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Shedding light on the impact of viral hepatitis and encouraging testing and vaccination during Hepatitis Awareness Month
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day. This is a great reminder to learn about the dangers of viral hepatitis, how to prevent the spread of the disease, and what to do if you become infected.Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that is often caused by a virus. The most common types of viral hepatitis's are A, B, and C. Both hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and viral hepatitis-related deaths. In Idaho,
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The Idaho Behavioral Health Council (IBHC) is working toward a future where adults, children, and their families who live with mental illness and addiction receive the behavioral health care services they need when they need them. This will help to make sure they have a better
Now that school is out and long summer days beckon us all into the outdoors, it’s time to be aware of potential infections that can be transmitted through the bite of ticks and mosquitoes. A bite from either can cause a disease that might seriously impact your health. It’s
The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) has engaged with our Strategic Plan as a “living” document. Each week, the senior leadership team discusses real-time updates. This work is informed by subject matter experts and the staff throughout the department.
As
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expanded and strengthened its recommendation for COVID-19 booster shots.
CDC expanded booster recommendations to children 5 through 11 years old. As cases increase in Idaho and across the country, a
Idaho is doing some incredible work to expand and connect the behavioral health system in the state. The recent addition of crisis centers and recovery centers has moved the behavioral health system forward, however, there is still much work to do.
As you may have read in a
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
Although winter is loosening its grip gradually in Idaho, the beginning of the next fiscal year on July 1 will arrive all-too quickly. One of the key annual milestones we work to achieve at that time is submission of our annually-updated five-year strategic plan
It is no longer a federal mandate to wear a mask on public transportation and in transportation hubs, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated COVID-19 guidance about masks and travel to help people assess their risk for infection so they can
One of the many hats I wear as director of the Department of Health and Welfare is co-chair of the Idaho Behavioral Health Council. The council was established by all three branches of government via a proclamation from the Idaho Supreme Court, a concurrent resolution from the
During the pandemic, many of us postponed or missed important wellness checkups and medical care with our healthcare providers because of the spread of COVID-19. As COVID-19 cases have decreased and normal activities resume, now is a good time to review the vaccines recommended
The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) uses our strategic plan as a roadmap to define and share who we are as an agency, what our goals are, and how we plan to achieve them. Over the past year, we have worked diligently to follow our roadmap toward our mission of