Health & Human Services

The Hartford Health and Human Services Department (HHS) is the local health department serving residents of Hartford, Connecticut. Our mission is to protect the well-being of Hartford residents, to promote an environment conducive to healthy lifestyles, and to prevent adverse health outcomes through needs assessment and the provision of quality services.

HHS provides a variety of services and programs to protect and assist residents and its visitors. HHS has five divisions: Maternal and Child Health, Senior and Community Services, Environmental Health, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and Administration. Click on the Divisions tab below to view information about each division and to discover our programs.

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Department Head

Ebony Jackson-Shaheed Director of Health & Human Services

Ebony Jackson-Shaheed, MPH

Ebony is the Director of Hartford’s Department of Health and Human Services and oversees five divisions aimed at improving and protecting the health of the City’s residents and visitors. Ms. Jackson-Shaheed holds a Master of Public Health from the State University of New York School of Public Health, as well as a Bachelor of Science from Montclair State University.

Divisions

Administration And Support Services

Provides a variety of support services for the Director’s Office and the programmatic Divisions of the Department. Services include budget administration; grant and contract management; accounting and procurement functions; epidemiology; and public health preparedness.

Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

The Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division works toward the prevention of infectious and communicable diseases as well as promoting health and wellness to the residents of Hartford. The Division has a host of programs aimed at addressing the disproportionate disease rates affecting Hartford residents, health inequities and disparities in Hartford are key factors to diminishing.

Maternal & Child Health

Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Division monitors issues that may be creating challenges for pregnant families to carry their pregnancies full term. The MCH Division offers services to parents, children and their families through a variety of free-of-charge and coordinated programs.

Environmental Health & Licensing

The Environmental Health Division strives to protect and improve health and quality of life for all Hartford residents and visitors by improving the environmental quality where they live, eat, learn, work, and play. The Division pursues these principles by advancing health-protective environmental practices and policies.

Senior Services

The Senior Services Division is dedicated to helping older adults to support independence and well-being by offering various programs and services to enhance the quality of life for seniors and create a sense of community.

Community Services

The Community Services Division focuses on improving residents' quality of life through programs that promote equitable homeownership, mental wellness, supportive justice alternatives, crisis intervention, and assistance for individuals facing homelessness. These programs help residents achieve stability, self-sufficiency, and well-being.

HHS Upcoming Events 2026

This is where you can see upcoming exciting events hosted or attended by HHS: all created with our community in mind. Whether you're looking to connect, have fun, learn something new, or simply spend time with others, there’s something here for everyone. Come join us and be part of the experience!

Advocacy to Legacy and REACH M.O.V.E: May 16th, 2026

Address: Keney Park: Greenfield and Woodland Streets
Hours: 11am to 2pm

For more information click here.

REACH Family Fun Day: August 8th, 2026

Address: 80 Coventry St, Hartford, CT
Hours: 10am to 2pm

For more information click here.

REACH Baby Shower: October 10th, 2026

More information soon.

Flu and COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination

The DHHS Public Health Clinic offers COVID-19 and FLU vaccine and testing from Mondays though Fridays at 10am-4pm

To make an appointment or obtain further information, please call (860) 757-4700 (option 3).

Source: CDC

Learn more about our Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC2) Community Assessment

Hartford-ELC2-Community-Assessment-Report-013026.pdf(PDF, 1MB)

Behavioral Health Resource Guide

Access DHHS Behavioral Health Resource Guide:

In this guide, Hartford residents can find information about:

Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
(DMHAS) Access Line
Naloxone Availability
Crisis Resources
Withdrawal Management
Residential Rehabilitation Services
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD/MAT)
Outpatient Behavioral Health Services
Walk-In Services/Open Access
Harm Reduction and Recovery Supports
Service Locations Map

Click on the directory to find services:

When drug or alcohol use starts to have a negative impact on your life, it could be a sign of a substance use disorder. This condition changes how the brain and behavior function, leading to a loss of control over substance use, whether it's legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or prescription medications. Effective treatment options exist. If you, a friend, or a family member is facing these challenges, don't hesitate to seek help now.

Contact HHS Recovery Coach:

Nidia Rosario, LPC-A
(959) 248-8013
nidia.rosario@hartford.gov

OD2A Community Flyer(PDF, 776KB)

Our Recovery Coach can assist by:

Providing nonjudgmental support to people who use drugs or are in recovery at any stage
Offer warm handoffs to treatment, wraparound services, and other community supports
Support individuals after an overdose, during or after hospitalization
Build trusting relationships that promote long-term stability and healing

DMHAS Action Line:

For 24/7 access to substance use treatment, including detox and transportation, call the Access Line at 1-800-563-4086 or
Alcoholics Anonymous offers support meetings for people with alcohol use disorder.
Narcotics Anonymous offers support meetings for people with substance use disorder.

Last updated: March 6th, 2026

Respiratory Viral Disease Dashboard

Click here to open the RVD Dashboard in another page or click on the arrow at the bottom left of the dashboard.

Page 1: Welcome.

Page 2: About the Respiratory Viral Diseases (RVD) Dashboard.

Page 3: Instructions on How To Use The RVD Dashboard.

Page 4: From October 1, 2025 to April 18, 2026, a total of 1,956 RVD cases were reported in Hartford, including 1,142 Influenza, 475 COVID-19, and 339 RSV cases. Cases peaked in December 2025, with the highest activity occurring between weeks 51, 52 and 1 (December 14 to January 3). The highest number of cases were observed among individuals aged 0-18 (923 cases), females (1,116 cases), and those identified as Hispanic or Latino (1,029 cases).

Page 5: Influenza-like illness (ILI) visits to emergency departments and hospital-affiliated urgent care centers represent Hartford residents seeking care for symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and other respiratory conditions. These symptoms may be associated with Influenza, COVID-19, RSV, or other illnesses. There were 12,101 ILI Visits since October 1st 2025. ILI activity peaked in December 2025, with 2,434 visits, and showed the highest weekly activity between weeks 52 and 1 (December 21 to January 3).The highest number of visits occurred among individuals aged 0–18 (4,626 visits), females (6,794 visits), and those identified as Hispanic or Latino (5,616 visits).

Page 6: ZIP code 06106 reported the highest burden, with 629 RVD cases and 3,739 ILI-related visits, representing the most impacted geographic area.

Page 7: Hartford recorded a total of 253 RVD-related hospitalizations, including 144 Influenza, 68 COVID-19, and 41 RSV cases. A total of 9 deaths were reported: 5 associated with Influenza, 2 with COVID-19 and 2 with RSV.

Page 8: Of the 1,142 Influenza cases reported, 824 were Influenza A and 318 were Influenza B. Influenza B cases have shown a notable increase beginning in week 5, and it is the predominant type of flu circulating in Hartford now.

Page 9: Displays trends in RVD cases across three seasons: 2023–2024, 2024–2025, and 2025–2026 (current season).

Page 10, 11 and 12: These pages present seasonal trends for each disease: Page 10: Influenza, Page 11: COVID-19, and Page 12: RSV. Each page includes comparisons across the 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 (current RVD Season).

Public Health Guidance: The Hartford Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that residents continue practicing preventive measures to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses. HHS epidemiologists will continue to monitor trends on a weekly basis to support community health and awareness. For more educational information and reports, visit the Respiratory Viral Diseases Education section/tab.

Last updated on April 20th, 2026.