Child Health

Webster County Public Health offers several programs relating to Child Health.

  • Early Access:  The purpose of this program is to help the families of young children with disabilities or at risk for delays in development to identify, coordinate and provide the services and resources needed for their infant to develop and grow.  Eligible children are those from birth to age 3 years who have a condition or disability that is known to have a high probability for later delays in growth and development if early intervention services were not provided.  Under this program we also provide Care Coordination to lead poisoned children.

  • Lead Testing:  All children under the age of 6 years are assured access to blood lead testing and follow-up services.  The follow-up services vary from care coordination to remind families of the need for annual testing to the most intensive level of in-patient medical services with environmental referral for intervention.  The test is performed by doing a finger poke.  Alongside of Tricia Nichols, RN, Margaret Woodruff, LPN also assists with case management in the lead poisoning prevention program.  All children must have a lead test done before the start school.  Non Title 19 clients can get tested for $15.

  • Home Visitation Program:  With this program a public health nurse can come to the home and do a skilled nursing assessment on a child.  This child could be a premature infant or a child with health concerns.  If it is a continuing concern then we can continue to see the child until the need is no longer a concern.  A referral is not needed.

  • EPSDT (Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis Treatment):  This program is something that all Title 19 children birth through 20 years old is on.  Once they turn 21 years old they are no longer on this program.  When the child is new to Title 19 they receive a letter from the health department welcoming them to the program and then about a week later they get a call from a health department employee explaining the program and making sure they don’t have any questions.  If after two attempts to reach the client we don’t reach them we will re-send them the information 6 months later and try and reach them at that time.  The program’s goal is to make sure the children are getting into their doctor for their well child check-ups.  This includes dentists, eye doctors & hearing tests as well. We want to make sure we keep the children healthy by making sure they are getting well child exams not just visiting the doctor when they are sick.  The parents/guardians will receive a letter when it’s time to take them in for a well child check up.  The age will be written in for what well child check up they need.  For example if they are about to turn 14 years your letter will say 14 year old well child check up.  You will receive the letter the month before the child is ready to turn that age.  The EPSDT program also allows for us to assist you with locating services in regards to your child’s health.
For more information contact:

Email: public_health@webstercountyia.gov
Phone: 515-573-4107