The Great Lakes Community Action Partnership is hosting a no cost, online training for homeowners with private wells. The program will cover regional considerations for preparing to leave your home and private well for extended periods and, more importantly, what needs to be done when returning to ensure your drinking water is safe from issues that can lead to illness or even hospitalization upon your return. To register for this free training, click HERE.
The Ashland County Board of Health will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday November 12, 2024, for the review of the proposed 2025 license fee schedule for Food Service Operations and Retail Food Establishments.
The hearing will be at the Health Department offices, Board Room, located at 1211 Claremont Ave, Ashland, Ohio.
The upcoming renewal levy is extremely important to the overall operations of the Ashland County Health Department. Under Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3709.01, the state is divided into health districts. We serve the city and the county under a general health district legally known as the Ashland County Health District. This is the name that will appear on the ballot in November. Because the City of Ashland pays for our services through a contract, Ashland City residents will not vote on our levy renewal, only County residents will see the renewal on their ballot. Levy money supports the health department services that Ohio law requires residents to have, whether that be through a local health department such as ours, or a health department located elsewhere in Ohio. It is important to support our local health department through the renewal levy, so our services stay local.
Click HERE for answers to levy renewal frequently asked questions.
Ashland’s Health Commissioner, Vickie Taylor, was a guest speaker on Keeping Ashland Healthy in September 2024. She joined experts from Mental Health and Recovery of Ashland County and the Ashland County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ACCADA) to discuss overdose awareness in Ashland County. Additionally, the episode features information on how to secure NARCAN or a NaloxBox. For more information, contact the Ashland County Health Department at 419-282-4231 or ACCADA at 419-289-7675.
Ashland County’s 2023-2025 Community Health Improvement Plan identified colorectal cancer incidence rates as an area of concern. Data from the National Cancer Institute Measurement period of 2016-2020 reflects the following deaths/100,000 population: 23.3 for Ashland County; 14.5 for Ohio; and 13.3 for the United States. The Healthy People 2030 Target is 8.9 deaths/100,000. Ashland County’s health and human service agencies are trying to identify why this number is high. Studies show colorectal cancer screening rates are lower in rural areas in the USA.
Click here to read a research paper that explores why colorectal cancer screening rates are lower in rural areas.
Every U.S. household can again place an order to receive free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home. If you haven’t ordered tests since the program reopened in September, you can place two orders for a total of eight tests. Order through COVID Home Tests | USPS. If you need help placing an order, call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).
Orders will ship free, so you will never be asked for a credit card or bank account number. You only need to give a name and shipping address. An email address is optional if you would like to track your order through the U.S. Postal Service. Anyone who asks for more information than that is a scammer! No one will call, text, or email you from the federal government to ask for your information to “help” you order free kits. Do not respond, but report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Ashland County residents can also pick up a limited supply of free COVID-19 rapid test kits at our office on 1211 Claremont Avenue, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Many of these kits have had their expiration dates extended beyond what may be printed on the packaging. Instructions on how to verify extended expiration can be found here At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests | FDA