Leland Lewis
Executive Director
DuPage County
Health Department

The DuPage County Health Department continued its long tradition of excellence during 2003 by handling numerous significant Public Health challenges while still providing essential daily services to DuPage County residents.

I look back over our accomplishments of the past year with utter amazement. The role of Public Health continues to expand in order to meet the new challenges presented to us everyday. However, we cannot overlook our basic Mission, Vision and Values, which remain the cornerstones of our service to the public.

For these reasons, we have chosen “Meeting the Challenge” as the theme for this year’s Annual Report.

Many people deserve credit for a “job well done” during 2003. My sincere appreciation goes first and foremost to all Health Department employees, who provided the services necessary to meet each challenge under trying circumstances. Additionally, the DuPage County Board of Health, the DuPage County Board and Chairman Robert Schillerstrom deserve high praise for providing the much needed support to carry out our important work.

The challenges of 2003 began early in the year. The Department was thrust into the national spotlight numerous times during TOPOFF2, the national and international bioterrorism drill held here in May. Our local, state and national reputation was greatly enhanced by highly favorable comments made specifically about the Department by Governor Ridge, the Federal Secretary of Homeland Security, after his visit to the Health Department’s Strategic National Stockpile medication dispensing site.

Staff worked on mental health depression issues and the Mental Health Court. We were confronted with numerous unusual challenges, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Monkey Pox, drinking water contaminated with Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and West Nile Virus. Monkey Pox gave us national and international attention, since this disease had never before been seen in the Western Hemisphere. We hosted Dr. Eric Whitaker, the new Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, for a full day in June. We benefited greatly from the exceptional effort of DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, local elected officials and others in the successful campaign to bring the Health Department additional funding.

Late in 2003 the Health Department administered influenza vaccinations to thousands of concerned DuPage County adults and children who came to our Public Health Centers. I was extremely proud of our Health Department Teams who handled the vaccinations, as well as the large number of calls from people seeking flu information.

I am confident that our “Team Effort” will continue as we face new and unknown challenges in 2004, because we are the DuPage County Health Department and by working Together Everyone Achieves More!

The Health Department more than “Met the Challenge” in 2003 and we will strive to do the same in 2004. My personal thanks to each and every one who contributed to the successes achieved in this most interesting and challenging year.


Leland Lewis, B.S., M.B.A.