Thank You for Your Support!!! By: Laureen Murphree

Dawson County

Health Department News

O rgan i zat i on N am e

Inside this issue:

STD Awareness Month 2

Kick Butts Day—WCHS 2

Kick Butts Day -— Glen-

dive

3

Child Abuse Prevention

Month

4

Hantavirus 5

Jessi Tompkins 6

Jefferson PHEP Challenge 6

Women’s Eye Month 7

National PH Week 8

Calendar 9

Volume , Issue April 2018

207 W. Bell

Glendive, MT 59330

Tel: (406)377-5213

Website:

dawsoncountymontana.com

Public Health:

Tel: (406) 377-5213

WIC Program:

Tel: (406) 377-5213

Home Health:

Tel: (406) 377-5213

Family Planning:

Tel: (406) 377-2935

Tobacco Prevention:

Tel: (406) 345-4117

Dawson County Health Department would like

to thank everyone who participated in the

Dawson County Health Fair blood draws! We

are so appreciative of both our long-term

clients-such as the gentlemen who stated he’d

been to 33 of our 34 blood draw events-and

our first-time visitors. The changes made last

year have assisted us in keeping everything

running smoothly. We heard many positive

comments about being able to get in and out

quickly; overall the appointment scheduling

system is working out well for everyone.

It is so important to take charge of your health

and be informed about your numbers. To best

manage your health, it’s essential to know

your risks and take active steps to keep levels

within healthy ranges. It is also recommended

you share your results with your healthcare

provider.

If you have not picked up your results, they

are available at the Dawson County Health

Department from 8-12 and from 1-5, Mon-

day through Friday. You may also pick them

up at the Health & Wellness Expo May 3rd.

This year, we are making some exciting

changes to the Dawson County Health Fair.

DCHD, along with the Best Beginnings Coali-

tion, is excited to be hosting a Health & Well-

ness Expo. It will be held at the EPEC on

Thursday, May 3rd from 10:00 am—6:00 pm.

It’s open to the public and encompasses all

age groups, from birth to senior citizens. There

will be activities and information, drawings for

prizes, and items for the taking - something

for everyone. All vendors who promote health

and wellness are welcome. Call DCHD at

377-5213 to reserve a booth.

Our sincere appreciation goes out to all who

came in to have their blood drawn, to all the

staff who made the blood draws go so

smoothly, and to Dawson County for allowing

us to use the Courthouse Community Room as

our location.

Thanks again to all who supported the Daw-

son County Blood Draws. Glendive is a great

community! We hope to see you at the Health

& Wellness Expo on May 3rd!

April

National Autism Awareness Month

National Child Abuse Prevention Month

National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

National Public Health Month

Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

STI Awareness Month

Women’s Eye Health Month

1 Easter

2 - 8 National Public Health Week

7 World Health Day

10 National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day

21 - 28 National Infant Immunization Week

22 Earth Day

22 - 28 National Infertility Awareness Week

23 - 29 World Immunization Week

25 Administrative Professionals Day

28 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Upcoming Events

Kick Butts Day at WCHS

number of men infected is dif-

ficult to estimate; since there

are specific screening recom-

mendations for women seeking

birth control, they are

screened more often.

As the communicable disease

investigator for the county, I

can tell you that Eastern Mon-

tana has its share of Chlamyd-

ia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis and

HIV cases. Herpes, warts and

“trich” are diseases that are

not reportable to the health

department, but can also

found in Eastern Montana. It is

imperative that people under-

It’s time to have a real conver-

sation about STDs. If you are

having sex, you are putting

yourself at risk for an STD.

Most STDs don’t have symp-

toms and the person you are

sleeping with could be trans-

mitting one to you even though

they “claim” to be disease

free. The bottom line is if you

and your partner haven’t been

tested, you just don’t know.

Furthermore, the myth that

STDs only happen to people

who are dirty or sleep around

is simply not true. Anyone who

is sexually active is at risk for

an STD and it only takes ONE

time with ONE infected person

to become infected. The Mon-

tana Department of Health

and Human Services estimates

that 1 in 4 sexually active

women between 15 and 24

are infected with an STD. The

Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism against tobacco use. The Wibaux

BPA\reACT group put up posters in the school and put cups that read “No Smoking!” in

the fence at the elementary school. (Photos by Mary Alice Barthel)

Dawson County Health Department Newsletter Page 2

STD Awareness Month By: Lynn Newnam

stand that sex is a risky be-

havior. Regular testing, using

a barrier method birth control

and good judgement can go a

long ways towards preventing

the spread of STDs. If you are

unsure or unprepared, you can

always say “no.”

Dawson County Family Plan-

ning offers low cost, and in

some cases, no cost STD test-

ing, treatment and referrals.

Call 377-2935 to talk with a

county health nurse regard-

ing available testing.

Be smart and be safe.

Kick Butts Day Honk and Wave

The Washington Middle School TIP/reACT students and 2 DCHD Trading Card

Kids held a Honk and Wave activity for Kick Butts Day. About 63 students held

signs and encouraged drivers to Honk and Wave as they drove to work to sup-

port tobacco prevention. We appreciate the community support!!!! There were

also cups in the fence at the schools in support of Kick Butts Day.

Page 3 Volume , Issue

Dawson County Health Department Newsletter Page 4

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month By: Pam O’Brien

Child abuse prevention has changed drastically over the past 10 years. Efforts include the vital role of the community, early intervention services,

and caregiver education to keep children safe from abuse and neglect. There is growing recognition that child abuse is a substantial public health

concern as well as a serious social problem. Recent research suggests investments in prevention go beyond protecting children from maltreatment to

also preventing maltreatment’s devastating consequences, such as debilitating and lifelong physical and mental health problems, considerable treat-

ment and health-care costs, and lost opportunities in education and work (Institute of Medicine & National Research Council, 2014).

Although child maltreatment prevention programs and services in the United States have made great strides toward preventing child abuse and

neglect, several million children continue to be referred to child protective services (CPS) every year. Over three-fourths of maltreatment cases each

year are the result of neglect, including physical, emotional, educational, or medical neglect.

The focus on child abuse prevention has gradually expanded beyond public education to early intervention. This included an emphasis on home visit-

ation programs for at-risk mothers to teach basic caregiving skills and to help parents and primary caregivers bond with their children to encourage

healthy child development and a positive home environment. These programs demonstrated progress in access to preventive health care, improved

parental functioning, and early identification of developmental delays. A list of five protective factors has been deemed necessary to help families

offset parenting stress and make children and families safer.

These factors are:

parental resilience, social connections, concrete support in

times of need, knowledge of parenting and child develop-

ment, and development of social and emotional competence

in children.

The current approach to child abuse prevention relies on en-

hancing the role of communities in strengthening protective

factors in a child’s environment and providing prevention

services targeted toward different segments of the popula-

tion.

Dawson County Health Department and The Nurturing Tree

offer several programs geared towards child abuse preven-

tion, including -

Love and Logic Parenting Classes: covers a wide age group and provides social connections, child and youth development, and parental resilience.

Parents as Teachers: A home visiting program that provides support and parenting education and covers all five protective factors. Participation is

voluntary and families are encouraged to lead through a selection of educational topics and activities they feel are pertinent to them.

Mommy/Daddy and Me: A group activity held at the library basement every Tuesday at 11:00 am. The purpose of this group is to increase bond-

ing and attachment between parent/caregiver and child. Topics include: Power Play, Mix and Measure, School Readiness, Crafty Tuesday and

Awareness Tuesdays.

The Nurturing Tree also has a resource library available with “Take Home Kits” which include books, CD’s, DVD’s, games, and children’s books. These

resources are tailored to specific parenting topics like potty training and breast feeding. Also available for check out is our “Backpack Program.”

Each backpack features a specific topic such as “opposites” and includes activities and items needed to work on each topic at home.

For more information regarding programs at Dawson County Health Department or The Nurturing Tree please call 377-5213.

Page 5 Volume , Issue

With spring’s arrival, many of us will begin working

on those spring cleaning projects we’ve been plan-

ning all winter. These chores may take us into dark,

dusty, areas that rodents have made home over the

past few months. Clearing the mice out of these

spaces may be necessary, but it’s a job that should

be undertaken with some precaution. Deer mice,

present in all parts of Montana, can carry hanta-

virus, a potentially fatal respiratory infection.

Hantavirus is excreted in the urine, saliva, and drop-

pings of deer mice, and people can be exposed by

breathing in contaminated dust, especially after

disturbing or cleaning rodent nests or droppings or

by living or working in rodent-infested areas. There

is no evidence that hantavirus spreads from person-

to-person. Early symptoms of hantavirus may mimic

other, more common diseases – fatigue, fever, and

muscle aches. Some victims may also experience

headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, diar-

rhea, and/or abdominal pain. Approximately four to 10 days after these first symptoms appear, the infected person will develop a

cough and shortness of breath. Hantavirus can be fatal, so it’s important to seek treatment early and inform your health care provider

that you have been working in or cleaning up areas that may be rodent-infested.

There are ways to prevent hantavirus and still get your spring cleaning chores done. Keep rodents out of your home and workspaces

by sealing cracks and gaps, using traps, and removing their food sources. When cleaning potentially rodent-infested areas, keep the

following in mind:

Wear gloves

Avoid stirring up dust as much as possible

Wet contaminated areas with a bleach solution before removal

Use a damp towel to remove nest materials and droppings, then mop or sponge the area with a bleach solution

Spray dead rodents with disinfectant and double-bag before proper disposal

Disinfect gloves before removal

Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water

Fortunately, hantavirus is relatively rare, with less than five cases usually reported in Montana each year. However, it is serious

(hantavirus has a 38% mortality rate), so it’s important to take preventative measures and see a health care provider early if you think

you may have developed symptoms.

Learn more by visiting www.cdc.gov/hantavirus.

Hantavirus

By: Janelle Olberding

Meet Our Newest Staff Member

My name is Jessi Tompkins. I am the new Administrative Assistant for the Health

Department, taking over for Heather. I hope she’s able to transfer her vast

knowledge over to my brain via osmosis before she leaves!!!

I was born and raised here in Glendive and graduated from DCHS in 2007. I

married my husband Rob Tompkins in 2015 and then our darling daughter was

born in September of 2016.

I was a Sales Secretary with Centennial Homes for close to two years, until they

closed their office in 2016. In 2007, I started working for Eastern Montana Industries as

a Rehabilitation Technician, caregiving for adults with developmental disabilities and

was employed there until last week. It was a job I enjoyed but I am excited for a new

adventure and an administrative career.

I enjoy books and reading, I’ve always got my nose stuck in a book lost in a different

world. My husband affectionately refers to me as a nerd, but he isn’t wrong!

Dawson County Health Department Newsletter Page 6

Jefferson Students Finish Preparedness Challenge By: Janelle Olberding

For the past nine weeks, Jefferson Elementary School students have been working with their families to prepare themselves for disas-

ters and emergencies. These situations are full of unknowns and can be scary – being prepared not only helps us recover more quick-

ly, but also takes away some of the fear!

Dawson County Health Department’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness program, in partnership with Dawson County Disaster

and Emergency Services, is very happy to announce that 65 children completed the entire nine week project! The children were asked

to build an emergency supply kit with the help of family members over this time. The project required a lot of work and family partic-

ipation, so the children that finished should be very proud of themselves! Each child with a completed project was rewarded with a

free ice cream from ReTreat.

Many thanks to Jefferson Elementary’s staff and faculty and to the parents, guardians, and other family members that helped their

children complete this project. We hope that it was a good experience for your family and helped you discuss some very important

topics that we sometimes forget about until it’s too late.

Do you have questions about how to prepare yourself, your home, and your family for disasters and emergencies? Call DCHD at 377

-5213 and ask for the Emergency Preparedness program.

National Public Health Week 2018: Changing Our Future Together By: Janelle Olberding

Each day, public health workers strive to ensure the foundations of good health – clean water and safe food, access to disease-preventing

vaccines, resources for children and parents, affordable reproductive health services, and breathable air, just to name a few – each of their

community’s residents. However, even in the United States, where we live, our income, education, race, and access to health care can mean as

much as a 15-year difference in how long we live. This year, National Public Health Week (NPHW), April 2-8, emphasizes what each of us

can do to overcome these inequalities.

Each day of NPHW 2018 will focus on a different public health topic

that’s critical to helping create healthier places to live, work, and play:

Monday, April 2: Behavioral Health

Tuesday, April 3: Communicable Disease

Wednesday, April 4: Environmental Health

Thursday, April 5: Injury and Violence Prevention

Friday, April 6: Ensuring the Right to Health

Watch Dawson County Health Department’s Facebook page during Na-

tional Public Health Week to learn more about what you can do to help

the United States become the Healthiest Nation in One Generation by

2030. Source: www.nphw.org

Services Provided by the Health Department

We are on the Web!

www.dawsoncountymontana.com/departments/publichealth

If you would like to be on the mailing list for this monthly publication or submit an article for the next month,

please e-mail Laureen Murphree at murphreel@dawsoncountymontana.com

Immunizations: Adults and children, Thursdays: 8:00 am - noon and

1:00-5:00. Walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment call 377-

5213.

Insurance Billing: Yes, the Dawson County Health Department does

bill insurance for children’s immunizations and most adult

immunizations.

WIC (Women, Infants and Children): Thursdays 8:00 -12:00

and 1:00 -5:00. Appointments may be made by calling 377-5213.

Family Planning: Walk in hours are Monday—Tuesday: 1-5 pm,

Wednesday: 8 am - noon and 1-5 pm, Thursday: No Clinic, Friday: 10 am-

noon and 1-3 pm. Services are based on a sliding fee scale. To schedule an

appointment call 377-2935.

Blood Pressure Clinics: Wednesday-Thursday: 8 - noon—no charge.

Labs: Wednesday 8:00 - noon. Some labs require 12 hour fast.

Home Health Services: In home services including skilled nursing.

Certified Nurse Assistant, Homemaker and Meals on Wheels. Call

377-5213 for more information or to make a referral.

Public Health Home Visiting: Home visiting program for pregnant

women, infants and children. Services help to build parental resilience,

social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development,

concrete supports in times of need and social and emotional competence

of children.

Tobacco Prevention: Preventing tobacco use among youth and

promote quitting among adult users. Free signs for CIAA compliance.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Planning and

coordination of community resources to prepare for public health

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