Health Department

Community Health Services

The Office of Community Health Services and Public Health Alliance provides public health services to all ages. This includes a network of primary and preventive programs and services that care for, inform and instruct South Dakotans to help them develop and maintain a healthier lifestyle and quality of life.

Professional nursing and nutrition staff in the office work with individuals, families, and communities to make sure they have the best possible health outcomes. The office delivers the following public health services:

Infants & Young Children

• Immunizations
• WIC (Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Food and Nutrition Education Program)
• Growth and development screening and guidance
• Well-child check-ups and screenings

Children & Adolescents

• Immunizations
• Well-child check-ups and screenings
• Education and training on child growth and development, dietary needs and the right foods to eat, physical activity, how to prevent injury and other health topics
• School health screenings and teaching

Pregnant & Postpartum Women

• WIC (Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Food and Nutrition Education Program)
• Education for pregnant women
• Postpartum services
• Baby Care (information, guidance and office services for pregnant women)
• Bright Start Home Visiting (Services in Rapid City and Sioux Falls only)

Adults

• Adult Immunizations, including flu shots
• Family Planning
• All Women Count (Breast and Cervical Cancer Control/Screening Program)
• Education and activities to promote health and prevent chronic and communicable disease
• Worksite wellness

General Public Health Services

• Link people to local resources and personal health services
• Provide aid and support to community networks, systems of care and services to the public
• Assist clients to manage their own care and services
• Provide advice and guidance on nutrition and dietary needs
• In-office screening for glucose, blood pressure, vision, hearing and hemoglobin
• Improve the health and wellness of individuals, families and communities through education and screening
• Promote health and prevent disease through activities to prevent and reduce chronic disease and the spread of communicable disease
• Assist communities in reviewing their resources and needs
• Provide employer-based screening and teaching
• Assist in local crisis planning and preparation
• Doctor-ordered office services
• HOTT (Health Occupations Today and Tomorrow curriculum)

Office of Family Health

This office coordinates a variety of maternal and child health services and nutrition programs and assistance. Services are delivered at Community Health Services and Public Health Alliance offices. Reproductive health services are also available at Family Planning Clinics. Care coordination and outreach pediatric specialty clinics are available at Children's Special Health Services sites.

• WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) - supplemental nutritious foods, education, and referrals
• Newborn Metabolic Screening - screening for metabolic diseases (phenylketonuria or PKU, congenital hypothyroidism or CH, and galactosemia)
• Newborn Hearing Screening - screening infants for hearing impairments
• Children’s Special Health Services (CSHS) - care coordination for children with chronic illness, disabling conditions, and other special health care needs; multi-disciplinary diagnostic and consultative outreach pediatric specialty clinics; financial assistance for specified conditions and procedures
• Family Planning - reproductive health education, contraceptive counseling and methods, sexually transmitted disease counseling, testing and treatment
• Perinatal Program (Baby Care) -risk assessment and case management of pregnant women, genetic counseling, perinatal education, and prenatal and post-partum home visits
• Child and Adolescent Health - coordinates a variety of programs designed to promote heath, prevent disease and reduce morbidity and mortality among children and adolescents. Services include child health assessments, immunizations, school health, developmental screenings, injury prevention, and technical assistance to communities available at Community Health Services and Public Health Alliance sites. Your child may be eligible for SD's Children's Health Insurance Program, administered by the Department of Social Services. Abstinence Education Program

South Dakota WIC Program

WIC services can help you and your child have better nutrition and better health for a better life!

WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for eligible women, infants and children, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the South Dakota Department of Health. WIC’s goal is to promote and maintain the health and well-being of nutritionally at-risk women, infants and young children. WIC is available in most counties in the state, or covered by surrounding county, and is an equal opportunity program. It provides:

• Nutrition education and counseling on
  • Selecting and using nutritious foods
  • Changing eating habits/lifestyles
  • Improving overall health
  • Answering food and nutrition questions
• Breast-feeding support
  • Providing support & referral for breastfeeding
  • Education on the benefits of breastfeeding
  • Education on breast pumps
• Healthy foods based on individual needs
  • Milk
  • Peanut butter
  • Cheese
  • Dried beans/peas
  • Juice
  • Cereal
  • Eggs
  • Tuna (breastfeeding women only)
  • Carrots (breastfeeding women only)
  • Infant formula, cereal, and juice
• Referral to
  • Doctors/nurses
  • Community services
  • Health agencies
  • Social service agencies such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, or TANF
  • Immunizations available if needed or referral

Office of Health Promotion

This office coordinates programs designed to promote health and prevent disease. For information or technical assistance regarding any of the following programs, call 1-800-738-2301.

• All Women Count! (Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program) - coordinates statewide activities to promote early detection of breast and cervical cancer. Pays for screening tests for women who are underinsured and meet age and income guidelines.
• The All Women Count! Chronic Disease Screening Program provides cardiovascular and diabetes screening to eligible women enrolled in All Women Count! The program reimburses health care providers for screening, diagnosis, and patient education for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Cardiovascular Health Program - promotes healthy communities through prevention, detection, and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases within South Dakota. The goal is to prevent cardiovascular disease through public and professional education and partnerships with communities to educate, promote healthy lifestyle behaviors, and build skills to initiate environmental and policy change strategies.
• Diabetes Prevention & Control Program - collaborates with partners to design, implement, and evaluate a broad range of public health strategies to reduce the burden of diabetes and improve the quality of life for all persons affected by diabetes in South Dakota.
• Healthy South Dakota Initiative - a statewide effort to promote healthy eating and increased physical activity as a means to reduce overweight/obesity and chronic disease. The Healthy South Dakota website provides a single, reliable source of information on nutrition and physical activity.
• School Health - provides technical guidance and services to schools; the department's Coordinated School Health Program is administered jointly with Department of Education's Coordinated School Health Program.
• South Dakota Cancer Registry - ensures the coordination of cancer reporting in the state.
• Oral Health Program - strives to improve the oral health of South Dakotans by: collaborating with partners to assess access to care, workforce and dental health needs, and supporting programs to provide education for consumers and professionals.
• Tobacco Control Program - coordinates state efforts to prevent young people from starting to use tobacco products, help current tobacco users quit, and reduce nonsmokers' exposure to second-hand smoke.

The South Dakota Baby Care Perinatal Services Program

This program provides the following services to improve pregnancy outcome:

• risk assessment of pregnant women
• case management of pregnant women found eligible by the risk assessment
• perinatal education
• prenatal/postpartum visits
• referral to community resources
• referral for genetic counseling

South Dakota women have help to cover the cost of breast and cervical cancer screening. Mammograms, Pap smears and related exams are available at no cost to eligible women at many doctors' offices, mammography units, family planning and other health clinics.

The All Women Count! Program serves women 30-64 years of age for Pap smears, 40-64 for mammograms, without insurance to pay for screening exams, and who have insurance but cannot pay the deductible or co-payment. The program pays providers directly.

All Women Count! Chronic Disease Screening Program

In 2000 the All Women Count! program expanded to include cardiovascular and diabetes screening for eligible women enrolled in the All Women Count! program. There are currently 116 All Women Count! provider sites statewide offering the expanded screenings. The All Women Count! expanded program reimburses health care providers for screening, diagnosis, and patient education for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Women not only are screened for cardiovascular disease and diabetes but also can be seen by a professional for four physical activity and nutrition sessions per year. The women receive incentives such as cookbooks, a dynaband, food scale, and exercise books when they attend the sessions. For more information about the program call 1-800-738-2301.

Cardiovascular Health Program

The mission of the Cardiovascular Health Program is to promote healthy communities through prevention, detection, and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases within South Dakota. Our goal is to prevent cardiovascular disease through public and professional education and partnerships with communities to educate, promote healthy lifestyle behaviors, and build skills to initiate environmental and policy change strategies. The program focuses on primary prevention where risk factors such as physical activity, nutrition, elevated blood pressure and elevated blood cholesterol can be addressed.

 Coordinated School Health Program

The Coordinated School Health Program is administered through a joint effort of the South Dakota Department of Health and the South Dakota Department of Education.

The Coordinated School Health Program provides technical guidance and services to schools to improve their ability to enhance the health of children and adolescents. Its purpose is to expand and strengthen the capacity of state agencies and school districts to plan, carry out and evaluate coordinated school health programs, to address significant health problems that affect adolescents, especially HIV infection, tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, and dietary habits that result in disease.

• South Dakota Schools Walk Program — Incentives are available for students K-6 who participate in the Schools Walk program. Teachers, register your class on-line and receive a free gift! You can register at http://doe.sd.gov/oess/schoolhealth/sdwalks.
• Coordinated School Health News Infused — This newsletter was developed as a system of communication for all public, private, BIE and tribal schools. The South Dakota Departments of Health and Education distribute the newsletter to a designated contact at each school building. To view the newsletter go to http://doe.sd.gov/oess/schoolhealth/newsinfused/index.asp or send an email to subscribe.

The South Dakota Family Planning Program  

• Provides services to all people capable of reproduction who need and desire family planning.
  Participation is voluntary. Services include:
  • education, counseling, nursing, medical and direct contraceptive services to those interested in spacing the birth of their children and/or limiting family size.
  • breast and cervical cancer screening and sexually transmitted disease screening.
  • infertility counseling services, upon request.
  • pregnancy testing; referrals to appropriate care for women confirmed to be pregnant.
  • preconception counseling.
• Is funded through the federal Title X family planning grant and the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. Client fees and donations provide remaining program funding.

Eligibility . . .

• Services provided to anyone capable of reproduction, regardless of age, sex, religion, race, color, national origin, creed, handicap, number of pregnancies, marital status or income.
• Fees for services based on total income and family size.
• All services confidential.

Newborn Hearing Screening Program

Hearing loss is the most common birth defect. As many as 3 to 4 out of every 1,000 babies in the United States are born with some level of hearing loss. Based on that estimate, 33 to 44 babies are born with hearing loss in South Dakota each year.

The Department of Health Newborn Hearing Screening Program recommends that:

·        All babies be screened by 1 month of age, preferably before leaving the hospital,

·        If after 2 screenings the baby does not pass, a medical and hearing evaluation is needed before 3 months, and

·        Once a hearing loss is detected, services and intervention should be started by 6 months of age.

This 1-3-6 guideline was developed to give the baby the best possible time frame to be screened, diagnosed and treatment and services begun. The earlier a baby is determined to have a hearing loss and begins receiving services, the more likely that speech, language and social skills will reach their full potential.

Newborn Metabolic Screening Program

A metabolic disease is a disorder caused by a problem with the accumulation of chemicals produced naturally in the body. These diseases are usually very serious, some are even life threatening. Others may slow down physical development or cause mental retardation. Unfortunately, most infants with these types of disorders show no obvious signs of disease and appear normal at birth. By the time the condition becomes apparent, the damage may be permanent.

Proper screening at birth can identify these problems and early treatment can result in normal growth and development and/or reduce morbidity and mortality. While these disorders are relatively uncommon, the cost of not diagnosing one of these conditions, both in human suffering and financial impact, is immense.

South Dakota statute (SDCL 34-24-17 through 34-24-25) and Administrative Rule (ARSD 44:19) requires all newborns to be screened for certain metabolic conditions and gives the Department of Health authority to require additional screens as testing technology advances.

Oral Health Program

The Oral Health Program coordinates programming to increase awareness of the importance of oral health and preventive care, foster community and statewide partnerships to promote oral health and improve access to dental care, and promote the use of innovative and cost effective approaches to oral health promotion and disease prevention.

Tooth decay is. . .

• The most common chronic childhood disease
• Communicable
• Preventable

Good oral health is essential to general health and well-being and involves much more than just healthy teeth. New research points to an association between oral infections and heart and lung disease, stroke, diabetes, and low-birth-weight, premature babies. In fact, the mouth can act as a mirror reflecting an individual's overall general health status. Left untreated, tooth decay or oral infections can lead to other health problems and significant pain, interference with eating and nutrition, overuse of emergency rooms, and lost school or work time. Prevention is crucial.

Tobacco Control Program

This program coordinates state efforts to prevent young people from starting to use tobacco products, help current tobacco users quit, and reduce nonsmokers' exposure to second-hand smoke.

• South Dakota QuitLine 1-866-SD- QUITS (1-866-737-8487) - toll-free telephone line to provide tobacco users counseling support as they try to quit

This web site is provided as a public service by Custer County. Please be advised that meeting dates and times for Custer County Commission Meetings and Custer County Planning and Zoning Meetings are subject to change, cancellation and/or modification without notice of such occurrence necessarily being provided on this web site. Please contact the appropriate county official for more information.