Health Education

Health education initiatives work towards eliminating health disparities in Person County through community-based efforts and collaborations. Such initiatives strive to equip Personians with the information and support needed to live healthy lifestyles and to make informed decisions about their health. It also involves assessing the needs of the community and working to meet those needs. The following efforts are coordinated through the department’s Health Education section:

• The Healthy Communities Program
• A nationally recognized Diabetes Prevention Program
• Tobacco education and cessation services
• The Healthy Personians Partnership
• Community Health Assessments
• Community Health Improvement Plans
• State of the County Health Reports
• Education and outreach initiatives
• And so much more!

Family Planning Program

The Family Planning Program provides personalized, compassionate care centered on each client’s unique needs. Services include:

• Physical exams (male and female)
• Cervical and breast cancer screenings
• Sexually transmitted infection prevention, education, testing, and treatment
• Pregnancy diagnosis
• Birth control education
• Several birth control options
• Emergency contraception (“morning after pill”)

Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Program

The purpose of the STI Program is to prevent the spread of STIs, promote sexual health, reduce health complications associated with these infections, and improve individual and community sexual health. Services available through this program include:

• Infection prevention, education, testing, and treatment
• Testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, herpes, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast infection
• Education specific to safe sex practices
• Access to confidential screening and testing
• Timely and effective treatment
• Monitoring of STI trends

Maternal Health Program

The Maternal Health Program promotes the health and well-being of women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, while improving outcomes for mother and baby. Program services offered include:

• Physical exams
• Sexually transmitted infection testing, education, and treatment
• Laboratory services related to pregnancy
• Education on a wide variety of topics
• Referrals as needed
• Care provided by Duke University Medical Center providers
• Postpartum home visits

Child Health Services

Child health services are centered around childhood vaccines and include:

• Age-appropriate immunizations
• Referrals to primary care providers for well-child care
• Newborn home visits

Laboratory Services

Laboratory services support agency programs by providing disease prevention, detection, and control services through the delivery of accurate, timely, and reliable lab testing.

Communicable Disease Program

The Communicable Disease Program includes rabies and tuberculosis services. This program focuses on disease prevention, detection, and control to reduce the spread of communicable diseases by:

• Preventing diseases through immunizations, education, and monitoring disease trends
• Investigating disease outbreaks
• Providing education to the public and community partners regarding disease prevention and control measures
• Providing treatment for some communicable diseases

Immunization Program

The Immunization Program strives to protect individuals and communities from vaccine preventable diseases by:

• Providing vaccines to all age groups
• Providing education regarding vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases
• Reducing the spread of vaccine preventable diseases
• Partnering with community agencies to fill gaps for immunization needs

Care Management for At-Risk Children (CMARC)

CMARC is a voluntary program offered at no charge for children (receiving Medicaid, private insurance, or uninsured) birth to five years of age. The goal of CMARC is to improve each child’s care by linking clients to services, support, and resources that will meet the specific needs of each family. A child may be eligible for CMARC if they have special health care needs, developmental delays/concern, were admitted to the Infant Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, had been referred by a doctor and/or health plan, or experienced adverse childhood events such as but not limited to parental/caregiver substance use, exposure to violence, foster care, and history of abuse/neglect.  Your Care Manager may:

• Ask about a child and family needs, concerns, and goals
• Assist in building a strong link to a medical home
• Provide community resource referrals
• Provide support to families dealing with challenging levels of stress
• Provide information on health and family topics
• Discuss a child’s health and development, including developmental assessments and referrals, as indicated

Care Management for High-Risk Pregnancies (CMHRP)

CMHRP is a no cost, voluntary program available to North Carolina Medicaid recipients who are pregnant or in their postpartum period. The goal of CMHRP is to help each individual have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. The Care Manager may:

• Work closely with each prenatal care provider
• Assist in coordinating care across all providers
• Assist with linkage to needed services and referrals (Ex: dental care, transportation, food and/or stable housing)
• Refer to other programs such as childbirth or breastfeeding education, family planning, and WIC, a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
• Provide pregnancy and postpartum care information, education, and tips