North Dakota Public Health Association

07/20/2026

Congratulations to NDPHA member Steph Welsh on attending the recent American Public Health Association Boot Camp!

Steph was honored to be elected as an NDPHA officer, representing North Dakota public health, connecting with APHA leaders from across the country, and learning new ways to strengthen and elevate public health across our state.

Thank you for representing North Dakota so well, Steph, and for being a strong advocate for public health! 🎉

07/15/2026

Be sure to check out this FREE webinar on vaccinations, presented by fellow NDPHA member and NDSU CIRE Operations Director Kylie Hall!

See the post below for registration details. Hope to see you there! 😀

07/02/2026

🇺🇸 America 250: Public Health in North Dakota 🇺🇸
2026 and Beyond: Looking Ahead

For more than 250 years, the story of public health in North Dakota has been one of resilience, innovation and partnership. While the challenges have changed over time, the mission has remained the same: prevent disease, promote health and help every community thrive.

The next 25 years will bring new opportunities and new challenges. Public health will continue working alongside healthcare providers, tribal nations, local communities, businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations, faith communities and many others to improve the health and well-being of all North Dakotans.

The work ahead includes preventing chronic disease, supporting mental health, reducing substance misuse, improving maternal and child health, strengthening emergency preparedness, protecting our environment, expanding access to healthy foods and physical activity, and using data to guide evidence-based decisions. Just as importantly, public health will continue building trusted relationships and empowering communities to create healthier futures together.

Meeting these challenges will require the next generation of public health leaders—professionals who are innovative, collaborative and committed to serving their communities with courage, compassion and integrity. Across North Dakota, that work is already underway.

As we celebrate America's 250th birthday and reflect on 250 years of public health in North Dakota, we honor the people, partnerships and communities that have shaped our past while looking with optimism toward the future. Together, we can continue building a healthier, stronger North Dakota—and once again become the healthiest state in the nation.

Thank you for following along as we celebrated 250 years of America and reflected on 250 years of public health in North Dakota. Here's to the next chapter.

07/02/2026

🇺🇸 America 250: Public Health in North Dakota 🇺🇸
2001–2026: Prevention and Screening

The first quarter of the 21st century highlighted the importance of both emergency preparedness and disease prevention. Following the September 11 attacks and subsequent anthrax incidents, public health systems across the country strengthened their ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

Those investments proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health agencies, healthcare providers, pharmacies, clinics and the North Dakota National Guard worked together to expand testing, distribute vaccines and support communities across the state during one of the most significant public health challenges of our time.

At the same time, prevention and early detection continued to improve health outcomes for North Dakotans. Public health initiatives promoting healthy nutrition and physical activity helped slow the rise of childhood obesity, while expanded colorectal cancer screening and programs like Women's Way increased early detection of cancer. Today, North Dakota ranks among the nation's leaders in early cancer diagnosis.

As we celebrate 250 years of America and reflect on 250 years of public health in North Dakota, this chapter reminds us that public health protects communities every day—by preparing for emergencies, promoting healthy lifestyles and detecting disease early, when treatment is most effective.

Next up: Looking Ahead (2026 and Beyond)

06/30/2026

🇺🇸 America 250: Public Health in North Dakota 🇺🇸
1976–2001: Chronic Disease Prevention and Management

As infectious diseases became less common, North Dakota's public health efforts shifted toward preventing chronic disease and helping people live longer, healthier lives. Nutrition, to***co prevention, injury prevention and early detection became central to improving health across the state.

During this era, communities expanded access to nutrition services and health education to help prevent chronic diseases before they started. In 1985, Grand Forks Public Health became the first local public health unit in North Dakota to establish a dedicated nutrition division.

To***co prevention also became a major public health priority. The Smoke Free North Dakota Coalition formed in 1985, followed by the landmark Clean Indoor Air Act in 1987. Together, these efforts helped reduce to***co use and protect North Dakotans from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

Public health also responded to emerging health challenges. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic reached communities across the country during the 1980s, North Dakotans stepped forward to educate others and reduce stigma. Bismarck librarian and puppeteer Darrel Hildebrant founded The Coalition, North Dakota's first AIDS advocacy organization, and traveled throughout the state speaking about HIV/AIDS prevention. By sharing accurate information and putting a human face on the epidemic, he helped combat fear, misinformation and discrimination while advancing public health education across North Dakota.

At the same time, injury prevention efforts—including North Dakota's 1993 seat belt law—and programs like Women's Way, established in 1996 to increase breast and cervical cancer screenings, demonstrated the growing importance of prevention and early detection.

By 1990, North Dakota was recognized as the healthiest state in the nation—a reflection of decades of investment in prevention, education and community partnerships. It remains a milestone many continue working to achieve again today.

As we celebrate 250 years of America and reflect on 250 years of public health in North Dakota, this chapter reminds us that prevention, education and early detection continue to improve health and save lives.

Next up: Prevention and Screening (2001–2026)

06/26/2026

🇺🇸 America 250: Public Health in North Dakota 🇺🇸
1951–1976: Disease Elimination Through Vaccination

The years between 1951 and 1976 marked some of North Dakota's greatest public health victories. Decades of investment in vaccination, clean water and disease prevention dramatically reduced the burden of infectious diseases across the state.

Building on vaccination efforts that began in the late 1800s, North Dakota successfully eliminated smallpox within the state by 1954. Public health leaders then turned their attention to polio. In 1954, North Dakota participated in the historic Salk polio vaccine trials, and by 1961, locally transmitted cases of polio had been eliminated. These milestones demonstrated the extraordinary power of vaccines to prevent disease, disability and death.

Public health progress extended beyond immunizations. In 1974, the expansion of rural water systems brought clean, treated drinking water to communities across North Dakota. Chlorination helped prevent waterborne disease, while fluoridation improved dental health, giving families greater access to safe, reliable drinking water.

As infectious diseases became less common, public health also began preparing for the next generation of health challenges. In 1964, North Dakota established a Division of Chronic Disease to address the growing burden of chronic illnesses and promote healthier communities for years to come.

As we celebrate 250 years of America and reflect on 250 years of public health in North Dakota, this chapter reminds us that prevention through vaccines, clean water and public health innovation transformed the health of generations and laid the foundation for the work that continues today.

Next up: Chronic Disease Prevention and Management (1976–2001)

06/26/2026

🇺🇸 America 250: Public Health in North Dakota 🇺🇸
1926–1951: Public Health in North Dakota Comes of Age

Between 1926 and 1951, North Dakota demonstrated the power of prevention. Public health programs expanded across the state, helping communities live longer, healthier lives before many modern medical treatments were even available.

One of the greatest public health successes of this era was the fight against tuberculosis (TB). Before antibiotics became available in 1944, North Dakota relied on prevention through public health measures, including the Tuberculosis Sanatorium at San Haven, Camp Grassick, improved nutrition and reduced the spread of disease. These efforts dramatically reduced TB cases and demonstrated that prevention alone could save lives.

Public health also broadened its focus beyond infectious diseases. Programs promoting child health, nutrition, vaccinations and maternal health helped improve the well-being of families across the state. With rural electrification in 1945, refrigeration became more common in rural communities, so food could be stored more safely, reducing foodborne illness and increasing access to nutritious foods.

Strong public health leadership continued to shape North Dakota's future. Dr. Maysil Williams served as the state's first woman State Health Officer from 1933 to 1942, and under her leadership North Dakota became recognized as one of the healthiest states in the nation. In 1944, the North Dakota Public Health Association was established as an affiliate of the American Public Health Association, further strengthening the state's public health workforce and partnerships.

As we celebrate 250 years of America and reflect on 250 years of public health in North Dakota, this chapter reminds us that prevention, leadership and community partnerships helped public health come of age—and laid the foundation for the healthier North Dakota we know today.

Next up: Disease Elimination Through Vaccination (1951–1976)

06/24/2026

Pollinators like butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, etc. help our plants, and therefore food, GROW! 🌱🐝

This is a great, helpful tip from North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality on what plants to grow in your garden to help attract beautiful and helpful pollinators! 😍

Want to create a pollinator-friendly garden? Start with the right plants! 🌼

Flowers like lavender, sunflowers, coneflowers, marigolds, and herbs such as dill provide food and habitat for pollinators like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and more.

Even adding a few pollinator-friendly plants to your yard or garden can make a big difference.

06/23/2026

🇺🇸 America 250: Public Health in North Dakota 🇺🇸
1901–1926: Public Health Laws

The early 1900s marked a turning point as North Dakota began building the public health systems and laws that continue to protect communities today.

Building on earlier improvements in water sanitation, NDSU chemist Edwin Ladd helped strengthen food safety by testing food products for contamination. In 1905, North Dakota passed the Pure Food and Drug Law, becoming the first state in the nation to require labeling for food and medications. Just one year later, North Dakota was recognized as a national leader in protecting consumers from misbranded and adulterated food and drug products.

Public health infrastructure also continued to grow. In 1907, the state's first Public Health Laboratory was established at the University of North Dakota, making it possible to identify disease-causing pathogens. That same year, the Vital Statistics Act created a system for tracking births, deaths and the causes of disease—laying the foundation for the public health surveillance systems still used today.

During this period, public health services also expanded to reach more communities. Nurses like Carrie Pohl provided care through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, helping lay the groundwork for what would later become the Indian Health Service.

As communities grew, so did the need for stronger public health leadership. In 1915, Dr. Carol Fox of the United States Public Health Service evaluated North Dakota's public health system and recommended creating a unified state health department led by a single State Health Officer. Those recommendations helped shape the establishment of North Dakota's full-time State Health Department in 1923, bringing together many of the state's public health responsibilities under one coordinated system.

As we celebrate 250 years of America and reflect on 250 years of public health in North Dakota, this chapter shows how strong public health laws, surveillance and coordinated leadership became the foundation for protecting the health of generations to come.

Next up: Public Health in North Dakota Comes of Age (1926–1951)

06/20/2026

🇺🇸 America 250: Public Health in North Dakota 🇺🇸
1876–1901: Chemistry and Hygiene

The years between 1876 and 1901 brought significant change to North Dakota. Following the Battle of the Greasy Grass (Little Bighorn) in 1876 and the passage of the Dawes Act in 1887, many Native communities were forcibly removed from their traditional lands and confined to reservations. At the same time, new opportunities for European settlement fueled rapid population growth. Between 1880 and 1910, North Dakota's population grew by more than half a million people, and the state officially joined the Union in 1889.

As communities expanded, so did the need for public health. Growing towns faced challenges with safe drinking water, sanitation and the spread of infectious diseases. Typhoid fever, often caused by contaminated water sources, became one of the state's leading causes of death.

During this same period, scientific discoveries transformed public health around the world. The development of germ theory by Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch helped explain how diseases spread, while advances in chemistry and environmental engineering improved water quality and sanitation. In North Dakota, early filtration systems and, later, water treatment practices dramatically reduced cases of typhoid fever, demonstrating that prevention could save lives.

As we celebrate 250 years of America and reflect on 250 years of public health in North Dakota, this chapter highlights how science, sanitation and prevention became powerful tools for protecting the health of communities across the state.

Next up: Public Health Laws (1901–1926)