Dickinson County Public Health signs onto statewide cancer initiative, outlines services and new leadership

Katie Carey, speaking to the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors during its regular meeting, reviewed the county’s Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan and said behavioral health remained the top concern among more than 500 residents who took part in the assessment. "Behavioral health continues to be our top concern," Carey said, describing coalition-led awareness and outreach activities planned for the next three years.

Carey told the board that, looking at service volume for the calendar year, the public-health team provided 6,229 immunizations to 2,147 patients and supported seven disease investigations and latent-TB follow-up efforts. She also summarized preschool dental screenings and several home-visit and in-home health-maintenance services the department delivered with Board support.

Carey introduced the department’s new director, Brandy Lawson Larson, who began in February. Larson outlined Dickinson County’s participation in a statewide Combat Cancer program coordinated across 87 Iowa counties. "The first phase is a big social-media campaign," Larson said, and the initiative will include distribution of free radon test kits to counties, colorectal screening kits for uninsured residents, dermatoscopes for family-practice clinicians and funding to help a limited number of homes with radon mitigation.

Larson said the program’s components that will affect residents include: distribution of radon test kits, deployment of 3,000 colorectal screening kits for uninsured Iowans, distribution of dermatoscopes to support skin assessments in primary care and funding assistance (up to $2,000) for a limited set of homes that test positive for radon. She also said the county will survey pharmacies and libraries before deciding where to place a telehealth tablet for resident use.

Larson described an HHS-led regional alignment effort for local public health that will move some functions toward a district model organized around five core service areas; she said the change is intended to shift focus toward prevention and shared planning and that local services should remain unchanged this year.

Why it matters: The county’s CHA/CHIP priorities and the new director’s participation in statewide programs shape local prevention and screening work that affect county residents’ access to cancer and behavioral-health resources. Board members and attendees asked about inclusion of new-dad supports, virtual groups and partnerships with senior and hunger-coalition services; Carey and Larson confirmed programs and partnerships were in place and that the department will continue community outreach.

Next steps: The board heard the report, welcomed Larson, and no formal board action was required on the public-health items during the meeting.