Collection Guide
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Ventura County Public Health Department records
MVC039
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: Ventura County Public Health Department records
Creator:
Ventura County Medical Society
Creator:
Ventura County Community Council. Health Division
Creator:
California Department of Public Health
Identifier/Call Number: MVC039
Physical Description:
1.74 Cubic Feet
(1 carton, 1 legal-sized document box)
Date (inclusive): 1930-1981 (bulk 1955-1966)
Date (bulk): 1955-1966
Abstract: The Ventura County Public Health Department records primarily document the establishment of and meetings held by the Ventura
County Community Council Health Division from 1955-1961, planning for some of the Health Division's annual health education
workshops during the 1950s and 1960s, and help provided by the Health Division in California's state-wide initiatives to conduct
polio immunization and vaccination campaigns. Types of records found in the files include minutes, agenda, reports, notes,
memos, statistics, clippings, and printed materials, dating from 1930-1981 (bulk 1955-1966).
Physical Location: COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE: Stored at the MVC Research Library. Requests do not have to be made in advance, but researchers
MUST make a research appointment on the
Research Library website .
Language of Material:
English
.
Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained
by the MVC.
[Identification of item], Ventura County Public Health Department records, MVC039, Museum of Ventura County, Research Library,
Ventura, California.
The records pertain to organizations and activities in which the Public Health Department was involved. Records consisting
primarily of meeting materials and planning records were created by the Ventura County Community Council and its Health Division,
during the 1950s and 1960s. The records do not include any information about the Family and Child Welfare Division or the
Group Work and Leisure Time Activities Division, except within the meeting minutes of the overall Council meetings.
The materials thoroughly cover the establishment and meetings of the Community Council from 1955-1961, Council membership
during the 1960s, planning for some of the Health Division's annual health education workshops during the 1950s and 1960s,
and help provided by the Health Division in California's state-wide initiatives to conduct polio immunization and vaccination
campaigns. Of particular interest are a study by the Board of Supervisors (1930) for the need of a full-time County public
health service, and Ventura County's polio immunization statistics.
Types of records included in the files are minutes, agenda, reports, notes, correspondence, memos, statistics, clippings,
programs, and flyers, dating from 1930-1981 (bulk 1955-1966).
Processed by Nancy Enneking, 2011. Addition processed by Ali Phelps under the supervision of Hannah Rogers, 2024.
Our collections are processed using MPLP methods so that we can prioritize access for users and identify potential priorities
for more detailed processing. If while using our collections you think there is something that should be added or amended
in the finding aid, we welcome your input. You can notify staff in the reading room or send us an email at library@venturamuseum.org.
Be sure to include the collection number and name and the box number you were working with in your email.
The foundations of the Ventura County Community Council were established during 1954, when the Ventura YWCA determined that
in order to have a better youth program in Ventura County, California, it would be necessary to conduct a survey to indicate
where needs were met adequately and where unmet needs existed. When the survey was presented to the YWCA Executive Board it
was decided that overall planning for youth groups was necessary in order to avoid duplication of efforts and services. The
Board also felt that since this would be a county project the YWCA should finance this endeavor. An initial meeting was held
with representatives of all private youth groups participating. Then all private and public agencies were invited to attend
the planning discussions. In June of 1954, a temporary chairman was elected and committees were appointed. The YWCA supported
the entire project until the Ventura County Community Council was formally organized on October 19, 1955. The first President
was Frank Colston.
The Council was a non-profit group with a membership of public and private agencies, organizations, and interested lay people
active in community health, welfare, and leisure-time activities. The goals of the group included, among others, providing
a forum where organization representatives could come together to address policies and procedures in order to better coordinate
activites and services; acquaint the general public with the services of the organizations; to improve the quality and scope
of health, welfare, and recreational services and programs; to encourage the promotion of needed new services; and to achieve
more effective planning for the strengthening of family and community life for the prevention of crime and delinquency.
The Council had three functional divisions: Health; Family and Child Welfare; and Group Work and Leisure Time Activities.
Each member agency or organization appointed delegates to each division. The divisions worked primarily through committees
appointed by the chairman to meet specific problems, or to do specific jobs, and cleared all projects through the elected
officers and Board of Directors. The Health Division had annual displays at the Ventura County Fair; held health education
planning workshops for teachers and other interested parties; assisted with state-wide polio vaccination and immunization
programs; and started registration for county-wide volunteer services. The Family and Child Welfare Division worked toward
establishing a family service agency for Ventura County. The Group Work and Leisure Time Division worked on the wants and
needs of senior citizens in Ventura.
The materials are organized into two series:
I. Ventura County Community Council records, 1955-1966;
II. Health Division project files, 1930-1981 (bulk 1957-1966).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Polio vaccine
Ventura County Community Council. -- Administration