Free Hepatitis C Testing for Northern Kentucky
Residents
In response to a substantial increase in the number of
hepatitis C cases in the region, the Health
Department and Kentucky Department for Public Health will offer
free blood tests
for hepatitis C at the Health Department’s four
county health centers. Since 2010, cases of the contagious liver disease
have increased by more than 80 percent. May is hepatitis awareness month.
Find
out if you are at risk.
Pediatrician, Nurse Advocacy Center
Recognized
The 2012 Awards of Excellence in Public
Health are being given to Northern Kentucky University Nurse Advocacy
Center for the Underserved for their efforts to improve access to health
care and to pediatrician Dr. Christopher Bolling for his efforts to reduce
childhood obesity.
Save the Date: Aug. 18--Immunization
Awareness Night with Florence Freedom
Join the
Let’s
Immunize Northern Kentucky coalition and the Health Department for Cover
Your Bases, a fun evening at the ballpark to promote immunizations. The
Freedom will take on the Southern Illinois Miners at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday,
Aug. 18, at Freedom Park in Florence. Look for activities to promote
immunizations, such as videos, games and an informational booth, during the
game.
To purchase tickets, visit
http://www.florencefreedom.com.
School Health Workshop
The Health Department, along with the
Let's Immunize Northern Kentucky
coalition, is offering a free school health workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. on Wednesday, August 1, 2012, in Community Room C of the Florence
Government Building, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence, Ky.
Learn more and
register.
Paternity
Acknowledgement
Parents who are not married and who did not have
the father's name listed on the birth certificate at the hospital may want
to legally establish paternity by completing a
paternity affidavit at the Health Department's
county health centers.
The process is free and can be done by appointment. Please call the
health center most
convenient to you and ask for the clerical coordinator. Please note: Both
parents must be at the appointment to complete the affidavit and must bring
proof of identity. Also note: the Health Department does NOT provide
paternity testing. For more information on
paternity affidavits, visit
http://www.ky-paternity.com/.
HIV/AIDS Case Management Program
The
HIV/AIDS Case Management program provides support, referrals and guidance
for persons living with HIV/AIDS and members of their households
as part of
the Kentucky HIV/AIDS Care Coordinator
program.
Assistance is available to people living in Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Grant,
Gallatin, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton Counties.
Learn
more.
Wash Hands, Stay Home to Prevent Spread
of Norovirus
The Health Department is getting reports of a rise in
illness with vomiting and diarrhea, consistent with symptoms of the
Norovirus. With the disease circulating
in the community, it's important to take steps--like hand washing and
staying home if sick--to prevent further infection.
Immunization Rates Improve at Health
Centers
In 2010, the Health Department decided to make
childhood
immunizations a priority and devote staff and time resources to
immunization follow-up. The move proved successful a year later, with the
2011 immunization rates for children seen at the county health centers at or
above 90 percent—the benchmark set by the state and federal government.
Health Department, Fiscal Court Partner to Study
Oral Health
A new project by Health
Department and the Boone County Fiscal Court aims to address
oral health care access in the region. At its January 24 meeting, the
fiscal court unanimously approved $1,500 in funding for the project, which
will be used as a stipend for a public health graduate student intern.
HIV Continuing Education
Class
The Health Department is offering a
continuing education course on HIV for health care providers at 5:30 to
7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012, at the Health Department District
Office, 610 Medical Village Drive, Edgewood. The course covers basic medical
information about HIV disease, progression, transmission and prevention;
management of HIV in the workplace; legal issues; testing strategies; and
local resources for HIV testing and case management.
Learn more and
register.
Medical Reserve Corps
The Northern Kentucky Medical Reserve Corps is a
branch of the federal government's Medical Reserve Corps program, and its goal
is to provide a volunteer pool for the region that can enhance and support
first responders, public health agencies and the health care infrastructure
during a crisis.
Anyone interested in joining the Medical Reserve Corps is invited to attend
a two-hour training session from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 21, 2012, at
the Health Department's District Office, 610 Medical Village Drive,
Edgewood, Ky. A light breakfast will be provided.
Learn more.
Blood-Borne Pathogen Training
At its December 7 meeting, the Northern Kentucky District Board of Health
passed new regulations for blood-borne pathogen education for tattoo and
body piercers. The rules are designed to protect customers and artists from
diseases transmitted through the blood, including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
and HIV. Learn more.
Dealing with Tough Economic Times?
With the downturn in the economy, many Northern Kentucky families may find that
they need assistance with finances, health expenses or other concerns. The
Health Department provides some assistance through programs like
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutrition supplement program for women,
infants and children under age 5; and the
HIV/AIDS Case Management program. The state of Kentucky has compiled a
directory of resources available to all Kentuckians, which contains details
on several programs.
Prevention Pays Women's Cancer Screening Program
On the
designated screening days, eligible women will be able to have an annual exam
including a pap smear, pelvic exam and clinical breast exam performed by a
nurse practitioner, as well as receive a mammogram in the mobile mammography
unit from St. Elizabeth Healthcare, which will be parked outside the health
center. Eligible women can receive a $10 gift card.
Learn more.
OFF Program
The
“OFF” Program is a 12
week weight-control program designed specifically for women and taught by
Registered Dietitians from the Health Department. This scientifically sound,
fat fighting program is based on the national bestseller titled “Outsmarting
the Female Fat Cell” by Debra Waterhouse and consists of consecutive weekly
sessions focusing on a natural way of eating that works for your body, not
against it. Registration for this course is now closed. Please check this
Web page in the future for information on upcoming classes.
Learn more.
Birth and Death Certificates
The Health Department does not
provide copies of official birth and death certificates locally. They must be
obtained from the
Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.
Northern Kentucky residents wishing to obtain an official copy of a birth of
death certificate have several options to obtain a birth or death certificate,
including by phone, online, mail or in person.
Learn more about obtaining a copy of a birth or death certificate.
What's Going Around?
Find out about illnesses that are currently circulating at
a higher rate than usual in Northern Kentucky (Boone, Campbell, Grant and
Kenton Counties) on the What's Going Around
page.
New Diabetes Support Group Location
The Health Department has begun holding a diabetes support group in Kenton
County that meets on the first Wednesday of each month.
Learn more
about this support group and others.
Prevent Bedbugs in Your Home and Work Place
We all have the
potential to be exposed to bedbugs, both in our
homes and
work place. Take
action to prevent the spread of these pests.
Find-it-Fast
The
Find-it-Fast page is designed to help you quickly find information about
diseases, health topics and services provided by the Health Department.
Have Mold in Your Home?
Mold in houses, apartments and condominiums is a potentially serious
health risk. If you have mold in your dwelling, you can fix the problem and
keep it from coming back.
Learn more.
Kenton County's Smoke-free Law
On December 21, 2010, the Kenton
County Fiscal Court passed
ordinance number 451.15
into law, prohibiting smoking in public buildings, establishments in public
buildings and places of employment. On April 15, 2011,
this law went into effect and smoking became completely prohibited indoors at most places of employment. This
includes, but is not limited to: offices, work areas, restrooms, conference
rooms, classrooms, break rooms, cafeterias and other common areas.
Find
resources for businesses, residents and
visitors to Kenton County who may have questions about the smoke-free
ordinance.
Breastfeeding Bags
The Northern Kentucky
Breastfeeding Coalition, of which the Health Department is a member, is
distributing
bags to pregnant women through
the Pre Admission Education Program with St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Women
should receive the bag when they come in for education with a nurse, at
approximately 20
to 30 weeks of gestation. Women receiving a bag also have a chance to win a
$50 gift card! Learn more.
Born Learning/Success by 6
The Health Department is
partnering with the United
Way of Greater Cincinnati, United Way Success By 6®,
Vision 2015, Citi and numerous additional community partners to bring the
bornlearning public engagement campaign to Northern Kentucky to help parents,
caregivers and the entire community create quality early learning
opportunities for young children. To learn more about the campaign, visit the
national
bornlearning campaign Web site, or the United Way of Greater Cincinnati's
Success by 6 Web site.
Text4baby
The Health Department is proud to announce a partnership with the
text4baby program, which provides pregnant mothers and new moms with important
health messages throughout their pregnancy and for the first year of the
child's life. Learn more.
Find Help
Quitting on Facebook
The Health Department's smoking cessation program has launched a Facebook
page. From the page, you can learn more about the health benefits of
smoke-free air and resources to help you quit smoking. Note: You must first
log on with a Facebook account and then you'll be taken to the page.
New
Retail Food Establishments
The Health
Department is responsible for inspecting and regulating any establishment
serving food, whether it's a restaurant or a temporary food establishment.
Learn more about the steps that need to be taken to open a new
permanent or temporary food establishment.
Volunteer with the Health Department
There are a variety of ways in which you can volunteer for the Health
Department. Apply
online.
District Board of Health
The Northern Kentucky
District Board of Health and Executive Committee has announced meeting dates for
2012. Please check the Board of
Health Web page for dates, times, and locations. For more information call
859.341.4264.
Local Board of Health Meetings
The Boone County, Campbell County, Grant County and Kenton County Local Boards
of Health meet periodically. Please check the
Meeting Schedule page for times and locations.
