Established in 1877, the Illinois Department of Public Health assesses the public health status, prevents epidemics and the spread of disease, protects against environmental hazards, guards against the occurrence of injury-causing situations and responds to disasters. The department assures the quality and accessibility of health services and provides family planning and pediatric care services. It administers the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which is a federal health, nutrition and prevention program for infants, pregnant women and children under the age of 5. The Illinois Department of Public Health preserves the states records on births, deaths, marriages and divorces. The department operates the offices of human resources, health promotion, women s health, and preparedness and response. It maintains a location in Bellwood, Ill.