Human Services

Program Description 

The Human Services Department oversees the Mental Health/Intellectual Disability and Senior Citizen Payroll Tax. Every two years agencies may apply in January for funding beginning the next Fiscal Year (July 1). The Director serves on many boards and committees that address the needs of the residents of the county. The department oversees senior recreation programs through the operation of the Senior Center and Senior Picnic.  They also monitor the agencies funded with the payroll tax to assure safety net services and programs are available for the citizens with mental health needs, ID/DD needs, and older adults’ needs. The department oversees the allocation and distribution of funding to 36 agencies which provide 66 programs.

The department does not handle State or Federally funded programs such as food stamps or child welfare.

Health Department Food Inspection Listings 

Northern Kentucky Health Department Upgrades Online Food Inspection Listings

For the last year and a half, thousands of Northern Kentucky diners have gone online to check the latest food inspection scores for all licensed food establishments in Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties. Checking the score is now even easier, with the launch of a new searchable database for the inspection scores.

Visitors to the Health Department’s Web site, http://www.nkyhealth.org, can now look for food inspection scores by establishment name, city, ZIP code or inspection score. Previously, the scores were only available as a complete list, in a large downloadable file.

“Our food inspection scores are consistently the most visited page on the Health Department’s Web site,” said George A. Moore II, Interim District Director of Health. “Given the popularity of this feature, we felt that it was important to make the service more user friendly by allowing Web site visitors to filter the reports according to certain criteria.”

An average of 500 people visit the Health Department’s Web site each day. The food inspection scores have been posted since August 2006, and are updated monthly. Only the most recent inspection information is available.

Registered sanitarians from the Health Department inspect local food service establishments twice a year, unless otherwise needed. The purpose of the inspection is to assure proper practices are being followed and sanitary conditions exist at the establishment. Inspectors observe various aspects of a food service operation including food handling practices, food temperatures and food storage.

The scores are calculated based on a maximum point value of 100. For each violation the inspector finds, points are subtracted from 100, resulting in the final score for the inspection.

“Part of the reason that we post food inspection scores online is to help educate the public about the inspection procedure,” said Steve Divine, Director of Environmental Health and Safety. “Before viewing the inspection scores, visitors to the Web site are provided with information about the process—what the inspectors look for, what kinds of issues are violations, etc. We feel that this helps put the numerical scores into context, and gives the public a more accurate picture of the conditions at the establishment during the inspection.”

To view the scores, go to http://www.nkyhealth.org  and click on Current Programs. For additional information on food safety, the inspection process or for filing a complaint about conditions at a food service establishment, contact the Health Department’s Environmental Health and Safety office at 859.341.4151.

Contact:  Emily Gresham Wherle
              Northern Kentucky Health Department
              Public Information Manager
              859.363.2004