Health Promotion

Tobacco Use Prevention/Cessation

Rice County Public Health is involved in a variety of efforts designed to encourage Rice County residents, particularly youth, not to initiate or continue tobacco product use. Public Health staff provides leadership for the STAAT! (Students Taking Action Against Tobacco!) Coalition in Faribault, work with a variety of community partners to offer education and outreach, participate in the Northfield Chemical Health Task Force and other youth-focused groups, and work with the WIC Program to encourage families with children to provide a smoke free home environment. Rice County Public Health also sponsors tobacco cessation classes for young people in Rice County.

Chronic Disease Prevention

Public Health staff work with community partners, including area clinics and hospitals, to offer information to the public regarding chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Staff is available to participate in worksite and community-based health fairs, to provide group presentations on a variety of topics, and to make available health education materials and resources. Please contact Rice County Public Health and ask for the Public Health Nurse Health Educator. The News and Information portion of this website includes links to other chronic disease information resources.

Radon Awareness and Testing

The Minnesota Department of Health estimates states that as many as one in three homes in Minnesota have radon levels at or above the action level of 4.0 pCi/L (picoCuries per liter). Rice County Public Health has as its goals to, with the assistance of the Minnesota Department of Health, increase public awareness of radon and its health risks and increase the number of Rice County homes tested for radon. To accomplish this, Rice County Public Health is offering short- and long-term radon test kits to the residents of Rice County free-of-charge and providing outreach and education regarding radon and its risks. Information about radon in Minnesota can be found at:

www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/index.html

Promoting Health Care Access

Rice County Public Health is an active participant in a number of local efforts to increase access to health care in Rice County. This includes the HealthFinders coalition, which represents health care providers, social service agencies, faith communities, consumers, and others interested in expanding access to health services, particularly low income persons without health insurance. The Public Health Department was also active in the Northfield Dental Panel, which considered issues related to access to dental services for low income children living in the Northfield area. In Fall 2004 the Department expects to begin involvement with the Miles of Smiles Program, an outgrowth of the Northfield Dental Panel, which aims to increase dental services for low-income children throughout Rice County.