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From DHW Director Dave Jeppesen: Newborn screening program is making a difference for Idaho’s most vulnerable
One of my favorite parts of working at the Department of Health and Welfare is meeting the amazing and talented people who work here. This week I joined staff from the Division of Public Health to learn more about the newborn screening program.
Each year between 20 and 40 babies in Idaho are diagnosed with potentially life-threatening conditions through the program, and this early detection and treatment can prevent intellectual disabilities, life-long health problems, or death
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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
Death by suicide is listed as the cause of death for far too many Idahoans. In 2020, Idaho had the fifth highest suicide rate in the United States. That is very concerning, but it’s also important to know that suicide is preventable and most people who make a suicide attempt don
Helping Idaho’s children and their families by making sure they are safe and supported is a very important goal for us.
We have many services and programs to help support Idaho’s children and families, but today I’d like to encourage those who work with young children and
The first updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters have now been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These updated boosters are aimed more directly at the Omicron variants that continue to
The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), first declared in January 2020, was most recently renewed on July 15. The next decision about the PHE is not due until Oct. 15, but the federal government has agreed to notify states 60 days before it ends. Since that has not happened
The department’s 2023–2027 Strategic Plan is now in full motion as we head into the fall. I would like to provide a brief overview of each of the objectives in the plan, which you can find on the DHW website.
Strategic Goal 1: Ensure affordable, available
Several lakes and reservoirs have health advisories because of cyanobacterial blooms so far this summer. Most of the year, Idaho’s lakes and reservoirs are safe to enjoy. But when water temperatures increase and the right type of nutrients are available, some bodies of water can
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