Health Promotion & Wellness

Promoting Healthy Communities

Rice County Public Health offers a wide variety of health education programs for schools, worksites, and community groups. Staff members work collaboratively with many organizations and groups in the community to create policies, systems, and environmental changes which promote and protect the health of the residents of Rice County. View a list of Rice County Healthy Living Resources (PDF).

Healthy Living 

• WellConnect and Juniper are hubs for evidenced-based healthy living classes in Rice County and Southern Minnesota. Search for programs by going to the WellConnect or Juniper web pages.

​Chemical & Mental Health Resources

• Visit the Rice County Chemical Health Resource Directory

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• Visit the Rice County Mental Health Resource Directory
• Naloxone Information and Resources in Rice County:https://www.ricecountycmhc.org/naloxone/

Tobacco Information & Resources

• Find free help to quit your way at Quit Partner
• Quick Facts on the Risks of E-Cigarettes 
• School E-cigarette toolkit - (PDF)
• Electronic Cigarettes  What's the Bottom Line (PDF)
• MDH Health Advisory: Nicotine and Risk of Addiction for Youth 
• U.S. Surgeon General Advisory regarding E-Cigarettes and Youth and MDH recommendations 

Health Promotion Activities

• Chronic Disease Prevention - asthma, cancer, diabetes
• Diet and Nutrition - nutrition education, community gardens, farmers markets
• Health and Happiness Project- help our community build skills to cope with stress, promote a positive outlook, build resiliency, and shift their mindset
• Health Care Access - help for under-insured and uninsured in accessing health care in Rice County
• Healthy Home Environments (PDF) - home assessments and education
• Home Safety - home safety instruction for injury and fall prevention
• Indoor Air quality - radon, environmental tobacco smoke, mold
• Mental Health - promotion activities, resources
• Physical Activity and Healthy Weight - promotion of parks and recreation, non-motorized transportation, healthy lifestyle
• Sun Safety - use of Dermascan to show sun damage
• Tobacco Use Cessation - prevention activities, carbon monoxide monitor, QUITPLAN Minnesota
• U of M Children, Youth and Family Consortium Video "Mental Health: Yours, Mine and Ours"

Air Quality Information

• BeAirAwareMN.org is a website to help you protect your health and improve air quality. It provides information on indoor and outdoor air quality, tips on what you can do to improve air quality, and links to data on air quality and health outcomes in Minnesota. Real-time data available about air quality conditions in Minnesota for common pollutants including fine particles and ozone. This website is jointly maintained by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Radon Testing

• Testing for radon is easy, inexpensive and only takes three to five days. The best time to test is during the heating season, but testing can be done year-round. Free test kits are available at Rice County Public Health, located in the Government Services Building, 320 Third Street Northwest, Faribault.
• For more information about radon visit: Minnesota Department of Health.