Child Support Services has launched a redesigned website that makes it easier for parents to:
This change will only affect how information is displayed and printed. It does not change how child support payments are collected or distributed. Continue reading “Idaho Child Support Services website gets a new look, more features”
It’s scary to think that you could put your baby down for a nap and he might never wake up. But it happens more often than we would like. About 3,500 infants die suddenly and unexpectedly each year in the United States. The cause of death for many of these babies can’t be determined, but there are factors that can put your baby at higher risk.
October is Safe Infant Sleep Awareness Month in Idaho, so it’s a good time to learn the ABCs of Safe Infant Sleep. They are:
A for alone. Babies should sleep alone, not with adults who can roll onto them.
B for back. They should sleep on their backs without blankets, bedding or stuffed animals that could interfere with their breathing.
C for crib. They should sleep in a crib with a firm surface and in a cool room (70 degrees). If you’re worried about whether they are warm enough, keep them comfortable with clothing or put them in a sleep sack.
S for smoke-free. They should sleep in a smoke-free environment. Continue reading “Do you know the ABCs of Safe Infant Sleep?”
It’s October, which means flu season is here. And that means it’s time to get vaccinated to protect yourself against the flu. Flu season can run from October to May, so if you haven’t gotten the vaccine yet this year, you should get one as soon as possible. It’s the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from what can be a serious infection.
Public health officials think this year’s vaccine, which is different from last year’s, is a good match for the flu strains that could be circulating, but it’s difficult to predict so early in the season. Flu viruses are constantly changing. Flu vaccines are updated before the start of flu season each year, based on which influenza viruses are making people sick in other parts of the world. This year’s trivalent vaccine offers protection for two type A influenza viruses, and one type B virus. An additional type B influenza virus is included in the vaccine that offers protection against four strains of the virus; that is called the quadrivalent vaccine. Continue reading “The flu vaccine is your best protection, and it’s time to get it now”
It’s harvest time! We have more fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables to choose from at this time of year than at any other time of year, it seems. Eating a plant-based diet is important for our overall health, and yet most of us don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables every day. But with all the different kinds of fresh produce available now in our gardens as well as markets and grocery stores, now is a great time to make a point of eating more fruits and veggies.
Idahoans aren’t all that different from residents in other states; we all need to eat more fruits and vegetables, which would help manage many of our health issues, including obesity. Just about 29 percent of adults in Idaho are obese, according to Better Policies for a Healthier America. Idaho ranks 29th compared to other states; Arkansas has the highest adult obesity rate at 35.9 percent, while Colorado has the lowest, at 21.3 percent. Continue reading “Mom is right: Eat your fruits and veggies!”
Lots of communication and extra food donations at community pantries and the Idaho Foodbank will be needed as Idaho transitions from issuing benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on the first day of the month to issuing them over the first 10 days of the month.
Planning for the change continued this week as the multi-day transition work group met to determine how grocery stores and community organizations such as the Idaho Foodbank and other food pantries across the state would be affected, and what can be done to support them if SNAP recipients run out of food or are unaware that their benefits are not available before they shop.
“More than anything, we don’t want anyone to be surprised,” said Karen Vauk, president and CEO of the Idaho Foodbank. Continue reading “Idaho Foodbank estimates an additional 6-8 truckloads of food will be needed for change in SNAP issuance”
Twenty-one Idaho residents with salmonellosis have been linked to the national cucumber outbreak, with public health officials concerned that people who are unaware of the outbreak could still become infected.
“We are concerned that not all Idahoans are aware of the recall and may have recently eaten or still have cucumbers involved with the outbreak in their homes,” said Dr. Christine Hahn, Idaho Public Health medical director. “If anyone has eaten cucumbers and suspects they may have Salmonella, they should seek medical attention immediately.”
Have you noticed a proliferation of things turning teal this month? Things that shouldn’t be teal, like a bridge, fountains and even the entire Chicago skyline? The teal movement is an effort to raise awareness about ovarian cancer, which is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths for women in Idaho, and the fifth nationally.
There is no health screening for ovarian cancer.
That’s what makes it even scarier than most. Because there is no screening for it, many women aren’t diagnosed until the later stages of the disease. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Nearly 22,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with it each year, and 15,000 die from it. That’s why it’s so important for women to pay attention to their bodies and talk to their doctors when something isn’t right, even if it makes them a little uncomfortable. Continue reading “Do you know the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer? If you’re a woman, you should.”
Idahoans who already receive child support payments can expect to get a new US Bank ReliaCard® Idaho Family Support Card in October. New customers will receive their cards in November. Both should be on the lookout for a plain white envelope with a return address from Indianapolis, IN. This card replaces the current JP Morgan Chase Idaho Family Support Card. Continue reading “Some Idahoans receiving child support payments will get a new card in the mail”
September is National Recovery Month, and it’s a good time to talk about mental illness and substance use disorders so we can help fight the stigma associated with them. For people to seek treatment, they need to feel comfortable talking about mental health and substance use disorders. But stigma and a fear of being judged make that difficult.
Recovery is an ongoing process that includes a person’s entire mental well-being, as well as how well they can function on a daily basis. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight and it’s not guaranteed that someone will stay in recovery once they’ve achieved it. It is a life-long process that depends on many things, including robust recovery support systems. People who have a good support system are better able to maintain recovery.
These numbers are fairly startling:
As you can see, this is a sobering public health issue for Idaho. Continue reading “Suicide Prevention Week highlights an important public health issue in idaho”
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