Health Department

• Choose My Plate
  Tools and resources for healthy eating
• ShopRite of Hillsborough
  Wellness coaching with a Registered Dietician
• Farmers Market at Duke Farms
  Open seasonally on Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm
• Hillsborough Community Assistance Network (Food Pantry)
• SNAP
  Food assistance to families with low incomes
• WIC
  Food assistance, nutrition education, and support for income-eligible women who are pregnant and post-partum, infants, and children up to five years old

• Hillsborough Recreation
  Local activities and programs
• Hillsborough park directory
• Hillsborough YMCA
• AllTrails
  Explore nearby trails
• Delaware and Raritan Canal (D & R Canal)
  70-mile long trail alongside historic canal. Great for walking, running, and biking.
• Sourland Mountain Preserve
  Hiking, bouldering, and mountain biking.

BoroSAFE

BoroSAFE is a community collaborative with an aim to provide access to mental health resources, emotional well-being best practices and suicide prevention resources across the entire Hillsborough Community.

Somerset County - PESS (Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services)

Mobile outreach to all those in Somerset County experiencing acute pyschiatric distress. Also provide traumatic incident debriefing.

Richard Hall Community Mental Health Center

Comprehensive community mental health center dedicated to the prevention, early detection, and treatment of mental illness and serious emotional and

We believe that prevention is the key to improving health and reducing disease and deaths in our community. The Hillsborough Township Health Department offers free presentations and educational materials to the community on a variety of topics. We also visit a wide variety of health fairs and other community health promotion events throughout the year.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs - Municipal Alliance
• Cancer Prevention
• Handwashing
• Healthy Eating and Active Living
• Heart Health
• Infection Control
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Stress Management

Explore health in Hillsborough

How is Your H.E.A.R.T Hillsborough?

What vaccines do I need?

• Recommended Vaccines for Adults
• Recommended Vaccines for Children
• COVID-19
• Flu (every year)
• International travelers

About vaccination

Vaccination, or immunization, helps your body make antibodies to fight germs and keep you healthy. These antibodies stay in your body so that when the germ comes again, your body will already know how to fight it. 

People of all ages can benefit from vaccines. Being vaccinated protects you, as well as those around you who cannot get vaccinated, such as very young children and people with compromised immune systems.

Where can I get vaccinated?

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about getting vaccinated. Visit our COVID-19 page to find COVID-19 vaccines in the area.

About infectious diseases

Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by germs such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. They enter the body, multiply, and can cause an infection. 

Some infectious diseases are contagious (or communicable), which means they spread from one person to another.

Other infectious diseases can be spread by germs carried in air, water, food, or soil. They can also be spread by vectors (like biting insects) or by animals.

Others

• H5N1 Bird Flu
• Head Lice
• Hepatitis B & C
• Measles
• Monkeypox
• Pertussis
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Zika

Flu is a contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. Millions of people get flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized, and tens of thousands of people die. Anyone can get severe illness from flu, but some people are at higher risk. This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant people, and children younger than 5 years.

How can I prevent flu?

The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against flu is to get a vaccine every year. CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine. Ideally, you should get your vaccine by the end of October, but flu season can last through May so you can still get your vaccine later.

CDC also recommends everyday actions to prevent illness, like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and frequent handwashing.

The flu vaccine is safe and reduces the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death. Flu vaccination is especially important for people who are at higher risk of developing serious complications, such as those over 65 and under 2.  Also, New Jersey requires all children from age 6 months to 59 months to be vaccinated against the flu each year  in order to attend childcare or preschool.

Most people with flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are at increased risk for complications, are very sick, or are worried about your illness, contact your health care provider. There are prescription medications called antiviral drugs that can be used to treat flu illness. 

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a common virus that usually causes cold-like symptoms. These include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, wheezing, fever, and decreased appetite. Most people have mild illness, but some people can become very sick. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV and need to be hospitalized.

To protect against severe illness, certain people are eligible for immunizations for RSV. Check the chart below and talk to your doctor.

For adults:

There is a currently a limited supply of the RSV immunization. Please contact your pediatrician.

• Wash your (and your baby’s) hands often. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
• Stay away from people who are sick.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs and cell phones.
• Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands.
• Limit close contact with others, like kissing, hugging, and shaking hands.
• Don’t share cups or eating utensils.

For more information on RSV, please visit the CDC site.

Karen Sowden
Registrar of Vital Statistics
(908) 369-4313 ext. 7121
ksowden@hillsborough-nj.org

Christine Araco
Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics
(908) 369-4313 ext 7190
caraco@hillsborough-nj.org

The Vital Statistics Department registers and maintains records of all births, deaths, and marriages / civil unions that occur within Hillsborough Township. 

To Order Certified Copies of Marriage, Birth and Death Certificates:

1. In Person:

• • Complete an application form. 
  • Call to schedule an appointment: (908) 369-5652.  Appointments are available Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. Do not call the office to ask about the availability of vital records. State statute does not allow the office to release any information over the phone.

• • Provide ID: Bring your driver’s license/passport, plus proof of relationship, if appropriate. 

2. By Mail:

• • Complete an application form.

• • Provide ID: Photocopy your driver’s license/passport with your current address (or proof of current mailing address).

• • Include Payment: Check or money order made payable to “Hillsborough Township”. Do not send cash.

• • Mail to: Hillsborough Health Department,  379 South Branch Road,Hillsborough, NJ 08844.

3. Fees & Payment Options 

• • $25 - certified copy of birth, marriage or death certificate
  • $2 - additional certified copies (of the same certificate)  

Eligibility & Genealogical Records 

The State Department of Vital Statistics and Registry determines who is eligible to receive a certified copy of a vital record. You need to identify the record and provide proof of your identity, current residence and, if appropriate, your relationship to the person listed on the vital record you are requesting. If your last name on your driver’s license is different from your last name on the birth certificate, please include a copy of your marriage certificate. 

Genealogical records for research on family ancestry are available from the State Department of Vital Statistics and Registry. 

Marriage License Applications

Appointments are required. Call 908-369-5652 to make an appointment with the Registrar in the Health Department. After the application is made, there is a 72-hour waiting period before the license can be issued. The application must be made in the municipality in which either applicant lives. If neither applicant is a New Jersey resident, the application must be made in the municipality where the ceremony will take place. The license is valid only in the issuing municipality. The municipality that you apply in, and the municipality that you get married in, must be “incorporated” municipalities in New Jersey. That means that they must have a physical address of a municipal building for the area. 

When you come to the appointment, you must bring:

• One witness over the age of 18 (it can be a relative)
• The Marriage License Application (Spanish)
• Documents that establish both applicants’ identity, age, gender, residency, and Social Security number (if a U.S. resident) 

Applicants must know:

• Their mothers’ maiden names 
• The State or Country their parents were born in
• The name and address of the person who will perform the ceremony
• The date of the ceremony
• The municipality where the ceremony will take place

If you are divorced, have had a previous civil union dissolved, domestic partnership terminated or have had a civil union annulled, please bring the documents. If your former spouse/partner is deceased, please bring the death certificate. Any documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

Fees

There will be a $28.00 fee for the license at the time of application (cash or check). Checks should be made payable to Hillsborough Township. NOTE: The fee is currently waived through June 30, 2023.

For more information regarding entering into a marriage or civil union, please refer to this brochure from the  New Jersey Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics and Registry.

Please be a responsible dog owner and license your dog. 

Dogs over 7 months of age must be licensed every year. The annual dog license is required by NJ law and Hillsborough Township Ordinance. 

Why is it important to license your dog?

• Annual licensing reminds you to keep your dog up to date with rabies vaccination.
  Rabies is deadly, and the virus has been found in wild animals in New Jersey. Any contact with a wild mammal could put your dog at risk of rabies. If your dog is not up to date with rabies vaccination, and is exposed to a possibly rabid animal, consequences could include long-term observation, strict quarantine, or even euthanasia.
• License tags help people find you if your dog is lost.
• If your dog is involved in a biting a human or fighting with another pet, the license information can be given to the victim or police to show that your dog has a current rabies vaccination.
• All of the money collected from licensing goes to spay/neuter clinics, rescue shelters, and animal control. 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR DOG ONLINE

To get a license, your dog must have a current rabies vaccine that lasts through at least 10 months of the licensing year. This means that your dog’s rabies vaccine must be current until October 31st of the current year, or your dog will need a booster rabies vaccine. Please ask your vet if you have any questions.