Program & Services Directory - October 24, 2011

Public Health Family Services:

All Our Kids Network (AOK) is a community-based collaboration that is committed to developing a high-quality, well-coordinated, easily accessible system of care that will promote positive growth and development for all children ages birth through eight and their families, and assure that children enter school ready and able to learn. To get involved, or to learn how your family, program, or agency can benefit, call Dana Keim at 815/599-8404.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a food assistance program for low-to-medium income families that helps pregnant women, new mothers, and young children eat well and stay healthy. WIC provides special checks to buy healthy food, such as milk, juice, eggs, cheese, cereal and more! Certified Lactation Specialists, nurses, and breastfeeding peer counselors are available to assist with breast feeding questions and provide support to lactating mothers. For more information, call 815/235-8360.

Childhood lead poisoning prevention, screening, education and surveillance services are offered to the general public to reduce medical, learning, behavioral and other health problems associated with elevated lead levels. Nurses follow-up on elevated lead levels reported to the department by area physicians and labs. For more information, call Cathy McDearmon-Nowak at 815/801-8631.

Family Case Management provides support to families in Stephenson County by providing health education information and by making linkages/referrals to community partners. This support is designed to assist families in becoming self-sufficient. Teen parents receive added support to complete their education. Parents of high-risk infants work with nurses to ensure their children are getting the best start possible, and all children are screened to determine that their development is on target. For more information, call Julia Marynus at 815/235-8394.

Healthy Families Illinois provides intensive home visiting to first-time young families, helping them to transition into the world of parenthood. Child-parent activities and parenting education assists young parents in learning more about their new life roles and the impact they have on raising their children. For more information, call Julia Marynus at 815/235-8394

Doula Services provide birth assistants who work with the family before and after delivery. Doulas assist in preparing a birth plan before delivery and caring for the newborn. The program focuses on teen and first-time parents. For more information, call Julia Marynus at 815/235-8394.

Primary Care:

FHN Community Healthcare Center, in partnership with the Stephenson County Health Department, provides primary health care services to anyone ages 6 months to 65 years of age without health insurance or on Medicaid who is in need of medical care. Services offered include: medications, health education, and diagnosis and treatment of common, acute illnesses, as well as management of chronic health problems by a physician or nurse practitioner. For more information or to make an appointment, call 815/599-8414.

Children's Dental Services:

Children's dental appointments are available at the health department. For more information or to make an appointment, call Becky Taylor at 815/235-8271.

Public Health Nursing Services:

HIV/AIDS/STD counseling, testing, referral and partner notification offers a range of no charge services (although donations are encouraged) to prevent and control disease and promote public health, including diagnosis, treatment and health education in a confidential setting. For more information, call Becky Taylor at 815/235-8271.

TB skin tests are no charge to Stephenson County residents ($15 for out-of-county residents); TB medications and X-rays are also available to the general public for a fee. For more information, call Becky Taylor at 815/235-8271.

The Family Planning program serves women of reproductive age in a confidential clinic setting through the provision of low-cost STD screenings, health education, counseling, and contraceptives. Emergency contraception is also available. (Donations are encouraged.) For more information, call Becky Taylor at 815/235-8271.

Low-cost immunizations are provided at regular and special clinics for a range of childhood diseases and to prevent the spread of influenza each year in vulnerable and at-risk populations. In addition, the health department assists emergency, public safety, health and other public service personnel by administering Hepatitis B vaccines. For more information or to make an appointment, call Becky Taylor at 815/235-8271.

Low-cost school and sports physical clinics are held for uninsured and underinsured children of school age. For more information, call Becky Taylor at 815/235-8271.

The department maintains continuous surveillance and reporting of all infectious diseases, regularly monitors other key community health indicators, and develops plans in collaboration with community partners to address identified priority health concerns. For more information, call Mary Boeke Hill at 815/235-8274.

Women's Health Services:

Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP) provides free mammograms for women ages 40 to 64 and free Pap smears for women ages 35 to 64 who are uninsured or underinsured. This program includes case management, education, and outreach efforts. For more information or to make an appointment, call 1/866-590-8499.

WISEWOMAN Cardiovascular Research Program is for women between the ages of 35 and 64 who are currently enrolled in the IBCCP Program. All participants receive total lipid profiles with glucose, interview assessments, and health history, and are eligible to receive a 4-week nutrition/physical fitness class with incentives. For more information, contact Connie Raisbeck at 815/599-8432.

Vital Records:

Certified copies of official birth and death records are available from the County Registrar for school, travel, insurance, and identification purposes for a fee. For more information, call Mary Boeke Hill at 815/235-8274.

Community Health Education:

Community health promotion and education services are available to address major factors of ill health such as smoking and tobacco use, substance abuse, sedentary lifestyle, environmental hazards, family stress, nutrition, peer pressure, healthy relationships, STDs, HIV, abstinence, and sexuality education. Specific programs include:

The “Break the Habit” smoking cessation program incorporates bi-monthly meetings and unlimited phone counseling through the Illinois Tobacco Quit Line. Nicotine replacement patches are also available at a reduced rate.

For 2nd graders, we offer “Smoke-Free, That’s Me!” to educate youth about the hazards of smoking.

For 4th graders, we offer Tar Wars, a tobacco-free education program consisting of pre-activity exercise, a one-hour classroom presentation, and a follow-up poster contest.

Together with the Freeport Police Department and the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Department, we sponsor Tobacco Compliance Checks throughout Stephenson County.

Information on the Smoke Free Illinois Act or how to file a complaint can be found at www.smoke-free.illinois.gov or call 1.866.973.4646.

Gear Up is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are academically prepared and ready to succeed in post secondary education. This program assists families, schools, and communities to engage and motivate students to attend and succeed in higher education . The many components of this program include tutoring, mentoring, academic enrichments, academic advisement, career planning, college visits, job site visits, educational trips, family events, cultural events, and workshops. Parental involvement is a crucial component of this program.

Personal Safety for Kids is a program offered to 4th graders where each student receives a handbook that features information about safety in the home, at school, in traffic, on the street, at play, and among strangers.

Adolescent Health: One of the main goals of this program is to reduce the teen pregnancy rate in Stephenson County. In order to have a more rounded approach, this program has five different components: sexuality education, youth development, male involvement, parental involvement, and public awareness.

We have partnered with Freeport, Lena, Pearl City, and Orangeville Schools in implementing Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) to educate youth grades K-5 on the importance of healthy eating and exercise in an effort to decrease child obesity rates.

REALITY Illinois encourages teens to take a stand against tobacco use by educating their peers and others about the adverse health consequences of tobacco use.

For more information, a schedule of classes and times, or to schedule a presentation, call Amanda Bradbury at 815/235-8354.

Environmental Health Services:

All food establishments in the county are licensed and routinely inspected to protect public health and assure sanitary conditions. Inspection scores are regularly reported to the public. For more information, call Duane Eilders or Beth Gilmour at 815/599-0344.

Food Service Sanitation Manager’s Certification: Classes and 5-Hour Refresher Classes are held periodically through the Health Department. For more details, contact Beth Gilmour at 815/599-0344.

Licensing of private sewage systems installers, pumping contractors and solid waste haulers. For more information, call Ed Specht or Beth Gilmour at 815/599-0344.

Technical assistance, permits and inspections for new or repaired wells and septic systems are available to contractors and the general public, including water sampling and testing. The health department also conducts third party private water well and sewer system evaluations for real estate transactions, including water testing, and oversees the sealing of abandoned water wells in the county. For more information, call Ed Specht at 815/599-0344.

Nuisance conditions and complaints that exist in unincorporated areas of the county are investigated and corrective actions are instituted. Nuisances include open dumping and burning, dangerous and unsanitary buildings, dead and decaying animals, and noxious weeds. Failing private sewage systems throughout the county are also investigated and corrective actions instituted. For more information, call Beth Gilmour or Ed Specht at 815/599-0344.

West Nile Virus surveillance, testing, reporting, and education are offered throughout Stephenson County. For more information, call Beth Gilmour at 815/599-0344.

Radon test kits and information for home and business use are available at two locations. For more information, call Marilyn Picking at 815/599-0344 or Mary Boeke Hill at 815/235-8274.

Tanning and Body Art Establishments: Complaints are investigated and incidents and actions taken are reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health, who licenses the establishments. For more information, contact Ed Specht or Beth Gilmour at 815/599-0344.

Mercury drop-off site: No-fee mercury and/or mercury-containing-device drop-off sites in Freeport in conjunction with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency [at 10 West Linden Street (for more information, call Mary Boeke Hill at 815/235-8274) OR 295 W. Lamm Road (for more information, call 815/599-0344)].

Emergency Response:

Emergency Preparedness & Response Program works in collaboration with other agencies to provide comprehensive public health planning and response for all hazard disasters (natural or man-made) within the county. The program includes: community influenza surveillance; distribution of pharmaceuticals or vaccinations in the event of a bioterrorist attack or pandemic influenza; emergency planning for and tracking of populations with special needs; and recruiting, training, and retaining Northwest Illinois Medical Reserve Corps volunteers. For more information, call Rick McDonough at 815/599-8431.