The Benton-Franklin Health District has been serving the growing community of Benton and Franklin counties for more than 70 years. Made up of nearly 100 dedicated staff members, BFHD serves the bi-county population of over 300,000 residents, thousands of visitors, and covers almost 3,000 square miles within its jurisdiction.
With over 66 active programs funded through various levels of government contracts, grants, fees for service, and county money, BFHD supports and participates in community level projects and is poised and ready to address other emerging public health concerns as they arise. In addition to providing many services directly, Benton-Franklin Health District works collaboratively with dozens of community partners and organizations to address health needs of people living, working, and visiting the bi-county region.
Our History
On December 13th, 1946, County Commissioners from both Benton and Franklin Counties signed a joint resolution to establish the Benton-Franklin Health District. Dr. Charles Tudor was the first physician appointed as District Health Officer, overseeing the health of approximately 64,000 residents in the bi-county region. Topics of significant importance to the health district in the first year of operation were fallout from a local flood, influenza, and polio, which was seeing record high numbers. Over the years, the health district has had different names, merged with other agencies, moved buildings, and changed governing members on the Board of Health. The one constant, however, has been its continued mission to promote and ensure the health and well-being of the community it serves.
Health District is comprised of several departments including:
- Administration
- Communicable Disease
- Community & Family Health
- Contract, Billing & Vital Records
- Emergency Preparedness
- Finance & Business Services
- Food Safety
- Human Resources
- Information Systems & Security
- Laboratory Services
- Land Use, Waste, & Water
- Nurse-Family Partnership®
- Nutrition & Injury Prevention
- Performance Management