Hoping to persuade San Luis Obispo County residents to make healthier lifestyle choices, the county Public Health Agency is joining two nationwide health campaigns this month, according to a news release from the agency.

The first endeavor is National Public Health Week, which was the first week of April, according to agency Director Jeff Hamm and Health Officer Penny Borenstein. In addition, April is “county government month” with a theme this year of “healthy counties, healthy families.”

The department, hoping to educate residents about local resources available to them, has launched a website to provide access to local resources.

Visitors to the Gateway to Health Web page will find direct links to programs and services for healthy food, physical activity, mental and emotional well-being, living tobacco-free and substance abuse prevention. The page can be found through a link on the public health webpage at www.slopublichealth.org.

Citing one local health problem, Borenstein wrote that recent data indicate the county is ranked higher than the state and national average for excessive drinking. This and other problems need to be addressed at the local level, she said.

“We need to look at the underlying drivers of chronic disease and take a community health approach to prevention and well-being,” Borenstein wrote.

“Take a moment and make just one positive change a day that will help you live a healthier life,” she wrote. “Small actions can have a big impact when they are spread throughout the entire family, community and nation.”