The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) works hard to strengthen your trust and confidence in us and in the work we do. We’ve chosen four ways in our Strategic Plan to accomplish this.

Reduce the regulatory burden on the public imposed by our administrative rules.

• DHW met all established administrative rulemaking deadlines for the 12 chapters scheduled for review and rewrite this year. That included conducting at least one negotiated rulemaking session and two public hearings for each of those chapters.
• DHW also developed a redline version of each of the revised chapters that clearly shows the changes.

Proactively communicate with the public about how our work improves the lives of Idahoans in need.

• Communications staff developed training and other materials to help improve internal and external communications and branding consistency.
• We frequently promote cross-divisional work among our employees to staff and the public in blog posts like this one.
• We’ve implemented the use of plain language to improve the customer experience and make sure our communications are easy to understand.
• We’ve added the ability to subscribe to press releases and blog posts so you can stay on top of the most current news and information from DHW.
• We’re also implementing new ways to track our engagement with local media.

Manage our money, people, physical space, and technology resources to best serve the people of Idaho.

• The department developed a plan to consistently buy and upgrade technological needs to make sure business continuity is supported.
• Many of the other tasks associated with this objective are on hold, pending the transition to a new system that handles finance, personnel, accounting, and reporting for state agencies.

Enhance public health and safety by improving the effectiveness and visibility of regulatory activities.

• We are on track to implement a federally endorsed criminal history and background check system that enhances user experience and reduces the need for manual processing by October.
• We’re also on track to complete the background checks faster and more efficiently.

You can learn more about each of these objectives in our Strategic Plan.

I hope you have a safe and healthy Memorial Day weekend. Our offices will be closed on Monday in honor of the holiday.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

Pools, waterparks, hot tubs, splash pads, and spray parks are great places to have fun in the summer, but you can get sick if germs contaminate the water. People who get into the water can carry and spread germs.

Follow these four easy steps to help keep germs out of the water and stay healthy.

1. Stay out of the water if you have diarrhea.
2. Shower before you get in the water.
3. Don’t pee or poop in the water.
4. Don’t swallow water.

Why is this important?

If you get into the water when you have diarrhea, you could make others sick. Most outbreaks linked to the water we swim, relax, and play in are outbreaks of diarrhea. These outbreaks are caused by germs like Cryptosporidium (or “Crypto” for short), norovirus, and E. Coli.

These germs—sometimes millions at a time—can spread when someone who is sick has diarrhea in the water. Other people can get sick if they swallow the germy water—even just a mouthful.

Even when it’s treated properly with chemicals, the water can still have germs.

Pool chemicals like chlorine and bromine are added to the water to kill germs. But they don’t work right away. If used properly, they can kill most germs within a few minutes. However, some germs like Crypto, can live in properly treated pool water for several days.

Let the chemicals use their power on germs—not on your pee, poop, sweat, and dirt.

The job of pool chemicals is to kill germs. But when pee, poop, sweat, and dirt rinse off our bodies and into the pool water, the chemicals break down these other things instead of killing germs. This uses up the chemicals’ power, which means there’s less to kill germs. That’s why it’s important to follow the four steps above.

For more tips about healthy and safe swimming, visit the CDC's website: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/steps-healthy-swimmi…

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

Backyard birds such as chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys are increasing in urban and suburban areas. Raising these birds is a popular way to have homegrown eggs and poultry, and a fun way for children to learn about caring for animals. While keeping poultry flocks can be fun and educational, they can carry harmful germs that can make you sick.  Follow these tips to keep yourself and your family healthy while enjoying your backyard flocks.  

Wash your hands. Wash your hands and your children’s hands with soap and running water after touching backyard poultry, handling fresh eggs, or anything in the area where your birds live or roam. Wash hands after touching eggs, handling poultry equipment, and being in poultry areas. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available.

Keep birds outside and don’t eat or drink near them. Never bring baby chicks into the home, where they could contaminate indoor surfaces. Avoid eating and drinking around them.

Monitor young children. Children younger than 5 years old should not handle or touch chicks, ducklings, or other live poultry. Younger children are more likely to become ill. Older children should only handle baby chickens, ducklings, or other backyard poultry under adult supervision. If you are supervising young children, teach them to avoid putting their hands or baby poultry near or in their mouths and make sure they wash their hands thoroughly after handling the birds. Do not give small children chicks or ducklings as gifts.

Avoid spreading germs. Don’t kiss or snuggle your birds and don’t touch your face or mouth after handling them. Change your shoes after walking in the coop and before you go inside, so you do not track any germs into the house. Clean poultry supplies like food and water containers outside. Cook your eggs thoroughly.

Diseases backyard flocks can spread include salmonellosis, avian influenza, campylobacteriosis, and E. coli. Specific tips for each germ are listed below.

• Salmonellosis is caused by bacteria called Salmonella

In birds, Salmonella can live in the intestines and can be shed in their droppings, without them appearing ill. In people, Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps anywhere from 12 to 72 hours after infection. People with salmonellosis are usually sick for four to seven days and can spread it to others. If you think you or a loved one has a Salmonella infection, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Children under 5 years of age (particularly those younger than 12 months) and people with underlying health conditions, older than 65, or with a weakened immune system, can get very sick from Salmonella bacteria, even requiring hospitalization. Children are likely to get infected because their immune systems are still developing, and they are much more likely to snuggle or kiss chicks and put their fingers in their mouths after touching birds.

• Avian influenza is caused by an influenza virus

Avian influenza, or “bird flu,” is a contagious respiratory illness circulating in birds that is caused by influenza viruses. Although related, these are not the same viruses that people might get during the regular influenza season. Human infections from bird flu are rare, but influenza viruses could spread from birds to people and then spread from person to person, potentially leading to a new pandemic. The few human infections that have been identified have caused mild illness in some people, but severe illness in others.

Because there is a risk for infection when handling sick or dead birds, bird owners should be careful and contact their veterinarian and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (see link below) right away for guidance on how to report and manage any sick birds. For birds that test positive, public health officials will work with bird owners to monitor for symptoms and recommend testing if they become ill.

• Campylobacteriosis is caused by the bacteria Campylobacter

Campylobacter is common in the intestines of birds and is shed in droppings. Like Salmonella, the bacteria can infect and cause illness in people even if the birds look healthy.  Symptoms in people include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps within two to five days of becoming infected. Ill people are sick for about one week and are contagious to others. Careful handwashing can prevent spread in the household. Children under 5 years of age and people with underlying health conditions, those who are older than 65, or with a weakened immune system can get very sick.

• E. coli is caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli

Birds naturally have E. coli in their gut, and rarely look sick. The bacteria can be shed in bird droppings. Although most kinds of E. coli are harmless, others can make people sick. Most symptomatic people will have stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting that starts three to four days after being infected and will be sick for up to a week. Some people develop a type of kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS) and must be hospitalized. Severe illness is more likely in children under 5 years of age and people with underlying health conditions, those who are older than 65, or with a weakened immune system.

Resources:

• Safely Keeping Backyard Poultry, from CDC:  https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/pets/farm-animals/backyard-poultry.html
• Salmonella, from CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/
• Avian influenza, from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/index.htm
• Avian influenza, from USDA: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian
• Avoiding zoonotic disease from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/zoonotic/gi/index.html
• Idaho State Department of Agriculture avian influenza site, including sick bird screening survey: https://agri.idaho.gov/main/animals/avian-species/avian-disease/avian-influenza/#:~:text=If%20you%20see%20any%20avian,information%20on%20testing%20the%20animal

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) continues to process re-evaluations for Medicaid participants who had continuous Medicaid coverage during the pandemic even if they had become ineligible.

Federal law would not allow anyone to be removed from any state’s Medicaid rolls unless they died, moved out of state, or asked to be removed. Since Congress changed that earlier this year, DHW has been processing re-evaluations.

As of Monday, 50,944 re-evaluations have been processed out of a total of 153,857 people on Medicaid Protection. Of those, 20,171 have been determined eligible, and 30,773 have been determined to be ineligible. Those who are no longer eligible because they have too much income have been referred to the state’s health insurance marketplace, Your Health Idaho.

DHW began this process in February. It will continue in phases every month through this fall.

Data is updated by 5 p.m. each Monday at https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/medicaidprotection

For Medicaid participants

To make sure you receive notices regarding your Medicaid eligibility and re-evaluations, be sure to report any changes to your contact information, including mailing address and phone number. If your contact information has changed, or you want to confirm your current information, visit idalink.idaho.gov. You also may report changes by calling 877-456-1233 or emailing MyBenefits@dhw.idaho.gov

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

As Mental Health Awareness Month, May offers 31 days to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding behavioral health issues. The awareness campaign highlights ways mental illness and substance use disorders may affect all of us – patients, providers, families, and communities.

Here are some ways you can help raise awareness and reduce stigma for yourself, your family, your neighbors, and your friends here in Idaho.

When it comes to mental health, small actions can equal big impact.

If you’re worried about your mental health, or about the mental health of someone you know, there are resources and people willing to help, no matter the situation. The simple act of talking about mental health can promote acceptance and encourage people to seek help.

Whether you share resources, encourage others to seek help, or are simply there for someone when they need you, all Idahoans can instill hope and help others to reach out when they’re most in need.

Self-care is important for your mental health

Despite life’s stressors, there are simple steps you can take to promote self-care, like prioritizing sleep, practicing gratitude, ensuring you’re eating a balanced diet, and drinking plenty of water.

When you take care of yourself, your physical and emotional health improves. You become more resilient and can find ways to manage stress in a healthy and positive way.

Mental health is essential to your overall health and quality of life and taking care of yourself is an essential part of your mental health.

All of us play a role in one another’s mental wellness

Language matters. When we use open and compassionate language around mental health issues, we empower ourselves and encourage others to find the help they need.

No matter the situation, there’s always help and hope

Be aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health issues so that we can all work together to support one another.

If you’re worried about your mental health or about someone you know, there are resources and people willing to help, no matter your situation.

Whether by sharing resources, encouraging others to seek help, or simply being there for someone in need, we instill hope and can help others to reach out when they need it most.

Resources:

• 988 is Idaho’s behavioral health crisis line. Call or text 988 to get the help and support you need. It’s free, confidential, and always connects you with a trained crisis counselor.
• If you or someone you know needs help, call the Idaho CareLine by dialing 2-1-1 or texting 898211 to connect with a 2-1-1 community resource specialist. If you or a loved one struggles with alcohol or substance use, please call 2-1-1.
• Visit DHW’s list of behavioral health crisis resources online: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/behavioral-health/behavioral-health-crisis-resources

Dustin Lapray is a public involvement officer with the Division of Behavioral health at DHW.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

I’d like to share a report I read recently about exciting work being done in the Division of Behavioral Health to help Idaho youth overcome serious challenges and become stronger emotionally and mentally.

The work involved a learning collaborative approach, which I was thrilled to see is being used, and had amazing insights and results. The approach was analyzed to see if helping youths build strengths also reduces their needs.

The analysis was the first step in a larger statewide learning process called the Idaho Learning Collaborative, which engages practitioners as partners in learning and adjusting treatment plans to improve outcomes for youth and families. The overall goal of the collaborative is to help Idaho youth develop strengths and reduce their needs, so they are more resilient.

The exciting news is that this approach worked. It helped to gather evidence that’s helping youths build strengths such as coping skills, interpersonal skills, resilience, and family, and helps them live healthier lives overall. This is especially true if their increased strengths help reduce their needs, which include anger control, anxiety, emotional and/or physical regulation, and others.

A success story in the report is reprinted below, with permission from the report’s authors.

Emily (name changed) loves animals of all kinds, especially dogs. She struggled to complete homework and household chores and engaged in oppositional behaviors. Emily also has some social deficits, i.e. difficulty understanding social cues and boundaries. This vulnerability was manipulated by peers, resulting in instances of bullying and victimization.

Focused efforts were made by the Child and Family Team to leverage this interest toward building strengths in areas of Education, Family, and Coping/Savoring. To earn playtime with a neighbor’s puppies, Emily was willing to work toward compliance with expectations of daily living (personal hygiene, chores, etc.) and completion of school assignments to teacher’s expectations.

This resulted in improved grades and decreased stress in the family, which in turn encouraged caregivers to consider allowing Emily to adopt a pet of her own. Adoption of a puppy aided the child in accepting/fulfilling further responsibilities at home (caring for the dog), and she improved her Coping and Savoring skills by turning to it for comfort when needed for her anxiety and other distressing emotions. Additionally, her emotional regulation began to improve when she experienced the dog avoiding her when she raged but would approach her when it sensed she was struggling with anxiety. Finally, engaging in dog-training activities began to result in Emily’s increased understanding of what boundaries are, how they work, and why they are necessary/helpful.

I really appreciated reading Emily’s story. Given the incredible impact of this single example, the possibilities of future work like this is very exciting. 

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

May 11 is the end of the federal Public Health Emergency declared to help combat COVID-19. This provides a great opportunity to reflect on the enormity and impacts of the pandemic as well as celebrate the rapid roll-out of public health protections, vaccines, therapeutics, testing and so much more. It is also important to pause and honor the memory of over 1.2 million Americans and almost 5,500 Idahoans who have lost their lives related to COVID-19.

Idaho public health responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Due to the nature of the response and the need to be nimble, we rapidly scaled up operations. We expanded testing operations, pursued virus sequencing, expanded disease investigation infrastructure, and swiftly and equitably distributed vaccines and therapeutics. We did this while maintaining baseline public health services and contending with waves of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, evolving scientific findings, and pandemic fatigue.

Emergency authorities provided through the state and national emergency declarations, as well as the federal public health emergency, allowed for flexibilities and support for all sectors to address the pandemic.

During the pandemic, we invested in and leveraged previously developed tools, technologies, and strategies, and also developed new ones such as interactive dashboards, communications pathways, and geospatial mapping to assist individuals, communities, health systems, and policy makers to make data-informed decisions to promote health. Safe and effective vaccines were developed, testing platforms became broadly obtainable, and effective therapeutic treatments for COVID-19 were widely available.

Broad adoption of telehealth technologies for a wide array of healthcare services was instrumental to continue to provide care to patients and limit the spread of the virus. This also led to increased access to healthcare services, especially for those in remote or rural areas of Idaho, as well as for those who have difficulty traveling to appointments due to mobility issues or transportation barriers.

Telehealth proved to be an effective way to manage chronic conditions and mental health issues and has been embraced by patients and healthcare providers alike. While the pandemic brought many challenges, the growth of telehealth services is one positive outcome that will continue to benefit Idahoans in the years to come.

Now, as we look to the future through a lens of optimism, we must take the lessons we’ve learned and the challenges we’ve faced into the next chapter in our story. We've seen firsthand the devastating toll that a global pandemic can bring, but we've also seen the incredible resilience and strength of the human spirit, as evidenced by all of you. We've pulled through one of the most difficult times in recent history and have emerged from this crisis even stronger than before. We have proven that as Idahoans we can come together to overcome even the most challenging of situations.

As we move beyond the federal Public Health Emergency, it’s important to remember that our fight against COVID-19 is not yet over. The virus will continue to circulate in our communities, and we need to continue to provide resources and support to help all Idahoans make informed decisions about their health. Together, we will continue to promote the health and well-being of all Idahoans.

For additional details about the impacts of the ending of the federally declared COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on May 11, 2023, please see the DHW website: https://publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=25746&dbid=0&repo=PUBLIC-DOCUMENTS

Elke Shaw-Tulloch is the administrator of the Division of Public Health, and the state’s public health officer. She has worked for the department since 1996 and was promoted to division administrator in 2012. Since February 2020, she has focused most of her time on responding to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

May is National Foster Care Month and an opportunity to build further awareness about issues affecting foster care in Idaho. There are around 1,500  foster children at any given time in Idaho, and we’re always in need of more families willing to help, whether as kinship caregivers or as foster parents.

When children can’t safely remain with their parents, the first place we look is to relatives or close family friends where children can maintain close family relationships and cultural traditions.

Close family and friends who care for children in need of temporary homes are called kinship caregivers, and Idaho has tens of thousands who take on the role when a child’s parents aren’t able to. Kinship living arrangements may be made formally through the courts or through Health and Welfare’s Child Protection Program.

Often, however, family members or close family friends voluntarily take relative children into their homes during family crisis. This can be challenging legally, financially, and emotionally. If you are a kinship care provider in Idaho, you aren’t alone, and help is available.

Idaho’s Kinship Program offers resources for kinship caregivers to help with financial costs, legal resources, support groups, respite resources, and more.

If children don’t have a relative or close family friend who can take them during a crisis, foster families are also an option, and Idaho is always in need of more foster families.

To consider becoming a foster parent, call 2-1-1 or 800-926-2588 or visit: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/children-families/….

Cameron Gilliland is the administrator of the Division of Family and Community Services. He has worked for the department since 1996 in various capacities and was promoted to administrator in August 2021. He has been trained as a clinical social worker and has overseen policy for the Child Welfare Program and managed several developmental disability programs in the department.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare continues to re-evaluate eligibility for people enrolled in Medicaid who have been protected from being disenrolled from the program during the pandemic.

As of April 24, we have processed 43,419 re-evaluations out of the total of 153,857 people in Medicaid Protection. Of those, 15,837 have been determined eligible and 27,582 have been determined to be ineligible.  Customers determined ineligible for Medicaid because their income was over the limit to qualify for Medicaid have been referred to the state’s health insurance marketplace, called Your Health Idaho, to determine their options.

Those who no longer qualify for Medicaid may be eligible for the Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). That credit can be used to buy health insurance on the state-based health insurance market. The department has worked closely with Your Health Idaho to create transitions for those who may need to switch from one kind of coverage to the other.

Medicaid Protection was put in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provided continued Medicaid coverage for people who may have become ineligible. States were not allowed to remove anyone from Medicaid rolls unless they died, moved out of state, or requested to be removed. The U.S. Congress ended that protection earlier this year.

DHW started sending notices in February and will continue to do so each month through July for those in Medicaid Protection.

We are publishing the numbers by 5 p.m. each Monday at https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/medicaidprotection.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

Students across the Northwest were encouraged to get creative and help raise awareness about the dangers of radon gas by participating in the 2023 Northwest Radon Poster Contest.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can build up in our homes. Both old and new housing can have radon gas.

Testing is the only way to know if your home has radon because the gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Long-term radon exposure is the number one cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in smokers. 

Youth between the ages of 9 and 14 living in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington were eligible to participate in the poster contest, which ran through the winter months, and winners were recently announced. To view contest winners, visit https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/northwest-radon-poster-contest-winners.

Regional winner (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington)

Overall winner: $300 - Finnegan Grose, 5^th grade from Wallace and Pricilla Stevenson Intermediate School, Washington

Idaho winners

1st place: $100 - Cora LaMunyon, 5^th grade, Mary McPherson Elementary

2nd place: $75 - Layla Williams, 6^th grade, Kamiah Middle School

3rd place: $50 - Leander Glock, 4^th grade, Discovery Elementary School

The overall regional winner will be entered into the National Radon Poster Contest in the fall, sponsored by The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD).

The Northwest Radon Poster Contest was sponsored by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Nez Perce Tribe, Oregon Radon Awareness Program, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and Washington Department of Health - Radon Program in collaboration with the Northwest Radon Coalition and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.