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It’s National Foster Care Month. Can you help support families in Idaho?
It truly takes a village to raise a child, even in the best of times. But when a family is struggling to provide a safe and nurturing home for their children, it sometimes becomes necessary for a child to be placed with a foster family so they can be safe while their parents address issues until they can provide a safe home for their child.
When children can’t remain safely with their parents, placement with relatives or close family friends is the preferred option because it
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In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, I am continuing my blog series on the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect.
When parents are unable to care for their children, for various reasons, family members
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently recommended a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for certain people who have a higher risk of getting very sick or even dying from the disease.
Getting the booster dose is a personal decision
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and it is the perfect time to recognize the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Reporting child abuse, neglect or abandonment
In Idaho, the Child Protective Act requires
Making progress toward Strategic Goal 4: Strengthen the public's trust and confidence in the Department of Health and Welfare
Just over two years ago, Idaho had its first reported case of COVID-19. Now, as Idahoans reflect on two years of life during the pandemic, we have
Children do best with their families. Children thrive when they are safe, nurtured, and loved.
All children deserve to live in a safe, nurturing environment. They deserve to have their needs met – a home, food, clothing, medical care, and education. They deserve a chance to be
As COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are declining in Idaho and the United States, more attention is being focused on what has been called “long COVID,” “post-COVID conditions,” or “long-haul COVID,” among other names.
Long COVID is still being studied, but it has a
Given an increased interest in the child welfare system, I would like to share a bit of the process and the role of the Department of Health and Welfare (DHW).
First, I need to be clear that specific child welfare cases are confidential, and we cannot release any details about
Idaho is working to reduce a concerning increase in overdoses and overdose-related deaths. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths are on a dramatic rise in Idaho.
To help address the impacts of fentanyl, Gov. Brad Little is launching an initiative called Operation Esto Perpetua with
As the director of the Department of Health and Welfare, one of the most meaningful things I do is sign legal adoption forms for Idaho foster children. I always do it at the end of the day because it leaves me very emotional. I have read every one of the over 1,000 adoptions
Getting screened for colorectal cancer is something Idahoans aged 45 and older should consider because it is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among adults in Idaho. In fact, 3,194 cases of malignant colorectal cancer were diagnosed among Idahoans from 2015-2019, and
During 2021, we continued to serve Idahoans during the pandemic. Even though COVID-19 dominated the airwaves and remained top of mind for our employees and the public, there were many other services to provide and needs to be met. Whatever the need is – financial, physical, or