New Business Hours at Livingston County Health Department

Livingston County, IL – The Livingston County Health Department (L.C.H.D.) will be changing

building hours effective December 22, 2025. The health department will now be open longer

hours each week Mondays through Thursdays and will be closed to the public on Fridays. The

Board of Health approved the change at its December 15th meeting.

Administrator Dr. Erin Fogarty explained that the new building hours will bring multiple

benefits. Most importantly, the new hours will be more accommodating to the public,

particularly for working families. Many of the health department’s clinic services have long been

offered Monday through Thursday outside of the current 8:00 am. to 4:30 p.m. structure. These

earlier and later appointments are often preferred times for people planning around work and

school hours. This need was supported by the 2024 Livingston County Community Health Needs

Assessment in which respondents indicated that weekdays during early mornings (prior to 8:00

a.m.) and later afternoons (after 4:00 p.m.) are the most convenient times for accessing services.

Fogarty also shared that the health department has minimal foot traffic on Fridays. “Keeping the

building open for walk-in visits on Fridays, when the health department receives very few

visitors, is not an efficient use of funds or resources. Demand for clinic services is significantly

higher during the extended hours Monday through Thursday. Expanding building hours during

those days more effectively aligns with community needs and current operations.” But while the

building may be closed on Fridays, several health department services will continue to be offered

on Fridays and weekends. Services provided in communities throughout Livingston County,

such as home visiting programs, health education and outreach, and various environmental health

services will continue to operate on days when the building is closed. “We want to ensure that

we continue to be as accommodating as possible for our Livingston County businesses, schools,

and individuals receiving in-home services,” said Fogarty. “It is important that we maintain field

operations throughout the week to meet the needs of our public, but it is not an effective use of

resources to keep the building open on Fridays.”

“Our staff at the Livingston County Health Department constantly strives to be accommodating

for the people we serve, accessible to our Livingston County community, and effective,

trustworthy stewards of our local taxpayer dollars and grant funds,” expressed Fogarty. “We are

certain that the adjustment of our building hours, while maintaining community services

throughout the week, will best serve the needs of our Livingston County community.

Beginning on Monday, December 22nd the new building hours for the L.C.H.D. will be Monday

through Wednesday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closed on

Fridays.