scientific data to inform decisions
Health Impact Assessment
From Assessment to Transformative Planning
A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a practice that protects and promotes health. It reduces inequities in health during a decision-making process by bringing together scientific data, health expertise, and public input to identify potential effects on public health.
Transformative Scenario Planning brings together diverse and influential actors with an ultimate goal of systemic change. The system in this case is structural racism that perpetuates health inequity in North Port St. Joe.
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