Staff report
The Northern Kentucky Department of Health reports on its successes in the last quarter – from gums to guns, food to the flu, the department was busy taking care of the public’s health.
Here’s a rundown — and also a preview of what to expect for the rest of the year.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• 19th year of providing free preventive dental care to children in grades pre-K through 6th grade in schools throughout the region. By the end of the year, NKYHealth will have provided 2,000 dental evaluations, applied 2,000 dental sealants to molars, applied 2,000 fluoride varnishes and performed more than 1,200 cleanings.
• Free Naloxboxes installed in schools around Northern Kentucky as a means to combat opioid overdose. Each box contains naloxone nasal spray, gloves and a CPR mask. School boards approved each installation.
• Free gun locks provided in partnership with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center and NorthKey Community Care as a tool to help prevent suicide, which is an often overlooked public health issue. Locks are available at the district office, health centers and its mobile units.
• All connected of its Health Centers in the EPIC/MyChart health record data system to enhance the continuity of patient care between health organizations.
• Environmental Health and Safety team members inspected every temporary food booth at more than 60 events over the summer, including all four county fairs, all local festivals and all major events such as Riverfest, the Great American Seafood Festival, Goettafest and Oktoberfest . For the year, NKYHealth inspected more than 600 temporary food booths at 150 events.
• NKyHEALTH centers began issuing loans to families within the WIC program that allow them to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers’ markets. The program is a win-win, benefiting the health of our WIC families as well as local farmers. NKyHealth provides WIC services to more than 7,000 women and children in NKY each year.
• Ownership of our second mobile services unit, which will allow NKyHealth to expand its community outreach efforts, including health education, disease testing, disaster response and more.
• NKYHealth began administration citywide smoke-free air ordinance in Highland Heights on Sept. 18.
• NKYHealth hosted Our 11th Annual Lactation at the Levee in Newport on August 2nd as part of World Breastfeeding Month. This event was attended by members of the USDA and the internationally known speaker Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett.
• In partnership with the Northern Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy and others, NKYHealth’s four-county NKY region is now certified as a “Recovery Ready Community” by the Commonwealth for our commitment to supporting those in recovery from the disorder of substance use.
• Maintained NKYHealth a committee meeting in July to launch the new Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The committee oversees the process of developing, implementing and evaluating a plan to promote and improve the health of people throughout Northern Kentucky.
FUTURE EVENTS
NKYHealth will be:
• Smoke-free administration air ordinance in Corinth, beginning in November.
• Release His updated Handbook of Infectious Diseases, which will now be available electronically.
• Providing flu and COVID vaccines at our health centers for those who are uninsured or on Medicaid. We will also continue to promote getting your annual photos taken.
• Promotion October Fire Safety Month October Lead Poisoning Awareness Week October Breast Cancer Awareness Month Safe Halloween Practices Holiday Healthy Eating Programs Great American Smokeout November World Day of AIDS in December, as well as smoking cessation and being healthy efforts related to New Year’s Resolutions.
