Delaware County Health Department Celebrates 1-Year Anniversary

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Released: April 3, 2023

The Delaware County Health Department (DCHD), in partnership with Delaware County Council and Murphy’s Giving Market held a press conference to celebrate the Delaware County Health Department’s 1-year anniversary gift to the community, DCHD Delivers. DCHD Delivers is a Delaware County staff-oriented food and resource collection drive aimed at helping Delaware County residents.

The DCHD Delivers program collected nonperishable food, clothing, and essential items from the Delaware County Health Department team and other County employees and delivered them personally to the community through Murphy’s Giving Market. Over the past several weeks, staff members have generated, sorted, and packaged donations to support this initiative.

“We are proud to celebrate our 1-year anniversary through DCHD Delivers and to partner with Murphy’s Giving Market to help our community members,” said Delaware County Health Director Melissa Lyon.” Although it is our 1-year anniversary of operation, today we are here for something that is even more important to us. We are celebrating the 1-year anniversary of the beginning of our relationship with the people of Delaware County.”

Board Member Edward Brown accepted donations on behalf of Murphy’s Giving Market in Upper Darby. This partnership will help provide needed resources throughout Delaware County.

A Few Highlights of DCHD’s 1 Year Accomplishments

Delaware County Wellness Line
The Wellness Line is an email and call center community support line. The Wellness Line staff strives to offer help and comfort to every caller and assist them in finding and linking them to services and resources. Since its inception, the Wellness Line call center has handled 8,632 calls from the public.

Delaware County Health Department Wellness Center in Yeadon
The DCHD Wellness Center at Yeadon became fully operational in August of 2022 as a health clinic working to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, and STIs, and offering vaccines to eligible individuals and families. The Wellness Center first opened primarily as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic Additionally, The Delaware County Health Department epidemiology and disease investigation teams at Yeadon investigate infectious and communicable diseases that are reported in Delaware County

Environmental Health Specialists Inspect Businesses
The Delaware County Health Department Environmental Health Specialists have inspected nearly all businesses, currently registered or licensed within the DCHD jurisdiction at least once as of December 2022, nearly 3,000 businesses total. Approximately 70% of the facilities and businesses under DCHD jurisdiction have been licensed by the department.

"One year ago, the Delaware County Health Department was launched, and what a year of accomplishments! To say that starting up a County Department from the ground up during a pandemic is a huge undertaking is an understatement, " said Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor. "Thank you to Delaware County Health Department Director Melissa Lyon and the health department team, Board of Health President Rosemary Halt and the entire board, and the many community partners we have throughout the County who share in the Health Department’s vision to provide the Delaware County community with access to the resources that provide the opportunity to lead a healthy and productive life."