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Hi there,
As I reflect on the past year, I’m in awe of the work Oakland County’s Department of Health and Human Services has accomplished. We have a lot to be proud of this year! Here are just a few new initiatives we started in 2024:
In addition, we continued to provide important services for Oakland County residents to stay healthy. Here are a few examples of our impact in 2024:
- Connected with 2,288 people to provide counseling and answers on housing concerns
- Conducted 15,102 inspections at 4,879 licensed food service establishments
- Assisted 11,779 WIC clients each month
- Answered 16,856 Nurse on Call phone calls and emails
- Provided 34,916 immunizations at our health centers and outreach clinics
These are only some examples of the great work our dedicated staff did in 2024. I celebrate these successes and know I speak on behalf of all our employees when I say that we are pleased to serve our residents and look forward to providing you even more quality public health programs in 2025!
In good health,
Leigh-Anne Stafford, Director, Health and Human Services
Test your home for Radon - Free test kits available
Protect your health by testing your home for radon during National Radon Action Month this January. Radon test kits for homes are free for Oakland County residents at Health Division offices in Pontiac and Southfield, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Elevated radon levels have been found in all 83 Michigan counties, and one-in-four Michigan homes has high levels of radon. It is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is usually harmless outdoors. The only way to know if your home has high radon levels is to test. The gas can get into homes through small cracks in the foundation and can accumulate, becoming a health hazard.
Test your home for radon every two years during the winter months, since windows and doors typically remain closed during cooler temperatures, allowing radon gas to collect inside and be more easily detected. If high levels of radon are found, contact our Environmental Health Services at 248-858-1312 in Pontiac or 248-424-7191 in Southfield, for more information about radon mitigation.
Grocery store tours improve shopping experience for WIC clients
Throughout 2024, our Oakland County Women Infants and Children (WIC) program hosted grocery store tours in Southfield aimed at helping shoppers overcome obstacles when shopping for WIC foods. In the tour, a WIC dietitian walks participants through the store, answers questions, provides education about WIC foods and nutrition tips. Tours also educate and help the store staff understand the WIC program so they can help people with their benefits if issues arise.
Tours are monthly, and any WIC client is welcome. The plan is to continue in 2025 and expand to different parts of Oakland County. Oakland County is one of the first WIC clinics in Michigan to pilot grocery store tours and it has caught the attention of the State of Michigan WIC vendor unit!
Call 248-858-1272 for more information on grocery store tours or WIC.
Whooping cough cases on the rise in Michigan
Pertussis is a very contagious respiratory disease caused by bacteria. Commonly called Whooping Cough, it can cause severe, prolonged coughing. It easily spreads through coughs and sneezes. Michigan is experiencing its highest number of pertussis cases in more than a decade.
The best way to prevent whooping cough is with the pertussis vaccine, which doctors often give in combination with vaccines against two other serious diseases — diphtheria and tetanus. The whooping cough vaccine you receive as a child eventually wears off, leaving most teenagers and adults susceptible to infection later if exposed. Infants who are younger than age 12 months who are unvaccinated or haven't received the full set of recommended vaccines have the highest risk for severe complications and death.
Talk to your healthcare provider to see if you are up to date. Vaccines are also available at our Health Division clinics in Pontiac or Southfield.
National Birth Defect Awareness Month
January marks National Birth Defect Awareness Month. Birth defects can happen during any pregnancy and researchers are unsure what causes most birth defects. Some birth conditions cannot be prevented, but, we know there are factors that may increase the risk of birth defects, such as health insurance status, access to prenatal and/or preventative care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and access to nutritional foods during pregnancy (CDC). These factors don’t impact all people in the same way. For example, studies have shown that having access to quality prenatal healthcare can help reduce risk for birth defects, yet women of color are more likely to experience negative interactions in the healthcare system due to racism and discrimination, resulting in provider mistrust or differential medical treatment (March of Dimes). Women of color are less likely to receive regular prenatal visits compared to all pregnant women (March of Dimes).
Oakland County Health Division offers several maternal health programs working alongside expecting parents and families to ensure they receive crucial prenatal services that help reduce the risk of birth defects and support families who have children with birth defects. Individuals and families can call Nurse on Call at 1-800-848-5533 to learn more about program eligibility.
Note: The term birth defect was used in this article to reference a medical condition, no individual is defective. This language follows CDC language recommendations.
Join our team!
 There are some jobs open right now working for Oakland County. Health and Human Services is currently hiring Public Health Nurses, Sanitarians, Public Health Educator, part-time Hearing and Vision Tech, student positions and more! Visit www.oakgov.com/jobs to learn more about these positions and to apply.
More Health Division info
Check out our webpage page for information about our services and various health topics. You can also call our Nurse on Call hotline at 1-800-848-5533, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oakgov.com/health is the best place to receive the latest information. Add, update, or opt out of Health Division email or text communications by clicking here.
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