SANDPOINT — The Panhandle Health District celebrated its new home with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting recently.

Attending the July 28 celebration were Marlow Thompson, chairman of District 1 Board of Health of Benewah County; Walt Kirby, vice chairman and Boundary County commissioner; Glen Bailey, trustee and Bonner County commissioner; board member Allen Banks of Kootenai County; PHD director Lora Whalen; and administrators Dale Peck and Don Duffy.

The health district recently relocated about 15 employees and its services from offices at Marion and Michigan to the new facility at 2101 W. Pine Street. The new 10,000 square-foot facility now houses Public Health Services and Environmental Health at one address.

Panhandle Health District is one of seven health districts, serving five northern counties in the state of Idaho since 1970. The previous Panhandle Health District building opened on Marion Street in 1978 and, in the mid 1990s, PHD expanded the building toward Michigan Street in order to offer more services throughout the county. Since then, the demand for public health continues to increase as the community continues to grow and thrive.

From food and drinking water safety to health education and disease control and prevention, Panhandle Health District provides over 40 different public health programs to families, individuals and organizations, assuring our community is a safe and healthy place to live, work and play. A dedicated team of nurses, nutritionists, environmental health specialists, health educators and many other committed professionals deliver a variety of public health programs to community members.

It is the place to go for WIC (Women, Infants and Children Food and nutrition program), child care education, Home Health Services, Care Plus+ Clinical Services, immunization, women’s health, family planning, STD testing, TB testing and environmental health services, such as restaurant inspections, food establishment permitting, septic inspection and more.

Here are a few facts: 750 Bonner County families benefit from the WIC program every month; 1,000 vaccines were administered last year in Bonner County; over 300 local food establishment inspections proceed every year; 250 septic permits are issued yearly in Bonner County; and 20-30 Bonner County residents receive home visits any given time.

Panhandle Health District in Sandpoint serves all residents and businesses in Bonner County. The new location will allow them to partner with local agencies, hospitals and local businesses on health-related matters.

Information: Panhandle Health District, 2101 W. Pine St.; online, panhandlehealthdistrict.org; or by phone, Sandpoint Environmental Health, 208-265-6384, and Sandpoint Public Health Services, 208-263-5159