Welcome to the Berrien County Health Department website!
Berrien County residents are touched every day in manyways by our services. Everytime we eat in a restaurant, need help for health care, or get our children vaccinated for school,the Health Department is involved to make us safer and healthier.
The Health Department offers a variety of clinics to the public. Hearing and vision screening for children, HIV/AIDS prevention and testing, immunizations, TB control, flu/pneumonia clinics, nursing which provides home visits, school consultation, and chronic and communicable disease control. Check out our site for clinic information, schedules and contact information, or call us at 269-926-7121.
The Berrien County Health Department can receive tax deductible contributions for any of its programs. For more information Contact Us.
Hot Topics
(Click on the topic to jump ahead)
Heart Health * Influenza: Novel H1N1 Clinics * Safety of the H1N1 Vaccine * Michigan Goes Smoke Free! * Childhood Lead Poisoning and HUD grant * Quit Smoking * Public Health Library * Medical Waste * Friend of Public Health * Donations
February is Black History Month
As we look back on accomplishments and celebrate achievments in the Black community, it is important to look for ways to continue to improve as we move to the future. This is especially important in health where unfortunately, there still exists substantial differences in health status based on race. Please learn more by reading this very important article: Health Disparities February 2010.
 A Heart to Heart Conversation
How's your heart? Do you need to make changes to improve your heart? One way to begin is by using an excellent tool provided by the American Health Association. You and can find your personal life check and get a simple personal written plan to enhance your health. Life's Simple Seven are: 1) Get active; 2) Lose weight; 4) Stop smoking; 5) Control cholesterol; 6) Manage blood pressure; 7) Reduce blood sugar. Evaluate your heart health, set goals and develop your own personal plan at http://mylifecheck.heart.org.
For more information about heart disease and statistics, please review the presentation given by Dr. Rick Johansen at the February Board of Health meeting. Heart to Heart presentation.
Influenza: Novel H1N1 Influenza
The Berrien County Health Department is offering the H1N1 influenza vaccine in our offices by appointment. Vaccine restrictions have been lifted and anyone who wishes to be vaccinated can do so.The vaccine is available free of charge at the following locations:
- Benton Harbor: Vaccine by appointment each Friday in our main office. Call 269-927-5638 to schedule an appointment.
- Niles: Vaccine by appointment each Friday in our Niles office. Call 269-684-2800 to schedule an appointment.
- Three Oaks: Vaccine by appointment each Tuesday in our Three Oaks office. Call 269-756-2008 Tuesday through Thursday to schedule an appointment.
- Benton Harbor: Walmart (in the Garden Center) Saturday February 6 from 11am to 4pm.
- Harbert: Harbert Community Church, 6444 Harbert Road, Harbert, Wednesday February 10 from 3pm to 7pm.
- Riverside: North Berrien Fire Rescue Repartment, 3601 Coloma Road, Benton Harbor, Thursday February 11 from 3pm to 7pm.
- Eau Claire: Eau Claire Community Center, Thursday February 18 from 3pm to 7pm
It is not too late to be vaccinated! Although we have seen relatively lower levels of flu activity in our community in recent weeks, H1N1 is still circulating. Traditionally, flu does come in multiple waves throughout the season.
Now is the time to take action to protect yourselves and your loved ones.
Adults and children 10 years and older will need only one dose of the vaccine. Children 9 years and younger will need two doses of vaccine four weeks apart. Children under six months are too young to be vaccinated.
Thousands in Berrien County and millions nationwide have been vaccinated against the H1N1 virus. This vaccine has proven to be safe and effective.
Some individuals have expressed concern over the safety of the 2009 Novel H1N1 vaccine. It is important to know that this vaccine was produced in the exact same manner as the seasonal influenza vaccine which has a long history of being safe and effective. This vaccine went through all the same rigorous clinical trials that every other vaccine goes through and is fully licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). No severe side effects were seen in the thousands of people involved in the trials, including pregnant women and children. There is no reason to believe that this vaccineis unsafe, and it is far safer than becoming ill with influenza. The vaccine is available in two forms: a shot and a nasal spray. The nasal spray is limited to healthy individuals ages 2 to 49 years
Click here for more information on the nasal spray and click here for more information on the shot.
For more information on receiving the seasonal and Novel H1N1 influenza vaccines, click here.
Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
If you missed our community clinics offering seasonal influenza vaccine, please check with your health care provider or a retail pharmacy for vaccine availability. Most providers are experiencing a temporary shortage of seasonal influenza vaccine. Production of the seasonal flu vaccine was diverted to Novel H1N1 vaccine temporarily. If you are unable to get a vaccine at this time, continue to check back with your preferred provider as more vaccine should become available in the coming weeks.
To stay informed, check back here often, or visit the CDC and MDCH websites.
Michigan Clean Indoor Air Regulation
On May 1, 2010 the State of Michigan will begin its Clean Indoor Air policy by banning smoking in public places INCLUDING bars and restaurants. This act will significantly decrease the amount of second hand smoke present in Berrien County businesses and public places. For more information, check the Michigan legislation website, or check www.michigan.gov/smokefreelaw.
Special thanks to our Berrien County leadership: Rep. John Proos, Rep. Sharon Tyler, and Senator Ron Jelinek who all voted for the Clean Indoor Air Act.
For information on the Berrien County Clean Indoor Air Regulation and how to assure your work space is smoke free, click here.
Want to do more to end smoking in our community? Check out the Berrien County Tobacco Reduction Task Force (BCTRC) website www.bctrc.org, and join the coalition.
Childhood Lead Poisoning - Still a Problem
Any home built before 1978 has the potential to be a lead poisoning hazard. Children under 6 years old are particularly at risk. If children get lead paint chips, or even lead dust in their system, they could develop problems such as developmental delay, attention deficiet disorder, difficulty managing anger and emotions, and many other even more serious problems.
The only way to know if your child has lead poisoning is to have him or her tested by your doctor or nurse, or in the WIC clinic.
If your child does have higher than normal lead levels, the health department can check your home for lead hazards. The Health Department just received a $2 million grant from HUD to help fix homes with lead hazards and you may be eligible.
Staff is currently being hired to start this exciting program! We will be accepting applications for homes in need of help early in 2010, hopefully February.
For more information on how you can help eliminate lead in Berrien County, please go to www.leadsafekids.net
The Health Department is here to help. A new class is starting that offers safe, fun and effective ways to assist you in quitting tobacco. Classes are FREE and start soon, so please register with Kerri Teachout at 927-5668. For more information download this schedule, or visit www.bctrc.org.
Public Health Library
The Berrien County Health Department would like to welcome you to our virtual library of articles on public health topics. Please take a moment to learn more about public health and many other health topics by visiting our health library.
 Wondering what to do with
Medical Waste?
Dispose of old and expired medications, pills, mercury thermometers and needles/syringes in the safe and proper way. Check the Berrien County website for details.
 Sandra Hayes, RNC, MSN
Receives 2009 Friend of Public Health Award!
On May 6, 2009 at the meeting of the Board of Health, Sandra Hayes, RNC, MSN was announced as the 2009 Friend of Public Health. For a list of their accomplishments see Friend of Public Health. The Berrien County Health Department would like to thank Sandy for all the wonderful work she does for our community in the area of infant mortality prevention and FIMR Medical Record Case Abstraction. Ms. Hayes is the Clinical Nurse Specialist for Women and Children Services at Lakeland HealthCare. Learn more about the Friend of Public Health Award.
Please consider a donation to the health department as a tax-deductible charitable contribution. We could really use your help! For more information click here.
   
Some examples of contributions and their impact are as follows:
$15 Immunization for uninsured child
$30 Flu Shot for uninsured resident
$60 Portable crib given to needy family for safe newborn sleep environment
$60 8-week smoking cessation class for person trying to quit smoking
$250 One home inspection and education session for a lead poisoned child
$5,000 One full year of Nurse Family Partnership services for a first-time mother
Donations can also be made through the Berrien Community Foundation.
Vaccine Safety Realities
- Vaccines are the single-most powerful, cost-effective public health intervention ever developed.
- Vaccines have significantly reduced and, in some cases, eliminated serious infectious disease.
- The consequences of a decline in immunization rates could be devastating to the health of our nation’s children.
For additional information see:
www.cdc.gov/nip Center for Disease Control
www.immunize.org Immunization Action Coalition
www.vaccinesafety.edu Institute for Vaccine Safety
MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staph Infection)
MRSA is one type of bacterial staph infection.
For additional information click here: www.cdc.gov/mrsa
|
