The Tompkins County Health Department is a full-service agency that offers a variety of health services and programs for residents of the county. They also promote public health and provide programs for adults, children, and families. Read on to find out more about the health department. Listed below are some of the services and programs that the department provides. There is something for everyone. We’ve compiled a list of the most important services for county residents.

Community health services division

The Community Health Services Division of the Tompkins County Health Department has a mission to improve the health of the community. This goal is accomplished by addressing the causes of poor health, such as social inequity in public education and income. In Tompkins County, these issues have been addressed through a range of programs. Here is an overview of these programs and their goals for the coming year.

The Community Health Services division at the Tompkins County Health Department has created a new position for a community health worker to develop relationships with local residents. Community health workers traditionally focus on working with marginalized communities to improve their access to public health services and resources. The role of community health workers has expanded to include preventing illness, promoting wellness, and ensuring equitable access to public health services and resources.

Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

The Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at the local health department is urging residents to be aware of the signs of lead poisoning, and to get their children tested for lead. Lead poisoning in children can lead to serious health problems, including lower IQ and hearing loss. Other effects of lead poisoning include kidney disease and growth problems. If you suspect your child may be at risk, contact the Tompkins County Health Department for more information.

The local health department will visit your home to discuss potential lead hazards with you and your child. You’ll be tested for lead within one month, but it could be sooner depending on the blood lead level. In the event that your child has lead poisoning, they should be treated right away. They will call you with the results. Children may need to stay overnight in the hospital, and you should never let them go home without first cleaning up any lead sources.

Medicaid Obstetrics and Maternal Services

Medicaid covers nearly half of all births among African American women. Medicaid coverage for these women will increase with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014. Early identification of maternal diseases and treatment can improve pregnancy outcomes. For example, early diagnosis of gestational diabetes can result in earlier glycemic control, which can reduce the rate of cesarean delivery and shoulder dystocia due to high birthweight. Medicaid policies also can affect quality of care by limiting the use of certain procedures, such as ultrasounds.

Although the disparities in perinatal outcomes remain, the costs of these women are less than twice as high. For example, the risk of stillbirth in the Medicaid population was only 1.89 times greater than that of non-Hispanic Whites, whereas it was 2.75 times higher among pregnancies in the entire US population. Preterm births, for instance, resulted in an excess cost of $49,666 to Medicaid.

Vaccine tracker

The Vaccine Tracker for Tompkins County provides a simple, yet effective way to monitor vaccination rates in your community. It’s an interactive map with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can also find health department websites in your state. The local newspaper Knoxville News Sentinel also has this free public safety website, which helps the community and supports local journalism. To use this map, simply enter your address and click “Get Started” to see the latest updates.

The Tompkins County Health Department recently reported that a vaccination rate of 64 percent was recorded. This rate is the second highest in New York State and far outperforms the vaccination rates in surrounding counties. In fact, Tompkins County’s vaccination rate was higher than those of neighboring counties such as Cayuga County, which reported only a 44 percent vaccination rate. This rate is higher than the state average, which is 50 percent.

Public health ambassadors

The Tompkins County Health Department is hiring Public Heath Ambassadors. These people work directly with community members, promoting equitable access to public health services and resources. As part of this role, Public Health Ambassadors help promote prevention techniques and services, such as vaccination against COVID-19. The application process for this position is currently open until April 12th. Look for the “project assistant” position and submit your application today.

Student Ambassadors can be either level one or level two. Their duties will include distributing PPE, supporting the public health campaign, and serving as role models for the behavioral compact. This compact details a set of guidelines all Cornell students must follow during the fall semester. This outline is included on their re-entry checklists, and it outlines policies for social distancing and regular testing.