Emmet County Board of Health

Members are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, and their function is to establish policy, promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to enable the Department of Health to control those factors which could be a hazard to the public’s health.

Members include:

• Pam Caboth, Chair
• Andrew Spurgin, Vice Chairman
• Lela Kruse
• Dr. Keith Probst
• Amber Hendersen

Emmet County Public Health Personnel

Nursing:

• Kari Batman, RN – Administrator
• Sharon Hooge, RN – Staff Nurse
• Taylor Howing, RN – Staff Nurse

Office Personnel:

• Mindy Griffith – Business Office Manager
• Deb Karels – Office Assistant

Certified Nursing Aides:

• Paula Myhre
• Rhonda Russell

Environmental Health Specialist:

• Ben Huntley

Helpful Health Links

Communicable Disease Information: cdc.gov

Medicare Benefits: medicare.gov

Breast & Cervical Cancer: komen.org & stopbreastcancer.org

Iowa Department of Public Health

 Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) – Home | Iowa Department of Human Services

Iowa DHS Assistance (SNAP, Child Care, State Supplementary, etc.) Applications – Assistance Programs | Iowa Department of Human Services

Iowa Medicaid Application – 470-5170 Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs (iowa.gov)

Iowa Child Support Recovery – Iowa Child Support – Forms (state.ia.us)

Disaster Assistance Program/Application – Disaster Assistance Programs | Iowa Department of Human Services

Available Emmet County Public Health Community Services

The following services are provided in the home:

Assistance With Daily Needs

A Homemaker Home Aide assists clients with:

• Bathing
• Meal planning and preparation
• Budgeting
• Family management
• Therapeutic exercises
• Light housekeeping

Community Education and Activities

• Classes for expectant parents
• Home visits to new parents
• Adult and Childhood immunizations
• Blood pressure screening
• Free STD testing/treatment
• Communicable Disease Control
• Programs on health topics
• Coordination with other community services
• Health data
• Bioterrorism preparedness planning
• Tobacco cessation program
• Lead screening and education
• Presumptive Medicaid Applications
• Flu clinics

Emmet County Public Health Payments

Fees for services vary according to the service provided.

Medicaid and private insurance pay for some services. Arrangements are made for payment of other services.

Some services are provided at no charge.

For more information call 712-362-2490 or click the “email” button below.

Prenatal & Postnatal Program – free, voluntary services offered for Emmet County Families!

What is the Healthy Beginnings Program? Healthy Beginnings is a comprehensive home visitation program for pregnant moms and/or postnatal parents. Using a family centered model that promotes healthy birth outcomes. Healthy Beginnings Program supports parent leadership, parent-child relationships, healthy living and adequate social support.

Who can use the Healthy Beginnings Program? 

• Pregnant Woman
• Parenting adults/teens
• Families in Emmet County
• Children 0-5 year of age

Call our office at 712-362-2460 to speak with a nurse about how you can enroll into the Healthy Beginnings Program!

Immunization

Please call 712-362-2490 to set up an appointment for immunizations.

Vaccine Information Statements

• • Your Child’s First Vaccines
  • DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis)
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B 
  • Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae type b) 
  • HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
  • Influenza – Live, Intranasal
  • Influenza – Inactivated
  • Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR)
  • Measles/Mumps/Rubella & Varicella (MMRV)
  • Meningococcal ACWY 
  • Meningococcal B
  • Pneumococcal Conjugate (PCV) 
  • Polio
  • Rotavirus
  • Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) 
  • Varicella (Chickenpox) 

Lead testing for children 1-5 is available by appointment only – please call 712-362-2490 to see if you your child is eligible for testing.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) leads efforts in Iowa to prevent lead poisoning in children below the age of 6 through the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP). For futher information on CLPPP, please click the link provided below:

• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

Emmet County Public Health offers FREE gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen) & syphilis testing as well as treatment if necessary.

***Please call 712-362-2490 to set up your free & confidential test today***

Who should be tested for STDs?

• Are sexually active and have never been tested
• Have multiple sex partners or change partners
• Have sex partners with unknown STD/HIV status
• Have had unprotected sex since last test
• Use injection drugs currently or in the past

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

View the COVID-19 Information Page

• Defend Your Flock Information
• USDA Confirmation (Outbreaks) of HPAI in Commercial & Backyard Flocks
• USDA Detection of HPAI in Wild Birds

Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and wild birds (especially waterfowl).

AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9).

AI viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity—the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic chickens.

• Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to chickens, and can spread rapidly from flock-to-flock.
• Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus strains occur naturally in wild migratory waterfowl and shorebirds without causing illness.  LPAI can infect domestic poultry, creating little or no signs of illness.

The designation of HPAI versus LPAI has no correlation to whether the virus causes illness in humans. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these avian influenza detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses.

Biosecurity is the key to keeping our nation’s poultry healthy. USDA’s Defend the Flock education program offers free tools and resources to help everyone who works with or handles poultry follow proper biosecurity practices. These practices will help keep your birds healthy and reduce the risk of avian influenza and other infectious diseases. Biosecurity is everyone’s job. Become a Flock Defender today and help us protect all flocks! You can find more information on biosecurity and how you can make a difference by clicking this link – https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program

Emmet County Environmental Health Personnel

Environmental Health Specialist:

• Ben Huntley