Children’s Health
The Northern Kentucky Health Department is committed to providing services to everyone, but provide a number of programs geared toward protecting the health of children. From childhood vaccines to preventing lead paint poisoning, we are committed to protecting children so they may grow into strong adults.
Kentucky Strengthening Families
Kentucky Strengthening Families (KYSF) is a partnership of more than 20 organizations dedicated to promoting protective factors in services and supports for children and their families.
For more information, please review the Kentucky Strengthening Families Fact Sheet.
Safe Infants Act
The Safe Infants Act allows parents to leave babies younger than 30 days old at a designated safe place. No one will call the police or ask for your name.
Partnership Prevention Efforts
Kentucky local health departments
Coroners
Local and state child fatality review teams
Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRIC)
Division of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DDID)
Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS)
Law enforcement
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Mental health treatment centers
SAFE KIDS
Civic organizations and faith-based centers
More Information/Resources
For more information on the Child Fatality Review and Injury Prevention program, contact Susan Guthier (susan.guthier@nkyhealth.org) or call 859-363-2090.
Child Fatality Review and Injury Prevention
Kentucky’s child fatality review program investigates child deaths and uses the information to prevent future incidents. Members include: health department, county coroner, police, social workers, school staff, EMS and physicians. The teams are organized and led by the Health Department. The NKY Health regional team covers Boone, Campbell, Grant, and Kenton counties.
Mission
The Program’s mission is to reduce threats to health and life, particularly deaths among all Kentucky children under 18 years of age.
What is our role?
To facilitate, develop policy, gather, and analyze data to identify trends, patterns, and risks, provide technical assistance and training, to review, develop, and implement strategies to improve the child fatality review and injury prevention system.
Other Programs
WIC Program
Each year, the Health Department assists more than 7,000 women in Northern Kentucky through the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Program, a federal program that provides specific nutritious foods along with nutrition and breastfeeding education at no cost.
HANDS
HANDS (Health Access Nurturing Development Services) is a voluntary home visitation program designed to assist pregnant women and new parents during their child’s first years of life. The Health Department contracts with Every Child Succeeds to provide HANDS services in Northern Kentucky.
Learn More
Safe Sleep
Each year, thousands of babies die from SIDS or other sleep-related causes. The Health Department offers a series of Safe Sleep steps that have been determined to lower the risk of a baby dying.
Learn More
Childhood Vaccines
Children are exposed to thousands of germs every day. Since their immune systems are still developing and they are highly vulnerable, vaccines give them the power so they can fight against these germs and the diseases they carry. Without the vaccines, they face severe complications and even death. Making sure your child receives the recommended routine vaccines is one of the best things you can do to protect them from serious diseases.
Child Care Health Consultation
The Child Care Health Consultation program promotes a healthy environment for young children in a child care setting.
Child care health consultants, nurses or health educators, can provide educational programs for children, families and child care providers on health, safety and nutrition issues.
Consultants also serve as a resource for child care providers and can be consulted on a variety of health and safety issues.
Programs provided include:
- Classes for child care providers, many of which can fulfill contact hours. Topics include abuse/neglect, blood-borne pathogens, head lice, etc.
- Interactive programs for children ages 3 to 6 on health and safety issues such as dental health, playground safety and hand washing.
Resources
Infectious disease manual: The Prevention, Control and Management of Infectious Diseases and Other Resources for Child Care and Early Care Settings manual provides resources for child care providers on communicable disease issues.
Total Worker Health program: This project focuses on personal health and safety of child care providers in early care environments. View the guide.
PLANNT (Preschoolers Learning about Nature and Nutrition Together) Curriculum: A program for children ages 3-5 to increase environmental awareness and stewardship through gardening and garden-related activities. Please note the files are large and may take a few minutes to download.
Introduction Spring unit Summer unit Fall unit Winter unit
More Information
For more information on the Child Care Health Consultation program, please contact Susan Guthier at susan.guthier@nkyhealth.org or 859-363-2090.
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Health Department staff address childhood lead poisoning in a variety of ways, including providing screenings, overseeing treatment, and working to remove lead risks in homes — all with the goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning. Lead is a harmful element that is toxic to the human body even in tiny amounts. Every year, many children in Kentucky are affected by lead poisoning. Learn more about lead and its health effects.
Screening
Every child should be tested by his or her primary care provider for lead poisoning at ages 9 to 12 months and again at age 24 months. Children with a higher risk should be tested more frequently. A Health Department nurse works to manage the cases of any children found to have high blood lead levels. Information regarding lead test results: English, Spanish
Investigation
Staff from the Health Department conducts investigations for possible causes when a child is found to have high blood lead levels.
Education and outreach
Health Department staff collaborate with community groups and state and federal agencies to provide education around childhood lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning prevention and properties
Nearly all lead poisoning cases in Northern Kentucky are associated with buildings that were built prior to 1978 and contain lead-based paint. To reduce the risk of childhood lead poisoning, the following are recommended:
- Ask about lead before buying or renting. The owner must disclose known information about lead-based paint hazards
- Owners or renters should be careful when restoring or renovating homes built before 1978. Certain guidelines are in place for lead hazard abatement, when lead levels are known to be above safe levels, and lead-safe work practices. For more information, call 859-341-4151.
Lead in School Drinking Water
When a building such as a school has been vacant over a period of time, even a long weekend, water sits in the plumbing of the building and water fountains. The longer the water is stagnant in the lines, the greater the chance of a decrease in water quality. If lead materials are present in the building plumbing, higher levels of lead can result from the stagnation.
The following links provide ways to flush the plumbing system of school buildings. Performing these additional steps can help ensure that the drinking water in school buildings is safe for consumption. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mary Carol Wagner, Water Quality Manager, at 859-441-0482.
Additional resources
- EPA’s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water
- EPA’s 3Ts Toolkit
- Reference guide for schools that have their own water supply
- Webinars for community water systems related to lead in schools and child care facilities
- “Lead in Drinking Water at Schools”
- “Ensuring Drinking Water Quality in Schools During and After Extended Closures” (pdf)
- “Ensuring Drinking Water Quality in Child Care Facilities During and After Extended Closures” (pdf)