What's New In Our Area
Current Clinic &
Program Calendars
Current calendars that show dates and times
for some of the services we offer including:
WIC, immunizations, and free parenting classes.
Sauk River Advisory - No Body Contact (Posted
7/22/14)
Individuals should
avoid full body contact with the water in the Sauk
River between the CBPU wastewater treatment facility
and the Rotary Park public access for the next
several days due to the possibility of fecal
coliform counts being elevated.
Body Crafting: Choose Safety First! (Posted
07/14/2014)
Branch,
Hillsdale and St. Joseph Counties have several
businesses who specialize in tattoos, cosmetic
tattoos (permanent cosmetics) and body piercing.
Body crafting is becoming a mainstream art form,
with one out of every four persons from ages 18-25
in the United States having a tattoo or body
piercing. With the increase in popularity of body
art, it’s important to keep yourself free from
disease. Be sure to only use state licensed body art
facilities for tattoos and/or body piercing
procedures.
Garden Grilled Delights! (Posted
07/09/2014)
It’s that time of year
when Michigan’s fresh produce is becoming abundant.
Here, at the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community
Health Agency, we would like to provide you a few
tips you can use to prepare and grill garden produce
that is sure to delight your taste buds. Grilling
fresh fruits and vegetables is a healthy way to add
nutrients to your diet and its easy and affordable,
thanks to Project FRESH! Contact your local WIC
office to see if you qualify!
What to Do About Food When You Have No Power (Posted
07/01/2014)
Power outages from
weather emergencies compromise the safety of stored
food, but consumers can take steps to reduce food
waste and the risk of foodborne illness. The
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency
suggests you take appropriate steps to safeguard
your cold and frozen foods when faced with a power
outage.
New FAQ on Chikungunya (Posted on 06/26/2014)
Two Michigan
residents have tested positive for Chikungunya
virus (CHIKV), a mosquito-borne disease that
causes fever and severe joint pain within 3 to
7 days of being infected. While no known cases
of CHIKV have originated from Michigan, Michigan
residents who have recently traveled to the
Caribbean or other places where outbreaks have
occurred could be at risk. The
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health
Agency has posted a new FAQ to help you better
understand the signs and symptoms of
this emerging disease, as well as how to prevent
it.
2012/13 Annual Report (Posted 06/26/2014)
The
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health
Agency is proud to release its 2012/13 Annual
Report, marking 40 years of excellent public
health service to Branch, Hillsdale and St.
Joseph Counties. Among this year’s
accomplishments, we received the Michigan
Department of Community Health’s Director’s
Award for the Healthy Beginnings Program,
Hillsdale County's evidenced-based, home
visitation program for children 0 to 5 years and
their families. Our health education division
released the Community Monitor: 100 Indices of
Health, to assist local community organizations
in planning and monitoring their efforts to
improve the health status of the tri-county
area. We also participated in the Michigan Food
Emergency Response Pilot Project, which seeks to
integrate both internal and
external investigative processes in order to
improve our public health response to food borne
outbreaks. FY 2012/13 was a time of reflection
and of looking forward, as we work to rebuild,
retool and re-invigorate many of our long-term
programs.
Food Manager Certification Class (Updated
6/27/14)
As of June 30, 2009, all food
service establishments are
required to employ a minimum of
one certified managerial
employee. There are
classes scheduled throughout the year.
BHSJ CHA Gets New Phone System (Posted 06/19/2014)
The
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency
has installed a new phone system in two of its
county health department offices and has plans to
install the system into the third office by
mid-July. The new voice-over-internet system will
improve communication between the three offices, as
well as provide significant cost savings for the
agency. Please listen to our prompts, as our menu
options have changed. All staff extensions now
start with a ‘0’ and end with the ‘#’ key.
Hillsdale County staff phone extensions have moved
from the 100 series to a 300 series. So, for
example, if you want to reach the Hillsdale County
staff previously at 112 – you should now dial
0312#.
Project FRESH Starts! (Posted 06/03/2014)
At a time when every dollar counts, you can count on
Project FRESH! FRESH is short for Farm
Resources Expanding and Supporting Health. This
nutrition education and supplemental food program is
offered through the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph
Community Health Agency, and in conjunction with
Michigan State University Extension Services (MSU-E).
Project FRESH puts fresh, locally grown
fruits and vegetables into the hands of young
families who qualify for WIC (Women, Infants and
Children). Participants receive 10 - $2.00 coupons
which can be used anywhere the laminated yellow sign
stating: "Project FRESH Coupons Accepted Here”
is posted. If you receive WIC, you already
qualify! Stop by your local health department
office and ask for your Project FRESH! coupons
today!
Parenting Classes Coming Soon! (Posted 06/02/2014)
It’s not easy being a
parent! The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community
Health Agency is here to help. Learn practical
solutions to the everyday challenges of parenting
your young child. We are currently offering two
parenting classes: 1,2,3 Magic will be
offered at the Hillsdale County Office, 20 Care
Drive, Hillsdale, MI. on Wednesday, July 16 & 23
from 10:00 am – Noon. Love and Logic will also
be offered at the Hillsdale County Office on
Thursdays, July 24 to August 21 from 5:30 pm - 7:30
pm. Parents must register for classes and free
childcare prior to the classes’ start dates.
Barbeque! It’s ‘What’s for Dinner’ (Posted
05/23/2014)
Days are getting
warmer, baseball season is in full swing, and
the summer
cookout season is upon us. As you enjoy summer weekend barbecues this year,
the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health
Agency wants to remind you that safe grilling
practices are the key to making your cookout a big
hit with your guests Just remember the four
basics: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill!
Don’t Let Ticks and Mosquitoes Feast On You! (Posted
5/23/14)
Now that summer is here and people are spending more
time outdoors, it is important for everyone to take
precautions against tick and mosquito bites. Tick
and mosquito borne infections can cause illnesses.
During the past five years, the health department
has received positive reports of Lyme Disease, West
Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis – all of
which are spread through ticks and mosquitoes.
Public Health Views and News (Posted 05/14/2014)
In this
issue of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph
Community Health Agency’s Public Health Views and
News, the health department takes a look at
strep throat in “Pharyngitis.” Also included in
this issue, the health department celebrates Public
Health Week by announcing its Hometown Heroes – read
more in “Public Health Hometown Heroes: CHC School
Tele-health Clinic is Recognized” and “St. Joseph
County’s Hometown Heroes at Public Health Week!”
“MERS-CoV Updates” provides current information
about the incidence of the emerging Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) disease
in the United States. Public Health Views and
News is a free publication published by the
health department for tri-county health
professionals to help keep them informed about new
and/or emerging public health issues.
Healthy Michigan Plan Is Here! (Posted April 1,
2014)
Looking for health care
coverage that works for your health and your budget?
As of April 1st, there's a new option to help
working people get healthy — at a cost that fits the
budget. It's the Healthy Michigan Plan. Through the
Healthy Michigan Plan, Medicaid is expanded to
adults who have incomes up to 133% of poverty. For
single individuals, this means an annual income up
to $16,000. For a family of four it means an annual
income up to $33,000. People shouldn't have to
choose between taking care of their health and
taking care of their bills. With the Healthy
Michigan Plan, they won’t have to. Contact your
local county health department office to learn if
you qualify.
Communicable
Disease Data (Updated
Monthly)
Up to date tracking of the most common
communicable diseases including; chicken pox, flu,
head lice, hepatitis and tuberculosis.
Archives
Information that was previously highlighted on the
front page of our web site.
What's New in Michigan & Nationally
Michigan
Department of Community Health
U.S.
Centers for Disease Control
International
Health News- World Health Organization
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