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New DHW bureau enhances appropriate care and family support in Idaho’s foster care system
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) has introduced a new Continuum of Care Bureau to enhance support for youth and families in the state’s foster care system. Its goal is to ensure that congregate care placements are appropriate while optimizing the use of funding streams for effective interventions.Led by Bureau Chief Stacy Corbett, the bureau is part of the Division of Youth Safety and Permanency and is divided into several focused units, each serving a unique role in supporting
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In 2021, 353 Idaho residents died from a drug overdose.
From 2010 to 2022, more than 2,900 Idahoans have died from an overdose.
Those numbers are distressing to me because they mean so many Idaho families are missing a loved one today, because of an overdose
Idaho is publishing COVID-19 data from samples collected at participating wastewater treatment facilities around the state. The Wastewater testing tab on the state’s COVID-19 case, laboratory, and hospital data dashboard. Click “Wastewater Testing” at the dashboard to see a
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new, streamlined guidance last week to help people better understand their risk for getting COVID-19, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if they
West Nile virus (WNV) positive mosquitoes were detected in Ada, Payette, and Elmore counties this month, and public health officials are urging Idahoans to protect themselves from biting mosquitoes when they’re outdoors.
Every year the risk for acquiring WNV goes
Kinship care is when relatives or important adults in the lives of children take on the responsibility of parenting when the child’s parents are not able to take care of them. We are celebrating Idaho’s kinship families in September during National Kinship Care Month and every
The monkeypox outbreak has now been declared a global and national public health emergency. Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, which is in the same virus family as the virus that causes smallpox.
Even though Idaho has
National Immunization Awareness Month is observed every August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages, and it’s a good time to check the records of everyone in your family. Being up to date on recommended immunizations is the most effective way to
I am excited to share that the Idaho Health Report Card is now available on the Get Healthy Idaho website.
The report card covers 10 major health indicators and their impacts on Idahoans. It shows the rate or percentage of the population affected, the trend (
Idaho recently passed a grim, sad pandemic milestone. More than 5,000 Idaho residents have now died from COVID-19 related factors.
Let’s take a look at the demographics for those 5,017 deaths, which amounts to 274.6 deaths for every 100,000 Idahoans.
More men
I am very pleased to announce the completion of our new five-year Strategic Plan.
We will continue working toward the same four goals we pledged in our previous Strategic Plan because those goals are still relevant:
Goal 1: Ensure affordable, available
Wildfire smoke can cause irritating symptoms for healthy people. It can cause more serious health issues for people with respiratory problems and heart and lung disease. It's important to know how to protect yourself and your family from smoky air whenever possible