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County health officials brief Hickman council on clinics, lead follow-up and mental-health resources
Summary
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department leaders told the Hickman City Council about expanded clinic hours, refugee screening work, lead follow-up protocols and a six-part youth mental-health outreach series; council asked staff to share materials with residents.
Lincoln Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department leaders on July 22 gave Hickmans City Council a broad update on public-health services, saying expanded clinic hours, lead-case investigations and a new mental-health resource portal aim to improve access for county residents.
The presentation was led by Carrie Kernan, the health departments director, who said the department operates both pediatric and limited adult immunization programs through federal pass-through grants and works closely with local school districts to meet immunization requirements. "Many of the data in this presentation are for 2024; we will update them at the end of August when our fiscal year closes," Kernan said.
Why it matters: The department provides a range of direct services used by Hickman-area residents, including immunizations for Medicaid-eligible children, STI testing and treatment, dental care for low-income patients, refugee-entry health screenings, and home-visitation programs for new parents. That mix of preventive and clinical services affects public-health preparedness and access to care in smaller jurisdictions across Lancaster County.
Kernan detailed several service lines. The STI clinic has expanded from limited weekly sessions to more days and evening hours; staff now offer expedited partner therapy and recently began providing PrEP for HIV prevention. She also described two home-visitation programs: Family Connects, a universal program that has recorded roughly 1,300 visits so far, and Healthy Families America, a targeted program for higher-risk families that focuses on case management and goal-setting.
Brock Hannish, the health departments division manager for environmental public health, described air and environmental work, including two permanent air monitors that feed EPA databases and a countywide network of low-cost sensors. He noted the department received a $1.3 million grant to build a reuse store at the hazardous-waste collection facility to divert still-usable materials from disposal.
On lead exposure, Kernan said the department follows up on elevated capillary lead screens with venous testing and environmental inspections when levels meet or exceed a 3.5 g/dL follow-up threshold aligned with CDC guidance. "Any lead level is unsafe, but 3.5 is the benchmark CDC has asked us to follow up on," she said, and staff work with families to identify sources and link children to care.
The department also announced a six-pillars mental-health video series and a locally tailored Credible Minds platform with assessments and a community resource locator aimed at youth and young adults. "Were focusing on youth because they are the population struggling most right now," Kernan said; the department will release a new video monthly through November and is developing a parent guide.
Council members urged staff to make the materials available to Hickman residents through the city website and newsletter; Kernan said county data reports and outreach materials are already posted on the health-department website and that staff will work with the city to distribute them.
The presentation closed with a brief discussion of refugee screening contracts (Lutheran Family Services, Catholic Social Services, Refugee Empowerment Center) and a staffing note: the department has seen a lull in new refugee arrivals since Jan. 21, 2021, following federal policy changes.
The council did not take action on the presentation but thanked department staff and asked for follow-up materials for local distribution.
