Community Health Services

The Community Health Services Division promotes and protects the health of all persons within Cayuga County. Community health is the collective well-being of community members. Community Characteristics which include ethnicities, socioeconomic conditions, health problems, and disease greatly contribute to the general state of community health. The goal of Community Health Services is to enhance healthcare services and patient outcomes through identifying top public health concerns within the county and collaborate with community partners to address the issues. Community health is an important element of health reform efforts that aim to low national health care expenses. Community Health Services provides public health education and programming in a variety of programs that are available to residents of Cayuga County.

Programs include:

• Breastfeeding Support
• Cancer Services Program
• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
• Communicable Disease Intervention and Control
• Healthy Neighborhoods Program
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Immunization Program and Clinics
• Injury Prevention
• Prenatal, Maternal, & Child Health
• Sexually Transmitted Infection / HIV Education and Testing

Programs for Children with Special Healthcare Needs

The Cayuga County Health Department has four programs for children with special health care needs: Early Intervention (EI), Child Find Program, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN), and Preschool Special Education. These programs provide assistance to families with children / youth with disabilities who may need help accessing various health care professionals and other community resources. Staff is available for care-coordination. We offer telephone assistance and/or home visit support that may be needed. We can team with you and your Primary Care Provider to help ensure that your child receives the best plan of services for his/her optimal health and development. There is no cost to families for participation in EI, Child Find Program, CYSHCN, or the Preschool Special Education Program.

 Programs include:

• Early Intervention (EI)
• Child Find Program
• Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)
• Preschool Special Education Program

Environmental Health

Environmental health programs are aimed at reducing risks to human health due to numerous environmental factors. We are responsible for enforcing most areas of the New York State Sanitary Code and related laws. This Division also enforces regulations regarding smoking and the sale of tobacco to minors, operates a rabies control program involving a follow-up on all animal bites, and works to reduce lead hazards in the homes of lead poisoned children. In addition, this division investigates public health nuisances, and provides technical information to the public on a wide array of topics including West Nile Virus, rabies, mold, radon, and private wells.

Programs include:

• Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA) and Clean Indoor Air Act
• Concerns regarding Mold, Radon, & Indoor Air Issues
• Emergency Preparedness
• Public Health Nuisance Investigation
• Public Water Supply Protection
• Rabies Prevention Program
• Realty Subdivision Review
• Regulation of the following:
  1. Agriculture Fairgrounds
  2. Campgrounds
  3. Children’s Camps
  4. Food Service Establishments
  5. Hotels & Motels
  6. Individual Septic Systems (installation and inspection)
  7. Migrant Labor Camps
  8. Mobile Home Parks
  9. Private Wells
  10. Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Beaches
  11. Tanning Facilities
• Residential Lead Assessment
• Temporary Residences
• Vector-borne Illnesses
  1. Lyme Disease
  2. West Nile Virus
  3. Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

Women, Infants, & Children Supplemental Food Program (WIC)

WIC provides many benefits to pregnant women, breastfeeding moms and babies, moms with a baby younger than six months, infants and children who are younger than five years old including foster children, children living with caretakers such as dad, grandparents, or other family members. Applicants must meet guidelines for income and residence. Those who receive Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) automatically qualify.

Programs include:

• Nutrition Assessment and Education
• Breastfeeding Counseling and Support
• Monthly Electronic Benefits for Nutritious Food (eWIC)
• Referrals to Other services:
  1. Doula Program
  2. Early Head Start and Head Start
  3. Family Planning
  4. Lactation Specialist
  5. Lead and Immunization Screening
  6. Medicaid
  7. Mental Health Services
  8. Play Space
  9. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) / Food Stamps
  10. Temporary Assistance to Need Families (TANF)
  11. Well Baby and Child Care