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Resources for our community.

Community HealthResources

Naloxone

Naloxone

Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcanâ„¢, is reverses opioid overdoses.  Naloxone has been used by medical professionals since 1971, but wasn’t available to the general public until 2015 when the FDA approved an over-the-counter version of it. The nasal spray does not require any special training or certification for using it. In Washington state, there is a standing order for naloxone, which means anyone can obtain it without a prescription or prior referral for free.  Lincoln County Health Department provides naloxone free to anyone who or you can order it through the mail via the WA Department of Health. You can also find other locations in the state via the Washington State Naloxone Finder.

Substance Use Prevention Coordinator
Ratna Bhupalam
509.215.1044

Email Ratna

Naloxone blocks the effects of opioids by attaching itself to the opioid receptors in the brain. Depending on a variety of factors, a person may need more than one dose of naloxone. If you think someone is having an opioid overdose, it is better to give someone naloxone than not, as there are no side effects. An opioid overdose may cause a person to be unresponsive, have blue or grey lips and fingernails, making gasping or gurgling sounds, slow or shallow breathing, not breathing at all, or having pale or ashy skin.  If you believe someone has overdosed on opioids, call 911 and administer naloxone.

How to Administer Naloxone

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Community HealthResources

LinCo Littles

LinCo Littles

LinCo Littles is a FREE home visiting program focused on assisting families who are pregnant or have littles under the age of one. LinCo Littles families will receive an infant safety review of their home, supplies to supplement their current safety measures, and regular visits with a community health nurse. Any parent, guardian, or pregnant person living in Lincoln County is eligible from the moment they learn they are pregnant until baby’s first birthday.

Apply for LinCo Littles

LinCo Littles
Abby Withers, BSN, RN
509.215.1042

Email Abby

Program Goals

LinCo Littles has four primary goals:

  • Promote positive childhood experiences
  • Promote positive mental health in parents and guardians
  • Increase home safety
  • Decrease maternal and family smoking rates

Program Benefits

After filling out our online application, a Lincoln County Health Department nurse will schedule your first
at-home appointment!
We will check-in with you at least every two months, but we are always available for your questions or concerns. We will provide you with:
  • Free home safety items.
  • Assess how we can  support parental mental health
  • Provide in-county and  online resources.

Eligibility

Any parent, guardian, or pregnant person living in Lincoln County is eligible. The program can begin as soon as someone finds out they are pregnant and continues through the baby’s first birthday.

Our priority populations include:

  • First-time parents
  • Moms 19 and under
  • Low income (according to the 2024 federal guidelines)
  • High-risk pregnancy
  • Transitional homes (i.e. foster care)
  • Non-parental primary caregivers
  • Mothers who experienced health complications
  • Babies who experienced health complications

Application/Enrollment

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the program, they will need to complete the LinCo Littles application. Enrollment is on a rolling basis, with services generally starting the next month. Specific program timelines are provided in the next section.

Timeline

The LinCo Littles program opened its initial application period on February 12, 2024, with the first home visits in April 2024.

For services beginning the following month, applications must be submitted by the 25th. Services will have a month delay if the application is received after the 25th.  For example, if you apply on March 15, you will receive services beginning in April. If you apply on March 28, you will receive services beginning in May.

Program Code of Conduct

The LinCo Littles Program is a free service Lincoln County Health Department provides to our community as a way to increase safety, improve health outcomes, and support people during one of the most challenging times—pregnancy through baby’s first year. In order to keep the program safe, positive, and aligned to these goals, the following code of conduct agreement provides the commitment LCHD is making to you, and the commitment we ask you to make. We support you while you support baby.

What we ask of you:
–Be present for your scheduled visit time. Please call to reschedule if a conflict arises.
–Treat the LCHD staff coming into your home with respect.
–Do your best to assist in creating a safe environment for you, baby, and a community health nurse to meet during a scheduled home visit.
–Be honest in answering health-related questions and in feedback for how we can improve our program.
–Ensure all animals are safely secured prior to the LCHD nurse entering your home.
–Implement safety measures in your home that are provided by LCHD in the free welcome basket (i.e. fire alarm, carbon monoxide monitor, baby gate, outlet covers, etc.).

What you can expect from LCHD:
–Your community health nurse will treat you and your family with compassion and respect.
–They will always maintain professional boundaries, including confidentiality and abide by HIPAA guidelines for health-related information.
–It is important to know the nurses are mandated reporters and thus required to report suspected or confirmed child abuse or neglect, including domestic violence and the use of illegal drugs by anyone in the home.
–These reporting areas are to protect you and the community and are part of their licensing.
–The nurse is there to help connect you to resources, as long as the current situation is safe for you and baby.

Please note that client may be discharged from the LinCo Littles program due to:
a) Violations of the code of conduct agreement
b) Repeated or severely inappropriate behavior by others in the home
c) Death

The LinCo Littles program may end due to reasons outside of our control, such as :
a) Loss of funding
b) Service needs exceed what LCHD can provide

In the event of a public health emergency, home visit services may be interrupted. Should this happen, a LCHD nurse will contact you regarding appropriate next steps.

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AdministrationCommunity HealthResources

EMS Inquiry

Emergency Preparedness Inquiry

Thank you for your interest in serving our community. We are always looking for volunteers to ensure those in need are able to receive care quickly. Please complete the below form, which will send the information to our emergency preparedness coordinator. Please allow at least two business days for a response, as they are often in the community conducting this training.  Thank you again!

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Community HealthResources

Quit Tobacco

Quit Tobacco

Congratulations on deciding to quit!!

Quitting tobacco is hard. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical, and it’s not the only one present in the tobacco products that are on the market. Addiction to any substance causes your brain to change and our bodies to become dependent on them. We tend to think about addiction in relationship to hard drugs like meth or opioids, but nicotine can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine. But it can be done.

The key to successfully quitting tobacco is to not do it alone. No matter how hard asking for help is, using a support bumps success rates from 8% to 80%. A 2018 study found that cumulatively, three out of every five smokers were able to successfully quit. The options, science, and understanding of how to effectively help people quit smoking has exponentially expanded since then. That means you have the best shot at being able to quit today than you ever have before!

There are a variety of options to help you quit smoking. You don’t have to choose just one—and combining support can increase your success rate. Most of these options are free. To help you know which ones are not free, the resource has a $ beside it. If you have insurance—whether private or Medicare or Medicaid—your insurance may cover the cost.

Youth-Specific Supports

There are tons of resources to help you quit. But why not get something that is made specifically for you? The following resources are made for teens and often are peer-reviewed and supported, meaning they were made by teens, so it’s not another adult telling you what to do.

Mom-Specific Supports

There are lots of resources available to help you quit smoking. But sometimes you want the other end of the line to know what it’s like to quit as a mom. Here are some specific resources for pregnant moms.

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Environmental HealthResources

Temporary Food Event Permit

Temporary Food Event Permit

A food permit is required any time food is served to the public. A temporary food permit is appropriate when:

  • An individual or group will be serving food to the public,
  • Food is not a commercially packed, single-serving, shelf-stable item,
  • Food will be served at one location, and
  • Food service is part of a single event or celebration, even if it is over the course of several days.

Applications for temporary food permits are reviewed using the same HACCP analysis to ensure safe food preparation, storage, and handling techniques are used. Approved permits must be displayed at the location of service during the event.

Payment for permits cannot be made online at this time and must be mailed or delivered to our location. Payments can also be made via credit or debit card over the phone.

Temporary Food Event Application

Contact:
Lucy Sheridan
lsheridan@co.lincoln.wa.us

Phone: 509.215.1034

Fax: 509.725.1014

Physical & Mailing Address:
90 Nicholls Street
Davenport, WA 99122

Permitting Process

1. Complete a Temporary Food Establishment application.

The application is available as a download or at the LCHD offices in Davenport.

2. Submit completed application to LCHD.

Completed applications can be emailed to Lucy Sheridan, mailed or faxed to LCHD, or dropped off at the office in Davenport.

3. Submit application processing fee.

If the event is seven or more days away, the processing fee is $35 per day food is being served. Events less than seven days away are $50 per day food is being served. Payment can be made in-person at the LCHD office via check, cash, money orders, or card. Payments can also be made over the phone with a debit or credit card. Any payment via card will have an additional $2.50 processing fee.

4. Complete application review with LCHD.

An interview with the applicant is often part of the permitting process. This allows the LCHD to gather the information needed to confirm safety compliance. For applications submitted in-person, the interview can happen when you drop off the application, time permitting. For applications submitted another way, a member of the environmental health team will conduct a phone interview.

5. Submit any additional information, if required.

Depending on the application, there may be additional items needed before the permit can be issued. Not everyone will have additional information needs, but some may.

6. Receive permit.

Once the application process is completed, your permit will be issued. You can pick up a hard copy at the LCHD office or we will email you a PDF file for you to print.

7. Display permit at the event.

Temporary event food permits must be displayed at the location where the food is being served through the entire event. LCHD sends inspectors to every event to ensure compliance with the permitting requirements and food safety rules and regulations.

Exemptions

There are times when you will not need a food permit, but you will need to apply for an exemption. The following consumables do not need a food permit:

  • Popcorn, all varieties
  • Cotton Candy
  • Roasted and/or Candy-Coated Nuts
  • Individually packaged and sealed shelf-stable food
  • Sealed bottled and/or canned beverages
  • On-site, immediately served roasted corn-on-the-cob*
  • On-site, immediately served roasted peppers*
  • Commercially packaged chocolate-dipped ice cream bars

*If the corn or pepper is pre-roasted or roasted and served later, a permit is required.

The following consumables may not need a food permit, if they follow the required caveats:

  • Dried herbs and spices, which were processed in a permitted facility
  • Machine-crushed ice drinks, when using non-hazardous ingredients and the ice is from a permitted source. Ice from personal supplies does NOT meet the criteria for exemption.
  • Chocolate dipped bananas, when the bananas are peeled and frozen in a permitted facility
  • Sliced fresh fruit and vegetable samples, when served immediately and are non-hazardous produce

If you believe you will be serving food that meets the exemption requirements, please contact Lucy Sheridan to discuss applying for an exemption.

Return to the Environmental Health Home Page
Return to the Lincoln County Health Department Home Page

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AdministrationResources

Vital Records

Vital Records

Vital records are birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates; however, the Lincoln County Health Department only handles birth and death certificates.  We can provide certified copies of birth certificates for anyone born in the state of Washington after 1921 and certified copies of death certificates for any death in Washington state after August 2012. Copies can be ordered in person or electronically and can be picked up at the LCHD office or mailed.

Vital Records
Rachael Steadman
509.725.1001

Contact Vital Records

Birth Certificates

Certified copies of birth certificates can be ordered from the LCHD for births occurring in Washington state after 1921. Birth certificates prior to 1921 must be ordered from VitalChek. Only qualified people who can prove a relationship are able to order birth certificates. This is to protect personal identification information and prevent identity theft. When you apply for a certificate, you will have to provide documentation of the qualifying relationship in addition to supplying a copy of your identification.

How to Order a Birth Certificate

Ordering a birth certificate can be completed in-person at the LCHD office in Davenport, through the mail, or electronically when followed up with a call for fee payment. Certificates are $25.00 per copy. If you need a copy immediately, ordering at the office will allow you to leave with a certificate, in most cases.

  1. Complete a Lincoln County birth certificate application.
  2. Gather appropriate documentation of your qualifying relationship.
  3. Submit the completed application, copies of your identification and relationship documentation, and fee payment to LCHD.
    1. Documents can be submitted via mail or in-person.
    2. Electronic submission is allowed, but LCHD is not liable for security related to the submission. **Secure electronic request capacity is coming in 2024!**
    3. Payment can be made via check, cash, money order, or card. Any card payments will incur a $2.50 fee.
  4. Receive your certificate copies.
    1. Copies can be picked up at the LCHD office in Davenport.
    2. Copies can be mailed to you for an additional $3.00 per certificate mailing fee.

Death Certificates

Certified copies of death certificates can be ordered at LCHD for all Washington state deaths after August 2012. For deaths prior to this, death certificates can be ordered through VitalChek. Only qualified people who can prove a relationship are able to order death certificates. This is to protect personal identification information and prevent identity theft. When you apply for a certificate, you will have to provide documentation of the qualifying relationship in addition to supplying a copy of your identification. Death certificates allow for more relationships than birth certificates due to the nature of the document, but some have specific time limits. Specifics on these relationships can be found on the application.

How to Order a Death Certificate

Ordering a death certificate can be completed in-person at the LCHD office in Davenport, through the mail, or electronically when followed up with a call for fee payment. Certificates are $25.00 per copy. If you need a copy immediately, ordering at the office will allow you to leave with a certificate, in most cases.

  1. Complete a Lincoln County death certificate application.
  2. Gather appropriate documentation of your qualifying relationship.
  3. Submit the completed application, copies of your identification and relationship documentation, and fee payment to LCHD.
    1. Documents can be submitted via mail or in-person.
    2. Electronic submission is allowed, but LCHD is not liable for security related to the submission. **Secure electronic request capacity is coming in 2024!**
    3. Payment can be made via check, cash, money order, or card. Any card payments will incur a $2.50 fee.
  4. Receive your certificate copies.
    1. Copies can be picked up at the LCHD office in Davenport.
    2. Copies can be mailed to you for an additional $3.00 per certificate mailing fee.

VitalChek

VitalChek is the only Washington state approved vendor to supply vital records. Vital records outside of the timelines (births prior to 1922 and deaths prior to August 2012) as well as for those outside of Washington State can be ordered via their website. VitalChek is not associated with LCHD, thus we have no control over fees, timelines, or other faucets related to their services. For questions you can contact VitalChek via email or by visiting their website.

Visit VitalChek

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Community HealthResources

Notifiable Conditions

Notifiable Conditions

Certain diseases are designated as notifiable conditions as they are considered a threat to the general health of the community. These conditions are often highly contagious, have a high mortality rate, are new (or novel), or have otherwise been designated by the CDC and Washington Department of Health as posing a public health threat. Health care providers and medical labs are required to report these conditions to the state and local health departments per the WAC 246-01.

Notification of these conditions is the responsibility of the provider and/or lab when there is a confirmed diagnosis. The specific disease will determine what counts as a “confirmed” diagnosis. When the report is made and the person lives in Lincoln County, LCHD is notified of the diagnosis. We are then required to conduct an investigation into the diagnosis to determine where the disease originates. We do this to help protect the community from the disease and lower the risk of it spreading.

When we are notified about one of these conditions being present in the county, we often begin by calling the person who was diagnosed. We work with them to not only find out more, but make sure they are connected to appropriate treatment of the illness and to any available supports they may need. All information collected during this investigation—from the initial notification to the call to all other steps we must take—are confidential and protected by HIPPA. The LCHD Privacy Policy is available for those who wish to read it.

If you’ve received a call from us, it is important to return the call. We are here to help you—from connecting you to resources for treatment, to ensuring no one else becomes infected, to helping with notifications of others if needed. Our priority for these conditions is to help you get well while protecting others from contracting it.

For questions or concerns about a notifiable condition, please reach out to Gabrielle Chain via phone or email.

Notifiable Conditions
Gabrielle Chain
509.215.1031

Contact LCHD Support

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AdministrationCommunity HealthNotificationsResources

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness

The Oxford Dictionary defines emergency as “a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action”—but given the variety of situations where emergencies can happen, they are sometimes hard to recognize. This recognition could save a life, as minutes can make the difference. Being prepared for an emergency will mean different things based on the type of emergency, but many times, preparing can lead to prevention

Types of Emergencies

Emergencies can happen anywhere, but when we look at being prepared for them, there are three main categories: natural disasters, medical emergencies, and societal emergencies. Each category has specific emergencies and each one will have different ways to prepare, prevent, or address it.

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are emergencies relating to the environment and natural world. Tornados, wildfires, extreme heat, and earthquakes are just a few examples of natural disasters. Preparing for these types of disasters includes addressing physical needs, communications, and planning.

Medical Emergencies

Medical emergencies occur when our health is in danger. This could be something like a heart attack or stroke to a car or home accident to a pandemic. Knowing what a medical emergency looks like and what to do next will make the difference for the person experiencing the emergency.

Societal Emergencies

Perhaps the rarest of emergencies, societal emergencies are things which affect our community as a whole, our government, or any collective group. Examples include a terrorist attack, a train derailment, or an active shooter situation, although there are certainly more than just these three. The focus of preparing and handling these include taking measures to keep you and your family safe.

Preparing for an Emergency

The first step in preparing for an emergency is to be able to recognize when a situation is an emergency.

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters can happen without warning, or they can happen with days of information about the coming situation. Preparing for a natural disaster can take a bit of time, but if it happens, the prep time will be worth it. Here are five steps to help you be ready should a natural disaster occur.

1. Prepare a go bag.

A go bag is a packed bag (or box) which contains enough items to last you for three days. This includes clothes, toiletries, a first aid kit, non-perishable food, medicines, and other items you would need if you had to evacuate your home with only a minute’s notice. FEMA has a comprehensive emergency packing list on their Ready.gov website to help give you ideas. Remember to conduct a monthly check of your bag to ensure there are no expired items, items still fit, and everything is seasonally appropriate. Your family go bag should be stored in a place where everyone can access it. In the go bag be sure to have a battery-operated radio, this may be the only way for you to continue to get updates on the specific emergency if power goes out.

2. Prepare your home.

Preparing your home includes things like making sure you have a fire extinguisher, taking inventory of all of your belongings, ensuring heavy furniture is bolstered to the wall, and other steps to keep your belongings safe. Most importantly, make sure everyone knows where the water line, gas line, and power breakers are, as well as how to turn them off if needed. HUD Exchange has an article about the steps homeowners (and renters) can take to prepare for a natural disaster, along with some checklists to make sure you consider all of your options.

3. Plan your emergency response.

In addition to having the needed supplies, your family should have an emergency plan. This includes know where to meet, who to call if you are separated, what steps to take if they have to evacuate, and other considerations. Ready.gov has a website which will create a family emergency plan for you to complete and then print. Simply answer the questions and a clean document will be emailed to you. Keeping a hard copy and an electronic one will ensure the information isn’t lost. Much like your go bag, make sure to review the information at least twice per year to ensure it’s up-to-date.

4. Learn CPR and first aid.

Although this may seem like it is only necessary for a medical emergency, being able to administer CPR and first aid is a foundation for preparing for any emergency. Even if no one in your family needs it, these skills could help save a neighbor or friend. Students in Davenport are taught these skills in high school, but you can take classes either online or at a community offering.  CPR certification needs to be renewed every two years, so make sure your renewal information is part of your family emergency plan.

5. Practice. Practice. Practice.

You may feel silly, but practicing your plan will help you remember everything if you ever need it. When an emergency happens, we tend to focus on whatever is right in front of us at the time. Practicing the appropriate response will help by making the response routine. You won’t have to think about it, you’ll just know what to do.  It’s recommended you practice with your household two to three times per year.

These aren’t the only steps you can take to prepare you and your family for a natural disaster, but they are some easy steps to help you be ready should an emergency happen.

Medical Emergencies

Medical emergencies can happen any time, any place, to anyone. Sometimes they are obvious—someone falls and breaks a leg, or a kitchen accident happens, and you need stitches. But sometimes they are not—a stroke, a heart attack, or overdose.  The American College of Emergency Physicians has prepared a short booklet with the signs and symptoms of a medical emergency you can download.

Preparing for a medical emergency may seem impossible, but there are a few things you can do to help prepare you to help someone in a medical emergency situation.

Recognizing a Medical Emergency

Signs can vary based on age and physical health, but here are the top 10 signs to look for:

  1. Uncontrolled bleeding.
  2. Inability to breathe.
  3. Sudden physical changes.
  4. Chest pain which lasts longer than two minutes.
  5. Losing consciousness.
  6. Sudden change in mental status (confusion, behaviors, etc.).
  7. Feelings of self-harm or harming others.
  8. Blue or gray skin color*.
  9. Being unresponsive to outside prompts.
  10. An injury to the head or spine.

*skin tone may affect how this appears. Medline Plus has a guide for identifying these symptoms on someone with darker skin

If you observe one of these symptoms, treat it as a medical emergency.

Responding to a Medical Emergency

Medical emergencies may need a different response, depending on what is happening, but some guidelines that generally apply are below.

1. Assess the situation

The first step is to determine what is happening and what may have caused it. Is the person bleeding or unconscious? Is there a clear cause, like an accident? Are they still breathing? This should happen quickly, as time is of the utmost importance, but when you reach out for help, having a sense of what is going on can help them respond appropriately.

2. Call 911.

If you can call 911, do it while you are assessing the situation as the people who answer your call can help guide you on what to do. If you are unable to call 911, try to find someone in the immediate area that can. Lincoln County is fortunate to have dedicated community volunteers at the ready to respond to medical emergencies. If you  or someone you know is interested  in being a volunteer EMT or Non-Medically trained driver, please contact our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

3. Provide aid until emergency medical services arrive.

What aid will look like will depend on the situation. As we said above, once you call 911, the Lincoln County Sheriff Office is trained to give direction over the phone and may be able to guide you in helping the person. Generally speaking, if someone is choking, working to remove the obstacle is the first step. If someone isn’t breathing, administering CPR and/or using the AED can help. If someone is bleeding, find a way to stop or slow the blood loss. If you suspect a spine injury, do NOT move the person, as moving them could make it worse. If someone has overdosed on opioids, administer naloxone. VeryWellHealth.com provides some tips for 10 different medical emergencies on their website and the Red Cross provides an Until Help Arrives course, which teaches you the basics of what to do in a medical emergency while you wait for EMS.

Preparing for Responding to a Medical Emergency

Preparing for a medical emergency may seem impossible, but there are a few things you can do to help prepare you to help someone in a medical emergency situation.

1. Learn CPR and first aid.

CPR can save a life, but administering CPR properly is critical for it to work. Many high school students will receive CPR and first aid training at school. There are also online and community courses you can take to become certified. The Red Cross provides an Until Help Arrives course, which teaches you the basics of what to do in a medical emergency, including CPR. Remember that your CPR certification is only good for two years, so make sure to keep up with your renewing your CPR card.

2. Keep a first aid kit.

A first aid kit will have supplies for a variety of situations. The Red Cross has a first aid kit list so you can build your own, or you can buy varying levels of first aid kits at almost every store. Make sure your kit contains gloves in your size as you should wear gloves for any situation involving bodily fluids for your safety and reducing contamination to their wounds.

3. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Just like a natural disaster, you should practice your response to a medical emergency. This means practicing CPR, abdominal thrusts for choking, getting the first aid kit, locating and administering the AED system, and collecting the information needed for 911. For some of these, you will need to have a pillow or doll available or use the practice kit in the case of the AED. But gathering information and the first aid kit should be easy to practice.

In Case of Emergencies

In an era of smart technology, we all have In Case of Emergency, or ICE, on our smart phones. ICE information is the information someone would need if you were involved in a medical emergency and could not tell the responder your information. For Apple users, ICE information is in the medical alert portion of the health app. For Android users, ICE is located under settings as the medical alert. Completing this information allows an EMT to access it during an emergency without having to unlock your phone. You can also tag contacts as ICE in your contacts on all cellphones as well.

As easy as this is, there are times your phone may not be available. It is always a good idea to have written ICE information in your glove box, in a safe place in your workspace, and in your home. Most EMTs are trained to look at your fridge to try and find your ICE information, so make sure to have it posted on or near your fridge.

ICE information should include at least the following health information:

ICE Information

  • Full name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Date of birth
  • Physical information (height, weight, blood type)
  • At least two emergency contact names, phone numbers, and relationships
  • Any allergies
  • All medications (including over the counter supplements and vitamins)
  • The name and contact information of your doctor
  • Any end-of-life decisions (i.e. do not resuscitate), including a picture of a POLST form if available

Each person in your household should have health ICE information easily available in case an EMT needs to provide help.

In addition to health information, it is always a good idea to have the following information available as well to provide comprehensive emergency information.

Emergency Information

  • Any pet information (do you have them, type, names, etc)
  • Veterinarian information
  • Landlord contact information
  • Location of emergency shut-offs
  • Emergency response direct phone numbers (police, fire, etc)
  • Poisoning control’s number (800-222-1222)

This information provides a complete look at what responders need to consider, but it also provides a handy reference for everyone in your home.

Societal Emergencies

Preparing for a societal emergency is a combination of prep for natural and medical emergencies. The biggest preventative step you can take is to have a clear communication plan. Who would you call to check-in with or where would you post your status? Where would you meet your family if you weren’t all together? Finding your loved ones as well as letting them know your status is the best way to prepare.

Emergency Resources

Part of being prepared is knowing what resources can help you in an emergency. The Lincoln County Health Department has staff available to help you prepare for and answer questions about emergency preparedness.  You can also look into our resources page for additional information.  You can also find more information on our partner websites below:

Lincoln County Hospital
Red Cross
Lincoln County Alert Texts
FEMA App
Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center
Ready.gov

An emergency can strike at any time. Being prepared will help you know you can handle a situation until professional help arrives. We encourage you to become CPR and first aid trained to ensure you can provide support for anyone who may need it. To find out more about certification, contact our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

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AdministrationCommunity HealthResources

Improving Community Health

Improving Community Health

Lincoln County Health Department is here to serve the community, but also to help improve the overall health of the county. We leverage a two-step process—the community health assessment and the community health improvement plan—to do this.

A community health assessment identifies community health needs through a collaborative process with the community. Also referred to as a CHA, the assessment looks at both quantitative (the numbers) and qualitative (the stories) of the community to find out where improvements need to be made. The CHA is not just problems though–it also inventories the strengths and positive influences our communities already have so we can continue to support those in the next step.

The community health improvement plan, aka the CHIP, is the second step and focuses on specific steps to meet the needs the CHA identified. The CHIP tells the community how we are going to fix the issues and meet the needs of the community. A CHIP is a foundational guide for several years—normally three to five—on how each need will be specifically met, the order the needs will be addressed, who will do the work, and what the measure of success will be.

LCHD developed a CHIP in 2018, but the pandemic interrupted its implementation. Rather than go back to working on something which was five years old, we decided to conduct a new CHA and develop a new CHIP so we would be responsive to the community needs now.

Current Community Improvements

LCHD is currently working on the 2023-24 CHA, which will guide the next CHIP. We began by conducting community forums in Davenport, Odessa, Wilbur, Seven Bays, and Harrington communities.

Currently we are collecting survey responses to allow for community members who were not able to be at a forum to help us narrow down the priorities in the needs identified in the forums. If you would like a paper copy of the survey, please contact us.

Previous Community Improvements

Below are reports relating to previous CHA and CHIP efforts in Lincoln County.

View the 2014 CHIP
View the 2012 CHA

Lincoln County Health Reports

In addition to the work the LCHD does, Lincoln County is part of a  multi-county region that receives technical assistance from the Data Center program housed in the Spokane Regional Health District. This collaboration allows for additional data collection and evaluation, expanding the capacity of our team. The reports below are the most recent reports in their specific areas.

2022 Demographics
2022 Health Insights

Information on the county is also available on the County Health Insights website, a data site for Eastern Washington.

Visit the Lincoln County Health Insights Page

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