DHW Voice
Latest Post
DHW responded to 3,243 public records requests in 2022
Being transparent is very important to all of us here at the Department of Health and Welfare. A good customer experience is also part of our mission to strengthen the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Idaho residents have a right to see government records and monitor the actions of state and local government agencies as outlined in the Idaho Public Records Act (Idaho Code 74-101 through 74-126).
The department is a large and complex organization with eight
Older Posts
Older Posts
It can be a scary thing to have a baby, even in the best of situations.
When situations are not the best, it can be downright terrifying.
In my best world, all babies would be born to parents who can care for them. While I would hope that no parent feels the need to give up
Each fall as the weather cools, the Department of Health and Welfare gets questions from anglers eager to cast lines in lakes or rivers where water quality warnings were made.
Water quality warnings are often because of detection of harmful cyanobacterial blooms
The weather in Idaho has officially tipped toward fall and winter, with cooler (even freezing!) temperatures, and more rain and snow. That means we’ll all be spending more time inside, and viruses like those that cause COVID-19 and the flu will become more widespread
There is no known safe level of lead in the human body. Children are especially at risk because their bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their nervous systems, including their brains, are not fully developed.
Lead is a naturally occurring metal, and
Preventing suicides and helping Idahoans who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis is an important priority for the Department of Health and Welfare. It’s so important that it’s one of four goals in our strategic plan. Goal 3 is to help Idahoans become as healthy and self-
In the last 30 days, Idaho has experienced eight earthquakes with a magnitude 2.5 or greater, all of them clustered in the Sawtooth or Salmon River mountains of central Idaho—and all of them relatively benign.
Most of central Idaho’s recent seismic activity
Influenza season is here, and now is the time to get your annual influenza (flu) vaccine, also known as the “flu shot.”
Although the U.S. has had mild flu seasons the last two winters, this flu season could be different. In the countries of the Southern
Women’s Health Check is a breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic testing program for low-income, uninsured women in Idaho. It is a valuable resource for eligible women to get screening services such as mammograms, Pap tests, pelvic exams, and other diagnostic
Tissue donors save and change lives, but it only works if donors are matched with people in need. Since 2013, the team at the Idaho State EMS Communications Center has been helping make that connection.
Many tissue donors are connected to patients through
The HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Section in the Division of Public Health has a big job – to prevent and treat HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and viral hepatitis in Idaho.
After people get HIV, they have it for life. There is no cure. But with proper medical care, HIV
Project Filter offers free resources and support in Idaho to help people quit smoking, vaping, and chewing, as staffers work toward an Idaho that is free from tobacco-related deaths and disease.
The program promotes healthy behaviors and offers free Nicotine Replacement