|
🌷 Spring is Here!
Longer days, warmer weather and spring flowers are here! Now is the time to make sure you're prepared for unpredictable spring weather, which can include storms, floods or tornadoes. Being prepared helps take the surprise out of storms that may pop up without notice and helps keep you and your family safe.
Find an emergency kit checklist and other preparedness tips at: cdc.gov/nceh/features/springweather
| |
|
|
🎉 It's National Public Health Week!
Public health is crucial and critical to our society. It combats threats to our individual and collective health and promotes practices that help everyone live as long and as well as they can. That’s why we're excited to celebrate National Public Health Week, April 3-9.
Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work, and play. While a doctor treats people who are sick, public health's work is to prevent people in our communities from getting sick or injured in the first place. Public Health actively promotes policies, systems, and services that enable good health and seeks to remove obstacles and systemic and structural barriers — such as poverty, racism, gender discrimination, and other forms of oppression — that have resulted in health inequalities. We all can make our communities healthier, safer and stronger when we focus not just on what we can do as individuals, but what we can do as communities to protect, prioritize and influence the future of public health.
| |
🧒🏻👶🏽 Child Care in Winnebago County | |
|
Currently in Winnebago County there are over 900 children on waitlists for admission to child care centers and almost half of the programs in the county aren’t running at full licensing capacity due to a number of reasons. Early educators face an incredibly difficult and complex job that is recognized as essential to children’s learning and development and finding affordable and quality child care is becoming harder for families. Recently, the Dream Up! Grant was awarded to a collective group of organizations in Winnebago County to address challenges child care centers are running into.
Challenges to Address:
➜ Early childhood professionals are leaving due to poor compensation and lack of benefits.
Wisconsin early educators with a bachelor’s degree are paid 9.8% less than employees in the K-8 system. A recent survey of Winnebago County child care providers shows that the average wage for a Lead Teacher is only $13.46 and approximately 25% of child care programs offer insurance.
➜ High quality child care is expensive resulting in an economic hardship for parents.
The average family with children under age 5 spends approximately one-fifth to one-third of their household income on childcare. If a child care provider wants to lower its price, the program will not be able to earn the funds it needs to meet the costs of providing high quality care or to compensate staff.
➜ Children are behind on social and emotional development.
Child care programs play an integral part in the development of children and help prepare children for success in K-12 education and the rest of their lives. Child care programs are running under licensing capacity due to a lack of staffing and most do not have the funding to provide additional professional development to their staff.
➜ The overall business community is diminishing.
Our community relies on all businesses to contribute to business productivity and a healthy economy. Child care programs are struggling as contributors to workforce development. Many men and women are leaving or not joining the workforce entirely due to economic or logistical necessity connected to child care challenges.
| |
|
What can we do?
Changes can only be made with an increased demand for it. The Dream Up! Grant provides an incredible opportunity to make investments in child care that will influence every aspect of our local communities. Now is the time to ensure that child care remains an essential part of healthy economies and communities.
✔️ Keep Learning
✔️ Promote Awareness
Like, follow, and share on Facebook:
✔️ Get Involved
Participate in local initiatives like the Dream Up! Grant. Contact Tracy Gehrke, Public Health Nurse, Winnebago County Health Department, for more information.
| | |
|
🚭 Tobacco 21
Did you know that tobacco is Wisconsin’s leading cause of preventable death and costs the state more than $4.6 billion annually in health care and lost productivity expenses? Did you know that federal law prohibits the sale of any tobacco product, including cigars and e-cigarettes, to anyone under 21? Nearly all tobacco use begins during youth and young adulthood. A recent statewide survey found that, in 2022, the rate at which retailers sold tobacco and nicotine products to under agers was 11.9%. In 2021 the rate was 14.1%; the highest rate in over a decade and more than double the pre-pandemic rate of 5.5%. Prevention is critical.
Additional Resources:
| |
|
💊 Drug Take Back Day
Mark your calendars! National Drug Take Back Day is April 22 at locations countywide. This event, which happens twice a year, provides a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired medications. Most people who misuse prescription drugs get them from family, friends and acquaintances. You can make a difference by keeping track of the medicine you have, rethinking how and where it's stored, and following safe disposal guidelines.
Find additional information, including year-round drop off sites, at: winnebagopublichealth.org
| |
|
|
ICYMI: We Heart You App Launch!
The Winnebago County Overdose Fatality Review Team just launched a new We Heart You App with resources for individuals struggling with substance use, family members or friends who want to connect their loved ones to help, or professionals that want to share the app. Resources include:
- Treatment information
- Support meetings
- Access to narcan and harm reduction tools
- Support services including food, housing, employment and county services
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Mental and behavioral health screeners
- AND a live chat feature where you can be connected to a recovery support specialist through phone, text, chat, or email to talk to someone who has been through it
| |
|
🤸🏻♀️ Playing Safe!
Playgrounds and outdoor play equipment offer kids fresh air, friends, fun and exercise. But it's important to make sure that faulty equipment, improper surfaces and unsafe behavior don't ruin the fun.
Each year, more than 200,000 kids are treated for playground-related injuries. You can make the playground entertaining and safe for kids by checking equipment for possible hazards and following some simple safety guidelines. And teaching kids how to play safely is important; if they know the rules of the playground, they're less likely to get hurt.
Find information and safety tips here:
National Safety Council
National Program for Playground Safety
Safe Kids
| |
|
|
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is April 24–30. Each year, NIIW celebrates the critical role vaccination plays in protecting the health of our children and families — and this year we’re reminding parents of the importance of staying up to date with routinely recommended vaccines.
Vaccinating your child before the age of two, according to the recommended immunization schedule, gives them the best protection against 14 serious childhood illnesses — like measles and whooping cough. WCHD encourages you to make sure your child is up to date on vaccines by ensuring that they haven’t missed any check-ups. Well-child visits are essential. And if you're pregnant, now is a great time to find a doctor for your baby and schedule a visit to discuss any questions you may have about growth and development or vaccines.
WCHD offers free vaccines to qualified infants and children. Vaccines are provided by appointment at our Oshkosh location (112 Otter Ave). Give us a call today at 920-232-3000 to schedule.
Additional Information:
| |
|
🍺 Small Talks
April is Alcohol Awareness Month and now is a great time to talk with kids about alcohol. Wisconsin Department of Health Services has created materials that offer practical, evidence-based advice to help you feel more prepared to have small talks. Small Talks is a statewide campaign that encourages adults – especially parents and caregivers – to have short, casual conversations about the dangers of underage drinking with the kids in their lives starting at age 8.
Fast Facts
- In 2021, over 3,200 people died in Wisconsin due to their own or someone else's alcohol use: a 22% increase from 2019.
- Fifty-nine percent of Wisconsin teens have tried alcohol.
- Nearly 38,000 Wisconsin high schoolers report trying alcohol by age 13.
- Two out of three Wisconsin teens don't see underage drinking as a risk.
Research shows that parents, loved ones, and other caring adults are the most powerful influence on a child’s choices about underage drinking. All you have to do is talk. You can have a small talk anytime, anywhere. Underage drinking is risky. When youth drink alcohol, they can damage and even block the development of healthy mental pathways in the brain that shape how kids feel, learn, behave and grow.
Sign up to receive Small Talks quarterly newsletter here.
| |
|
😷 COVID-19 Update
The CDC Community Level for Winnebago County is currently LOW. Get tested if you have symptoms or were exposed. Stay home if you are sick. Test before you go to a group gathering. Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations. Find this information and more in our weekly COVID-19 Data Summaries.
Sunnyview Expo COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Clinics are Closing
After close to three years of operation, the COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinics at Sunnyview Expo Center in Oshkosh are closing their doors. This closure aligns with the expiration of the federal emergency declaration on May 11. The last day for vaccination is Wednesday, April 12, and the last day for testing is Friday, April 14.
Beginning April 18, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available at the County Administration Building (112 Otter Ave, Oshkosh) between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Just walk in! For curbside vaccination or for an appointment outside of these hours, please contact the health department.
The COVID-19 testing clinic at Sunnyview Expo Center opened on September 1, 2020, and close to 100,000 tests have been administered at this site. The vaccine clinic opened on February 1, 2021, and over 30,000 doses have been administered.
At-home rapid tests are available until the end of May through the Say Yes Covid Test program. Free at-home test kits are also available at these community locations. Healthcare providers, stores, pharmacies, and online retailers also offer tests. Find additional options on our health department website. The COVID-19 vaccine continues to be the best tool to protect against infection, serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Contact your healthcare provider or visit www.wcvaccine.org for vaccination clinic locations.
| |
|
🥚 After Dark Eggs in the Park
Have you heard about the Winnebago County Park Department's new outdoor initiative? BAGO (Be Active. Get Outdoors) encourages kids and families to go outside. The amount of time kids and adults spend outdoors matters for their physical and mental health.
| |
|
This month BAGO is sponsoring an egg hunt, but this isn't your traditional egg hunt. It's a glow-in-the-dark eggstravaganza for kids and adults! The event will kick off with a Bunny Hop followed by a nighttime egg hunt with thousands of glowing eggs throughout the park! The Bunny Hop will be various lengths and go off in waves of different age groups. The glow-in-the-dark egg hunt will also go off in waves of varying age groups. Kids must be accompanied by adults. Every kid participating in the hunt will get prizes... And adults will get adult-themed prizes! Everyone is encouraged to wear glow-in-the-dark items. There will be glow-in-the-dark face paints and glow sticks available at the event. AND... the Easter Bunny will be there hoping around and eager to take photos!
Date/Time: April 15 | Hop at 7:30 p.m. & Egg Hunt at 8 p.m.
Location: Winnebago County Community Park Soccer Shelter
Registration is required! Register here by April 9.
| |
💪🏽 New Strong Bodies Classes | |
|
Strong Bodies is a 12-week strength training class for men and women 55 and older. Research shows that strength training improves bone density, reduces falls, improves arthritis symptoms, increases flexibility and improves mood and confidence levels.
Two new classes are starting in April. To register, please call 920-232-3000.
| |
|
Menasha Senior Center
116 Main St, Menasha
Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 6-June 22
9:30 - 10:30 am
| |
|
Neenah YMCA
110 W North Water St, Neenah
Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 11-June 29
10:00 - 11:00 am
| |
👨👩👧👧 Parent Resource Hours | |
|
Stop by anytime during Parent Resource Hours for information on developmental screenings, safe sleep, breastfeeding support, nursing expertise, health and community resources. Appointments are necessary for car seat checks and immunizations.
Join us!
Tuesday, April 11
1 - 4 p.m.
Oshkosh Office, 112 Otter Ave
Thursday, April 27
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Neenah Office, 211 N Commercial St
Click on the flyer to download and share. Contact us to request additional languages.
| |
| |
|
|
❤️ Mental Health Focus Group
The N.E.W. Mental Health Connection and its community and state partners are conducting a focus group on Tuesday, April 11 at 7:00 pm to better understand the mental health of adults in the Fox Valley. This survey will provide Project Zero with information to tailor intervention and prevention strategies to the needs of the community.
Please fill out this form to register for the focus group. Participants will be provided with a $20 Amazon gift card as a thank you for their time.
| |
🩹 COVID-19 Vaccine & Testing | |
Beginning April 18, community members can get vaccinated against COVID-19 on Tuesdays at the County Administration Building (112 Otter Ave, Oshkosh) between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. | |
|
|
Since offering the COVID-19 vaccine, beginning February 1, 2021, the Winnebago County Health Department has been a part of nearly 500 clinics and over 36,000 vaccine doses given.
Thank you to our staff, volunteers and partner organizations for all of your efforts during this time, and thank you to the community for helping to protect yourself and others by getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
| |
|
Public Health Information
Communicable Disease, Environmental Concerns, Community Resources,
WIC, and more!
Contact 920-232-3000 or visit our website.
| |  |
|
Non-Medical Related Information
Utility, Food & Housing Assistance, Elder Care, Crisis Intervention, Alcohol & Drug Recovery
Contact 211 or visit their website.
| |
Mission: Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) protects and promotes health through services, partnerships, and equitable practices and policies so all can live their best life. | |
|
STAY UP TO DATE!
Visit wchd.pub/newsletter to receive Public Health Happenings, press releases or public service announcements from the Winnebago County Health Department.
Find a copy of this newsletter on our website.
| |
Please distribute widely. The format may be altered when forwarded in an email. Find a shareable link here. | | | | |
