CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL HANDICAPS

The Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH) is a tax supported state-administered program. BCMH works closely with the Jackson County Health Department to assist families of medically handicapped children to obtain payment and services for their child's needs. The Jackson County Heath Department provides a registered nurse to assist these families with the coordination of these services and assistance when needed.

Children are eligible if they are:

• Age 0 - 21
  
• Permanent resident of Ohio
  
• Under the care of a BCMH approved physician

Some of the conditions which are eligible include:

• Diabetes
• Sickle Cell Anemia
  
• Cerebral Palsy
• Cancer
  
• Hearing Loss
• Severe Vision Disorders
  
• Spina Bifida
• Cleft, Lip, and Pallate
  
• Hemophilia
• Congenital Heart disease
  
• And others

There are three components to the program. They are the diagnostic, treatment, and service coordination programs.

Diagnostic: Provides financial payment for testing, etc to rule out the diagnosis of a serious health condition. (No financial eligibility is required)

Treatment: Provides financial payment for treatment services once a diagnosis has been given. (Both medical and financial eligibility is required).

Some of the services covered under these programs include laboratory testing, x-rays,
doctor visits, prescriptions, therapies, medical supplies equipment, surgeries, hospitalizations, and the service of a public health nurse.

Service Coordination: Helps families locate and coordinate services for their child.

For more information or to seek assistance in the program, please call Kathie Stevenson, RN at (740) 286-5094, extension 230.

CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING

A registered nurse provides assistance to the Ohio Department of Health environmental staff in the case management of county children found to have high levels of lead in their blood. Home visits and environmental assessments are made to determine sources of contamination, education, and treatment.

Communicable Disease Reporting and Investigation

The Jackson County Health Department nursing and environmental health employees continuously monitor public health threats in the community. The Jackson County Health Department is the first agency to be contacted when circumstances point to a communicable disease.

Over 50 diseases and conditions must be reported to local health departments by any practicing, licensed, or permitted health provider or laboratory. Some of the diseases that are reported include Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Hepatitis A, B, and C, Legionellosis, Lyme Disease, Meningitis, Whooping Cough, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Salmonella, Strep B newborn, Streptpneumonia, Influenza A, B, and H1N1 (confirmed by testing), Chicken Pox, West Nile Virus, etc.

The Jackson County Health Department insures that proper methods of investigation and follow up are completed enabling the health department to monitor and protect the health of Jackson County residents.

Immunizations

Disease prevention is a priority of public health. Vaccinating individuals will help prevent "vaccine preventable" infectious diseases that were once common in the United States including Polio, Measles, Diphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough), Rubella (German Measles), Mumps, Tetanus, and hemophilius influenza type B (HIB), and H1N1.

The Jackson County Health Department charges an administration fee of $3.00 for the first immunization and then $1.00 for each individual immunization. No person shall be denied the vaccines that are provided by the Ohio Department of Health for failure to pay an administration fee.

Adult Hepatitis B, Zostavax (Shingles), and HPV vaccines are available at a charge to meet the expense of the purchase of the vaccine.

Guardisil, the vaccine for Human Papillomavirus, is given to women 26 years of age and under, and most highly recommended for girls 11 to 12 years of age.

Flu vaccine is administered to Jackson County residents each fall in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Health.

PEDIATRIC SPECIALITY CLINICS

The Ohio Department of Health has collaborated with the Jackson County Health Department for many years to provide specialty clinics for evaluations and treatment for hearing and vision disorders for the children of Jackson County. Clinics are open to children from birth thru age 21.

PediatricVision Clinics:
Children are seen at the vision clinic by Dr Jacqueline Davis from Columbus. Children that require treatment and meet financial guidelines are referred to the Ohio Vision Service Program or VSP, where they receive their prescription glasses at no charge.

Pediatric Hearing Clinics:
Ohio Department of Health provides staff and equipment for clinics held at the Jackson County Health Department where children receive hearing examinations and hearing testing. Children are examined by Dr James Magnussen, a physician from the Holzer Clinic, Inc. Audiologist assessments are performed by Ohio Department Of Health Staff and Holzer Clinic staff.

Pediatric Cardiac Clinics:
Cincinnati Children's Hospital, the Jackson County Health Department , and the Ohio Department of Health, continue their partnership to provide specialty clinics also. These two clinics are the Pediatric Cardiac clinic where children are examined and evaluated by a pediatric cardiologist, Dr Robert Beekman. Diagnostic testing can also include EKG, and Cardiac Echocardiogram.

Pediatric Gastrointestinal Clinics:
The Pediatric Gastroenterology Clinic is open to Jackson County children who are referred for gastroenterolgic symptoms. These children are examined and evaluated by Dr Ferral.

Well Child Clinics:
The Jackson County Health Department continues to sponsor the Well Child Clinics with physician examinations, immunizations, and health education provided by our Medical Director, Dr Jill Neff. This clinic is open to children from birth to five years of age. Fees are based on the client's ability to pay using a sliding fee scale. No child is denied services due to inability to pay.

Pediculosis Control

The Jackson County Health Department provides supportive services related to pediculosis control. This includes treatment and prevention of pediculosis, and education and inspection of clients at the Jackson County Health Department.

The department networks with Jackson County Jobs, and Human Services, school personnel, care givers, and community service agencies

SCHOOL NURSING SERVICES

Jackson County Health Department has been pleased to contract with both the Jackson City School System and the Oak Hill School System to provide a registered nurse to assist the district's school nurse in providing student health screenings and assessments.

The contract, "Nurse in the Schools", is primarily based at all the elementary school sites. She works closely with the Jackson County Health Department nursing staff to provide school screenings, clinic referrals, pediculosis referrals, immunization record review, and various education programs.

Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) Program

The unexpected nature of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) results in a tragedy for which no one can truly prepare.

Following the notification of a SIDS death, the Jackson County Health Department Public Health Nurses are available to offer information, counseling, and other supportive services to families.

Tuberculosis Case Management

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The bacteria can attack any part of the body, but usually attacks lungs. Left untreated each person with active tuberculosis disease will affect, on the average, between 10 and 15 people every year. Each year about 2 million people die from this curable disease.

The Tuberculosis Control and Treatment Program in Jackson County is funded by a
4/10 mill levy. All TB screening and treatment services are provided without charge to Jackson County residents. The treatment of a single active case of TB may exceed $50,000 per year. TB is an insidious disease that may lay dormant for many years in an individual before causing illness.

The current screening program combined with funding through the Jackson County Commissioners, provides medicines and treatments to insure the best protection for the public against TB.