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Public health unit: level 2 designation, immunization work and lead/rabies follow-ups highlighted
Summary
Richland County public health described a successful 140 review to maintain level 2 status, ongoing immunization clinics, increased TB screening and lead- and rabies-related follow-up work. Staff noted environmental health home visits, radon kit distribution, and a pilot lead-in-water testing project for day-care facilities.
Richland County public health staff presented their 2024-25 activity summary to the Community and Health Services Standing Committee, emphasizing accreditation results, immunization activity, communicable-disease follow-up, environmental health work and community-health planning.
Public health manager and local health officer Brandy Anderson said the department successfully passed the state 140 review and retained level 2 status. The department led a community health-improvement planning process with a mental-health work group and ongoing outreach; staff also partnered with local organizations and media to promote prevention work.
Clinical activity included mass-vaccine clinics (school flu vaccine clinics) and monthly VFC/VFA (vaccines for children/adult) clinics. The department dispensed 64 flu vaccines in 2024 (down from prior years), but gave more VFC/VFA doses of other vaccines (MMR, varicella, Tdap) and increased TB skin testing (98 tests in 2024). Public health used a contracted nurse (Betty Nye) to expand clinic capacity.
Environmental health work shifted to county staff in 2024 after a long-serving environmental coordinator left; staff completed 32 home visits for unsanitary or unsafe housing complaints and created digital tools for documentation and screening. The department dispensed 46 radon test kits with a 29-kit return rate and participated in a state lead-in-water testing and remediation initiative, testing at least one licensed daycare in 2024 and beginning testing at a second facility in spring 2025. The department also followed animal-bite reports and investigated a bat that tested positive for rabies in 2024.
Anderson described maternal-child health outreach (new-baby packets and follow-up home visits) and local breastfeeding coalition work; staff also track lead-testing reports for children (18 elevated-child reports in 2024) and provide follow-up including home visits, education and, when necessary, referral for state remediation supports.
Committee members asked about home-waste accumulation and environmental follow-up; Anderson said many issues involve mold, unsanitary conditions and landlord–tenant disputes and that county staff collaborate with DNR, DATCP and zoning as needed. The committee received the report; staff said they will continue environmental screening, outreach and participation in state remediation initiatives.
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