Health Department

Name Title
Jenn Donovan, RN Director/Public Health Nurse
Tisha Kohlmeyer Administrative Assistant/Billing
Barb Jasper, RN Public Health Nurse/School Nurse
Amy Hengel, RN Public Health Nurse/School Nurse
Amy Parks MS, MPH, MCHES Community Health and Communicable Disease Specialist, Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Lead Local Official
Melanie Batt Clinical Investigator and Communications Coordinator
Janet Smith Parents as Teachers Family Engagement Specialist/Certified Lactation Counselor/Child Passenger Safety Technician/Birthing Doula/Child Birth Educator/Tobacco Prevention Specialist
Laura Acker Parents as Teachers Family Engagement Specialist/Certified Lactation Counselor/Child Passenger Safety Technician/Birthing Doula/ Child Birth Educator
Jackie Allard Parents as Teachers Family Engagement Specialist/Certified Lactation Counselor/Child Passenger Safety Technician/Birthing Doula/Child Birth Educator/Tobacco Prevention Specialist
April Quinlan Parents as Teachers Supervisor/Healthy Communities Coalition Facilitator/Grant Coordinator
Jessica Schaak Parent Liaison Supervisor/Zero to Five Grant Coordinator

Mineral County Health Department is committed to promoting optimal health, supporting disease prevention and improving access to health services through an actively engaged community supported by quality Public Health services. The staff at MCHD are committed to ensuring the best possible health outcomes for the residents of Mineral County. Please refer to our contact page to get in touch with the right person for your needs.

Services

Car Seat Installation Station

Nationally certified technicians are on staff to teach parents and caregivers all they can do to prevent unintentional injuries in and around cars. Call (406)822-3564 to schedule the following:

  • Learn how to install your child’s car seat or booster seat
  • Check that your child is in the proper size car seat or booster seat
  • Receive a new car seat or booster seat free of charge

Call today to schedule an appointment 406-822-3564

Links

Communicable Disease

Prevention: There are many ways to prevent the spread of disease. Vaccinations have helped eliminate or greatly reduce disease threats. Proper handwashing, especially before and after handling food and using the toilet, helps keep germs at bay. Other important ways to slow or stop disease transmission are by ensuring the food we eat and water we drink is safe, avoiding people who are sick, and practicing safe sex.

Some diseases spread from one person to another while others can spread from animal to person. Some are spread through the air, by touch, or through bodily fluids. Some diseases may produce mild symptoms; others can be lethal. Communicable diseases are passed between people by having direct contact with an infected person, contact with an infected person’s fluids, or indirectly by a vector (a tick or mosquito). The Communicable Disease Program at MCHD works with local healthcare providers to prevent, identify, and limit the spread of those diseases. The state of Montana requires local health departments to follow-up on over 40 different diseases/conditions (see Reportable Disease List below).

Depending on the disease, our goal may be to identify the source of infection, identify high-risk contacts, facilitate treatment, and/or provide education to the public. There are many reasons you may receive a call from a communicable disease specialist:

  • Identification of community exposures. For reportable food borne illnesses it is important to ensure there is not a common food source causing illness. We will ask for a list of foods eaten, recreational water and animal exposure. The information from ill contacts and results from stool samples help gather evidence to point to potential sources.
  • Identifying high-risk contacts. Depending on the disease, we may be able to protect people who are at high risk for complications. For example, when we call someone with pertussis we will ask about their contact with children under 12 months, pregnant women, or immunocompromised people. We can get in touch with those people and talk with their providers about prophylactic antibiotics.
  • Prevention and education. Some diseases such a malaria and Lyme disease are not found in Montana. We will ask people about travel to other states and countries so CDC can have accurate data about where people are getting sick with diseases.
  • To keep diseases from spreading. The Food Code mandates food workers to not prepare or serve food when they are sick with certain diseases. For example, if you are a food worker and diagnosed with salmonella we can work with you and your job so your supervisor understands what work you are able to do until you are no longer contagious. An outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease in a school or daycare setting may require children who are not vaccinated to be excluded until there is no longer transmission of the disease in that setting.
  • Animal bite investigations. We investigate all animal bites reported to us in order to protect the public from the threat of rabies. Rabies is a serious disease that affects animals and humans and can result in death if left untreated. It is commonly associated with wild animals such as raccoons, skunk, bats, foxes and coyotes. The disease can spread to people and pets when the saliva from a rabid animal enters the body by way of a bite or a scratch, or through contact with the eyes, nose or mouth. Rabies is very preventable. Investigations are carried out in an effort to minimize human exposure to the disease. We strive to educate our communities on the importance of vaccinating our pets, avoiding contact with wildlife and strays, and reporting all animal bite and exposure incidents to our office. We work closely with animal owners, people who have been bitten or scratched by an animal, local law enforcement and town officers, and health care providers to make sure our community members remain safe.

We appreciate the cooperation and goodwill from the residents of Mineral County who work with us to help keep community members healthy.

Links with more information:

Are you a health care provider needing to report a confirmed or suspect case of a communicable disease?

    • Please call (406) 822-3564 or fax (406) 822-3745.
    • If you need to reach the Mineral County Health Dept after hours to report an urgent public health matter:<br/ >Call the Mineral County Sheriff’s office at 406.822.3555.

Community Health

Community health is the collective well-being of community members. In addition to living in the same neighborhood or region, these populations often share health characteristics, ethnicities, and socioeconomic conditions.
Public health professionals engaged in community health identify how variables related to socioeconomic status — such as income levels, nutrition, crime, and transportation resources — impact people. They also determine how the community’s medical and educational resources contribute to residents’ lifestyles and what improvements are called for. Key elements of community health include:

  1. Identifying top public health concerns within the specific geographic area, such as environmental and social factors that affect healthy life choices.
  2. Developing an intervention plan to address resource gaps in the community, such as establishing community health centers, mobile clinics, and outreach programs.
  3. Educating residents on the benefits of preventive care and healthy behaviors to facilitate life changes.
  4. Providing essential services such as screenings, social support, and counseling.
  5. Helping residents gain access to resources such as affordable medical, dental, and mental health care services; insurance (Medicare or Medicaid enrollment); translation and transportation services; or housing, food, and education.
  6. Reducing the need for expensive emergency care and hospitalizations.
  7. Advocating for improved care for at-risk populations to state and federal policymakers.
  8. Working with other community agencies to address the area’s mental, physical, cultural, and social characteristics, including nutrition, housing, and transportation.

Links

COVID Vaccine, Testing, and General Information

Current COVID Flyers:

COVID-19 Testing:

General Information and instructions for individuals who are positive for COVID

COVID Vaccine Information
Call 406-822-3564 to schedule an appointment for:

    • In-office
    • Drive-Up
    • Offsite in your community

What to bring to your appointment:

  •  Call 406-822-3564 to schedule an appointment
  • You no longer need to have your COVID vaccine card updated. However, we can continue to update if you prefer that.
  • Health insurance card(s). Your health insurance will be billed for the vaccine and an administrative fee. MCHD has vaccine available to those that are uninsured or underinsured at no cost to the patient.
  • Wear a mask and a short-sleeved shirt.

 

HB702 Prohibits discrimination based on a person’s vaccination status or possession of an immunity passport.


COVID-19 Information

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness PHEP

Public Health emergencies can arise anywhere. Infectious disease, natural and man-made disasters, including terrorism, can impact Mineral County at any time.  Our local emergency preparedness program works to prepare for and respond to health emergencies, coordinate local surveillance and response systems, and keep Mineral County citizens informed of any public health related emergencies.

Links:

Family and Pregnancy Resources

Family Connections Collaborative (FCC)

The Family Connections Collaborative (FCC) is primarily funded by the Headwaters Foundation and provides services and support to children and families in Mineral County. Led by a Design Team of nine individuals, it is of the utmost importance to the FCC to work for our community in determining innovative and creative ways to define and address positive parenting. Through our efforts, we hope to improve outcomes for young children and build a strong, supportive system for families.

Currently the FCC operates numerous initiatves, all of which are free of charge and available to all Mineral County families. Programs include the Parent Liaison Program, which provides support to families at each of the three Mineral County schools, universal Home Visiting for families, doula services, birthing and parenting classes, and parent mental health consultations. The FCC also hosts family events throughout the year, and supports a Circle of Parents group for Mineral County moms and Mineral County’s Healthy Communities Coalition.

In addition, the FCC provides funding for Imagination Library for Mineral County families, scholarships for professionals and parents pursuing training related to early childhood or parent support, classroom resources for teachers throughout Mineral County, and event scholarships for organizations hosting events for young children and families.

For more information or to find out how you can get involved in the FCC, please reach out to Jessica Schaak at jessicas@co.mineral.mt.us or April Quinlan at aquinlan@co.mineral.mt.us or contact either at (406) 822-3564.

Links:

 

 

Maternal Child Health

We offer Developmental Screenings, Women Infant and Children (WIC) Nutrition Services, Immunizations, Communicable Disease Counseling, Parents as Teachers Home Visiting Services and Group Connections (family events and activities), Birthing Doula Services, Birth Education Classes, and Infant Feeding Support (breastfeeding/pumping/chest feeding and formula).

Links

Parents as Teachers

Parents as Teachers is a family engagement program. This program is free and available to all Mineral County families during pregnancy and with children ages newborn through kindergarten completion. Our certified parent educators support parents/caregivers in their roles as their child’s first and most important teacher by providing the following: Family engagement activities; child screenings including vision, hearing, and both physical and social emotional development; and family/community resource connections. Our program strives to support families with tools and resources needed to anticipate child development needs and approach parenting with confidence.

See this video for more information on the Mineral County PAT program.

Visit the following websites and Facebook page for more program information:

Program Highlights

  • Personalized Family Visits Consist of:
    • Individualized child and parent activities
    • Child development information
    • Community Resource Information
    • Family Goal Setting
  • Developmental Screenings – Performed annually, as needed, or by request
    • Vision
    • Hearing
    • Ages and Stages Development Screening
    • Social Emotional Screenings
  • Resources
    • Access to the Mineral County Resource Network
  • Goal Setting
    • Parent Educators work with parents to set both individual and family goals and provide support in meeting those goals.
  • Group Connections
    • Community events for parents and children.
    • Provided throughout the year. See Facebook page for updates on events.

Photo Gallery

Immunization

Mineral County Health Department offers ACIP recommended childhood immunizations and some adult vaccinations.  Immunizations are an important for individual health and safety and disease prevention in our community.  We offer the federally-funded vaccine program (Vaccines for Children – VFC) available to children who are not insured or underinsured. Please call 406-822-3564 for an appointment.  We request that you bring your immunization record to all appointments.

 

Forms

Screening Questionnaire for Teen Vaccinations
New patient face sheet
Consent and health screening
MCHD privacy statement

Links

Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program

  • The goal of the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program is to reduce disease, disability, and death related to tobacco use by:
    • Preventing tobacco use among young people;
    • Eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke;
    • Eliminating disparities related to tobacco use and its effects among certain population groups; and
    • Promoting quitting among adults and young people.

 Links

Public Health Accreditation Board Pathways Program

The Mineral County Health Department believes in quality and accountability. We are working toward acknowledgement from PHAB through streamlining internal processes demonstrating adherence with best practices for our community members. Please read the following description in this link to see why this is so very important to us and the health of our community: https://phaboard.org/accreditation-recognition/pathways-recognition-program/

Link

School Nursing Services

All three school districts in Mineral County contract for nursing services through the Mineral County Health Department.  Contact your local school today to visit with your school nurse to enhance the health and safety of your child during the school day.

Alberton School (406) 722- 4413
Saint Regis School (406) 649-2311
Superior School (406) 822-3600

Forms

Educational Information

Head Lice and Nits

WIC

MCHD offers this supplemental nutrition program for income-eligible families, pregnant through age five. Services include healthy food, nutrition information, breastfeeding support, and connection to community resources. Call 406-822-3564 to schedule an appointment.

Links

Job Openings

There are no openings at this time

Applications accepted until position is filled