One of the primary purposes of the Wayne Health Department is to prevent the premature onset of disease and disability and to help all residents achieve healthier, more productive lives. The health department is committed to maintaining, protecting, and promoting the health of its residents through organized health promotion and disease prevention efforts. These efforts are based on state-wide standards set forth by New Jersey’s Department of Health and Senior Services.
Several codes and statutes make up the “state-wide standards” established to monitor health departments. One of the most important is “Public Health Practice Standards of Performance for Local Boards of Health in New Jersey”. Mandates established within the “Practice Standards” include the following core requirements:
- To develop, implement, and evaluate health promotion activities in the seven required areas (i.e., Accident Prevention, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Control, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Nutrition, Smoking Cessation, Physical Fitness, and Exercise). To help meet this requirement, the Wayne Health Department has contracted the services of a health educator from Chilton Medical Center’s Community Health Department. By partnering with Chilton, Wayne has been able to provide excellent services to its residents at a fraction of the cost.
- To perform environmental health and safety inspections of retail food establishments; public recreational bathing facilities; body art studios; tanning salons; massage and somatic therapy establishments; campgrounds; youth camps; septic systems and to investigate environmental and public health nuisances.
- To develop and implement programs that focus on preventing the spread of communicable and reportable diseases, such as: Covid-19, Hepatitis, Lyme Disease, Salmonella, and Tuberculosis (i.e. investigation; provision of immunization programs, control of rabies and zoonosis outbreaks; as well as programs to control their spread.
- To provide affordable and accessible child health services. These programs are developed specifically to address the needs of infants and preschool children (i.e. well-baby clinics including immunizations; and a pediatric dental clinics). Space within the Health Department is made available on a regular basis to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center for the provision of a WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) Clinic.
- The provision of Adult Health Services is another core requirement. To address this issue, the Wayne Health Department provides a variety of low-cost cancer screenings for men and women as well as programs to help identify individuals with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and various other health concerns of older adults. A low-cost dental clinic is also offered.
In addition to these core requirements mandated by the State, the Wayne Health Department offers other screenings based on the assessed needs of the residents of its community. Listed on the link below are the clinics and services available through the health department to residents of Wayne Township.
List of Health Department Clinics
The Wayne Health Department is proud of its long-standing commitment of service to the community and is pleased with the performance of its dedicated staff.
Staff members of the Health Department
Health Officer
MaryAnn Orapello
Senior Registered Environmental Health Specialist
Nancy Immediato
Full Time Registered Environmental Health Specialists
Gabriela Durand
Luis Giraldo
Lauren Meeker
Everlyne Oloo
Nagiyan Sylejmanovski
Public Health Nurse Supervisor
Diane Stabile
Public Health Nurse Local Health Care Coordinator
Maryann Repice
Public Health Nurses
Samantha Buehler
Infectious Disease Preparedness Generalist
Joseph Pacella
Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics
Erika Zambrano
Director of Senior and Social Services
Rosemary Acampora
Animal Shelter Manager
Sally Herman
Animal Control Officers
Sandra Obringer
Veronica Valandingham
Support Staff
Suman Mehta
It is important to recognize that in order to attain the goals and objectives set forth by the health department, collaboration and “partnering” with many agencies, organizations, and groups outside the health department is necessary. The health department believes that by collaborating with other agencies they will be better able to provide cost-effective, timely, and knowledgeable health services.