Health Department Services

The New River Health District provides services in local health department clinics, schools, homes, and at other sites within the community. The overall goals of our services are to promote health, prevent disease, and protect the environment. For more information about these services or to make a health care appointment, please contact your local health department.

Baby Care

Registered Nurses, trained in maternal and child health, identify needs, provide clinical services, and coordinate support resources for pregnant women and their children up to age 2.


Care Connection for Children

Special medical support services for income-eligible children who have conditions that require long-term medical and special health care. Examples of long-term medical conditions are congenital heart disease, hemophilia, and diabetes.


Communicable Disease Prevention and Control

Services include screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of all persons exposed to specific diseases–tuberculosis (TB), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, foodborne illnesses, etc. Information is given regarding preventing disease, recognizing symptoms, and obtaining treatment.


Environmental Health

Environmental Health professionals provide site evaluation, design, and permits for on-site sewage disposal (septic systems) and wells (Click here to get online forms, and see other informative links), restaurant and temporary food event permits, food handling education, and investigate animal bites, environmental complaints and foodborne diseases.


Family Planning & Birth Control

Clinicians and registered nurses provide comprehensive family planning/reproductive health information and services to help clients plan pregnancies under optimal health conditions. Services include physical examinations, pap smears, STI screenings, birth control, etc. Local health department staff can also help eligible men and women apply for Plan First, a state-funded insurance plan that covers the cost of an annual physical exam, testing for STIs, family planning education, birth control, and sterilization procedures. Women and men who are 18 years of age and over may be eligible if they:

  • Are US citizens or qualified legal immigrants
  • Live in Virginia
  • Meet the monthly income limits
  • Do not currently have medical insurance (including Medicaid/FAMIS)
  • Have not had a procedure that prevents pregnancy

Health Education

Health education and prevention programs are of key importance in reducing the medical burden of chronic disease and injury in American society.  New River Health District staff offer community initiatives on a variety of health topics such as nutrition, physical activity, management of chronic disease, breast cancer screening, and modifying health-risk behaviors, etc., and participate in health fairs and special health observances.


Immunizations for Children and Adults

New River Health District offers all childhood vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, HPV, haemophilus influenzae B (HIB), and hepatitis B) and adult vaccines such as tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B, influenza, meningococcal, and pneumonia. Some school-based clinics are available throughout the district.


International Travel

Services include an initial travel consultation to review travel itinerary, previous immunizations, chronic diseases, pregnancy, and/or special disability needs. Appropriate immunizations and other preventive medications are offered based on CDC recommendations and requirements specific to the travel itinerary. Additional information is provided regarding visa/embassy requirements, evacuation insurance, food and water safety, insect protection, and other general travel tips.


Maternity Care

Pregnant women are provided medical examinations; education regarding healthy lifestyle behaviors including nutrition, breastfeeding, exercise, and safety; and referrals to other agencies. Home visiting services, BabyCare and Resource Mothers, are offered to high-risk pregnant women.


Pre-Admission Nursing Home Screenings

Medicaid clients or persons who anticipate becoming Medicaid eligible are screened to determine if significant needs exist which require admission to a nursing home. Based on the results of the screening, clients and families may be offered the option of nursing home placement or “in-home” Personal Care Services.


Resource Mothers

Teenagers who are pregnant or parenting their first newborn are eligible to receive adult mentoring services from women who have raised children of their own. Mentors reinforce basic health education related to pregnancy and parenting such as nutrition, infant growth and development, coping skills, and the importance of receiving health care services for themselves and for their infants. Resource Mothers help young parents keep medical appointments, develop plans for the baby’s care, stay in school or continue working, delay repeat pregnancies until adulthood, and solve the myriad of day-to-day problems involved in being a new parent.


Safety (Car) Seat Program

The Low-Income Safety (Car) Seat Program is administered by Resource Mothers who provide car safety seat education and distribute free child safety seats to eligible low-income families.


Vital Records and Health Statistics

Local health departments are responsible for registering home births and issuing copies of death certificates to authorized persons as requested. Virginia Department of Health (VDH) vital records clerks compile, publish, and maintain statistical data such as births (including low birth weight, teenage), deaths by major causes; marriages and divorces; and incidence of communicable diseases.


Well Child Care

Infants and children are provided periodic comprehensive medical examinations, immunizations to prevent childhood infectious diseases, developmental screenings, lead screening, parental education regarding nutrition, safety, and health, and referrals to other agencies. BabyCare and Resource Mothers enrollment are offered to high-risk infants and children


Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program

WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children. The goal of the program is to improve the health of pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children (under 5 years) through better nutrition and access to health care. The program provides screening and referrals to other health, welfare, and social service agencies, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, as well as supplemental nutritious foods.  To be eligible for the WIC Program, applicants must meet categorical, residential, income and nutrition risk requirements.