Springfield kicks off Public Health Month with new ways to stay healthy and safe
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Public health has been at the forefront of many issues in Springfield and the U.S., which is why the city's theme this year is, 'Public Health in our Community: It Starts Here!'
Public health touches everything that surrounds the people of Springfield.
'Food quality, water quality, air quality, dental quality, homelessness, people in need, medical healthcare enforcement, smoking rules and regulations,' said Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.
Workshop on organized retail crime and financial fraud prevention
Since 1995, communities across the U.S have observed National Public Health Week at the beginning of April. This year, the City of Springfield Health and Human Services Department committed to extending this celebration for the whole month of April.
'The City of Springfield, many years ago, understood that we have so many agencies, organizations, who are doing good work,' said Helen Caulton-Harris, Health and Human Services Commissioner. 'We wanted to give all of those agencies an opportunity to be able to showcase that work.'
The kickoff celebration on Monday featured award presentations, a panel discussion, and a song by the children at Square One. For the first time, the ceremony also included a poster abstract of the work, 26 local organizations are doing throughout the city.
But they told 22News that the movement to make a healthier community won't stop here, now that the Trump Administration plans to cut $11.1 billion in federal funding for public health.
'The Department of Human Services will continue to advocate for strong funding,' Caulton-Harris said.
In honor of Public Health Month, April will be filled with free educational events in the city. You can find a full list of events at springfield-ma.gov.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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