No-cost check-ups, fillings, x-rays and more!Ontario has a new no-cost dental program for kids 17 years of age and under.Find out if your child is eligible.ontario.ca/healthysmiles519-883-2222

If one or more “No” responses, please call:

Region of Waterloo Public Health

at 519-575-4400 (TTY: 519-575-4608)

Check it!We inspect it.Your access to public health inspection

results in Waterloo Region

www.regionofwaterloo.ca/checkit

519-575-4400 (TTY 519-575-4608)

#checkit!weinspectit.

For more information on Rabies, Lyme Disease or

West Nile Virus, call 519-575-4400 ext. 5147

(TTY 519-575-4400) and speak to a Public Health

Inspector, or visit www.regionofwaterloo.ca/phAccessible formats of this document are available

upon request. Please call the Coordinator,

Marketing and Communications at 519-575-4400

ext. 2244 (TTY 519-575-4608) to request an

accessible format.

Rabies is a very serious viral disease which

attacks the central nervous system of warm-

blooded animals, including humans. Rabid

animals don’t behave normally. Often they become

aggressive or appear depressed. In Ontario, the

animals that most often transmit rabies are bats,

skunks, livestock, foxes, cats and other wildlife. How do I get rabies? You can get the virus when exposed to the saliva of

an infected animal. For example, if you are bitten

or scratched, or if the animal licks your eyes, nose,

or mouth.

How do I protect myself from rabies? • Have your pet continually immunized against

rabies • Don’t approach or touch stray animals, even if

they seem friendly • Don’t touch sick or injured animals • Do not feed wild or stray animalsHow can I protect my pet

from rabies? The most important thing you can do to protect your

pet is to have it vaccinated. All pets over the age of

three months must be immunized against rabies. It’s

the law and failure to vaccinate your pet can result

in a fine of $90 per day.Keep your pets under control. Don’t let them run

free, especially at night. Protect your pets from

contact with wildlife.

Rabies Bites!

What do I do if I am bitten or scratched by an animal? • If the animal is owned by another person, obtain

the owner’s contact information (e.g. name,

address, phone number), so the animal can be

located by Public Health • Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water

• Call your family doctor or seek medical attention

immediately • Report the bite or scratch to Region of Waterloo

Public Health at 519-575-4400 ext. 5147What is Region of Waterloo Public

Health’s role when an animal bites a human?When notified of a biting incident, health

inspectors investigate to determine if there is a

risk of rabies exposure. When the animal involved

is known, the inspector will place the animal

under observation for at least 10 days to ensure it

doesn’t show any signs of rabiesWhen the animal involved is not known, the

inspector will work with the victim and his/her

physician to ensure proper post-exposure care.

This often includes vaccination that is given to

protect them from the rabies virus.If the animal involved in the biting incident has

since died, the inspector will request that the

animal undergo testing for the rabies virus to

ensure the safety of the victim.

Protection against Rabies, Lyme Diseaseand West Nile Virus1626887

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#1 of 10 fact sheets

Fact sheet for Board of Health members

Organization of Public Health in Ontario

The public health system is made up of governmental, non-governmental and community agencies that operate at a local, provincial and federal level. In Ontario, 35 boards of health are responsible for the delivery of mandated public health programs and services.

Two provincial ministries are responsible for different public health programs and services under the Ontario Public Health Standards and serve as key partners for boards of health. The ministries’ responsibilities are as follows:

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC): Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness, Chronic Diseases and Injury Prevention, Substance Misuse Prevention and Family Health.

Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services (MCCSS): Healthy Babies Healthy Children.

Another key provincial partner Public Health Ontario, provides scientific and technical support for public health programs and services in order to protect and promote the health of Ontarians and reduce inequities in health.

FundingThe majority of mandated public health programs (as follows) have provincial cost sharing of up to 75 per cent.

• Health Assessment and Surveillance

• Chronic Diseases and Injuries

• Family Health

• Infectious Diseases

• Environmental Health

• Emergency Preparedness

Currently, the Province funds 100 per cent of the following programs:

• Healthy Babies Healthy Children

• Infectious Diseases Control

• Needle Exchange

• Healthy Smiles Ontario

• Smoke Free Ontario

• Enhanced Food Safety and Enhanced Water Safety Initiatives

• Public Health Nurses Initiatives

The provincial government also funds vaccines for immunization programs and drugs for use in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and leprosy.

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Boards of health are established in one of three ways:• Autonomous, and established under section 49 of the Health Protection and

Promotion Act (HPPA) (e.g. the Eastern Ontario Health Unit)

• Regional Municipality (e.g. Regional Municipality of York Act)

• By city-specific Acts (e.g. City of Toronto Act)

There are five different kinds of organizational governance models for boards of health, which are established in one of the above three ways and described in the table below.

Established by

Governance model Representation Citizen representative

Provincial appointees

HPPA Autonomous (23) (e.g. Middlesex-London Health Unit)

Multi-municipal; distinct from municipal organization

Permitted Permitted

HPPA Autonomous/integrated (2) (e.g. Huron County Health Unit)

One municipality only; within municipal structure

Permitted Permitted

Regional Municipalities Acts

Regional (6) (e.g. Region of Waterloo Public Health)

Councils of regional government

No No

City-specific Acts

Single-Tier (2) (e.g. City of Hamilton – Public Health and Social Services)

Councils of single-tier municipalities

No No

City-specific Acts

Semi-Autonomous (2) (e.g. Toronto Board of Health)

Single-tier council appoints members to separate board

Permitted No

The Region of Waterloo Board of Health is a Regional governance model, where health unit staff operate under the administration of regional government. There are no citizen representatives and no public appointees, however, the members are directly elected within the boundaries of Waterloo Region. The Region of Waterloo Board of Health is one of six Regional boards of health in Ontario.

The Region of Waterloo Board of Health is the Council for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. Regional Council is composed of 16 elected representatives for the municipalities within the Regional boundaries. Recommendations, reports and information are presented to the Board of Health via the Regional government standing committee process. The Community Services Committee is the Committee that deals with Board of Health matters and is a committee composed of all members of Council. Recommendations are forwarded from this committee directly to Council (the Board of Health) for ratification.

www.regionofwaterloo.ca/ph519-575-4400 TTY 519-575-4608 Fax 519-883-2241

The information contained in this fact sheet originates from the Association of Local Public Health Agencies’ 2018 Orientation Manual for Board of Health Members, and from the Council and Administrative Services Division of Region of Waterloo.

Alternate formats of this document are available upon request.