April 12, 2018
Contact: Doug Bolnick, Public Health Public Information Officer, 636-949-7408
Saint Charles County, Missouri – People in the state of Missouri, as well as throughout the United States, are learning what those who live here have known for years: St. Charles County is a healthy place to live, raise a family and start or grow a business.
Not only was the county recently recognized for the ninth consecutive year as tops in Missouri in the annual County Health Rankings by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, but it ranks among the top 100 Healthy Communities in the U.S. News and World Report released last month. The county ranked 75th out of more than 3,000 counties.
There’s a reason why St. Charles County is so healthy!
The St. Charles County Public Health Department has three divisions that monitor and work to improve the health and well-being of the county:
- The Division of Environmental Health & Protection, which inspects and licenses food service retailers and providers, daycare centers, aquatic and recreation facilities, body art facilities and handles mosquito control and natural resource management;
- The Division of Humane Services, which shelters and adopts animals, educates pet owners, provides animal control services and investigates incidents involving animal cruelty and neglect;
and - The Division of Health Services, which encompasses programs that include immunizations, education, testing, vital records, and more.
The Division of Health Services works in cooperation with a variety of local, state and federal agencies to make certain the county remains one of the country’s healthiest. The County’s health services are open to all residents, regardless of income level or insurance coverage.
This year, the department has introduced advanced technology, improved efficiency and a cross-trained staff to offer new and expanded services that build on past successes including the following:
- Titer screenings for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox to measure the existence and level of antibodies to disease in the blood and determine what vaccines are needed to prevent certain diseases
- Rapid screening and blood testing options for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) to confirm a diagnosis and ensure those with a positive diagnosis are able to obtain treatment.
- Liver screenings to detect Hepatitis and liver proteins and enzymes that help medical professionals determine proper body function.
- Heart health screenings including cholesterol and blood sugar levels, blood pressure and height/weight analysis.
- PPD skin and QuantiFERON® Gold blood tests to screen for Tuberculosis.
For more information on screenings, educational programs and other services, visit www.sccmo.org/PublicHealth or call 636-949-7400.
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About the St. Charles County Department of Public Health
The mission of St. Charles County’s Division of Health Services is to promote healthy choices and improve the health of the community. To achieve these goals, program services include an Immunization Clinic for children and adults; nutrition education and supplemental food services for women, infants and children; chronic disease screening and prevention; Communicable Disease reporting and investigation; educational programming; the collection and distribution of birth and death certificates; assistance in applications for U.S. passports; and much more. For information on programs offered and to discover ways the division assists the community, visit http://www.sccmo.org/HealthServices or call 636-949-7400.