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Lake County Health Update

September 2013   

 

This community e-newsletter is produced by the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center.
Featured Videos 
   
This month's program informs parents about recommended and necessary vaccination requirements for their school age children.  Plus, there is a  report from the 2013 Kids First Health Fair.
  
   
We need a certain amount of salt in our diets, but how much is too much? Dietitian Toby Smithson helps interpret nutrition labels for salt content and provides guidelines for your daily salt intake.  
  
The Lake County Health  Department/Community Health Center is cautioning residents to be particularly aware of ticks now that Lyme disease cases have reached a record number in Lake County. Thus far this year, 20 cases have been reported, which surpasses the previous record number of 19 cases reported in the county in 2011. 
  
 
The Health Department's Behavioral Health Services area has organized three workshops for certified and substance abuse counselors, licensed social workers and counselors during September. Topics are on tobacco use among patients, ethics training and clinical supervision. Read about each workshop and register through our web page. Look under related links.
  
Suicide Prevention Walk - Sept. 21
 
If you are interested in raising awareness about suicide prevention in Lake County, join the Waukegan Cares Walk for Awareness.

Participants can step off in the 5K walk any time between 11:15 a.m. and noon on Sept. 21 after registering at 203 N. Genesee Street, behind the Genesee Theater in downtown Waukegan.
Participants are asked to register by Sept. 16 by contacting Tom Granger at:
The entry fee is $25, which includes a T-shirt and one free raffle ticket. All proceeds go to the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force.

In the past five years, the annual number of suicides in Lake County has ranged from 61 to 70 per year. The task force strives to deepen awareness, prevent suicide and save lives through education, linkage to resources and treatment within the community.
For more information about the task force, call (847) 377-8180.
Tony Beltran
Dear Lake County Residents:
  

Open enrollment for health insurance is just around the corner (October 1).  Under the new health care reform law individuals and families--including people with special health care needs and pre-existing conditions, seniors, self-employed individuals and young adults--will have guaranteed access to affordable, quality coverage.

However, with the push for enrollment, some people--especially those who are young or healthy--may be questioning why they need coverage. Here are three key reasons.

Sincerely,  

 

Tony Beltran, M.B.A.
Executive Director
Lake County Health Department/
Community Health Center
The next low-cost pet vaccination clinic is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, from 9 a.m. to noon.  It will be held in conjunction with West Deerfield Township and the Deerfield Park District at the Jewett Park Picnic Shelter, 836 Jewett Park Drive in Deerfield. For more information click here.
Congressman Brad Schneider Visits North Chicago Health Center
Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) visited the North Chicago Health Center on August 16 in observance of National Health Center Week. The
Congressman Brad Schneider, left, talks with Health Department Executive Director Tony Beltran about the importance of health centers.
  week is designed to raise awareness about the accomplishments of local health centers as local solutions for accessible and affordable health care.
The Health Department manages six centers that serve approximately 47,000 patients with services that include general medicine, dental, pediatrics, women's health, cancer prevention, diabetes prevention and treatment, and nutrition counseling and education. 

North Shore Health Center Patients Benefit from Collaboration 

The garden plots at the Moraine Township Community Garden are in full bloom and producing a wide variety of vegetables at this time of year. Patients at the Health Department's North Shore Health Center in Highland Park were given a plot, which they regularly tend. The garden has offered a great opportunity for patients to be physically active while accessing healthy foods.  

Another Successful Year for the Kids 1st Health Fair 

The 21st Annual Kids 1st Health Fair was a huge  success thanks to the support of our generous donors and dedicated volunteers.  The 2013 event saw a total of 892 children, providing 324 physicals, 342 dental exams, 203 sports physicals, 494 immunizations, 117 lead and hemoglobin tests, nutritional assessment and counseling for 65 children, and 68 foot care assessments.  Read more.

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