The Lincoln County Health Department works to support children under the age of 18 years who either have or are at risk of developing physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions.
Family and Child Health
- Provided in partnership with the NorthEast Washington Education Service District 101, the Birth to Three program provides screenings to help identify children with special needs and/or developmental issues. For those who need them, Birth to Three helps connect families with early intervention services and supports helping the child reach their full potential. To learn more about the program or enroll, please contact Cindi Estelle by phone or email.
The CYSHCN Program provides access to a public health nurse who will help in care coordination. This means they can help find resources, programs, services, and other supports which can help the child and family thrive.
In certain circumstances, the CYSHCN Program may be able to provide financial aid for medical services and equipment. To qualify, all other funding sources must be explored first and fall short of meeting the need.
For more information or to see if you qualify, please contact Jolene Erickson by phone or email.
- For families with children under the age of 18 who have special health care needs, the CYSHCN program provides free support and care coordination with a public health nurse. They can assess the child and family’s needs, help plan for medical care and connect the families to resources. Our nurses will meet with the families at the office or come to the family’s home. We can also provide support over the phone.
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 the baby’s first birthday.
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
Application and 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 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 to increase safety, improve health outcomes, and support people during one of the most challenging times—pregnancy through baby’s first year. 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 the 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, an LCHD nurse will contact you regarding appropriate next steps.
- Strong Start is a free and secure data system where parents, legal guardians, and health care providers can centrally enter and access screening information. It was created to centralize information and provide a comprehensive picture of the development of the child, allowing for better supports and resources.
- Eligibility: Children must be under the age of 18 and be at risk for chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional issues. For more information, please call 509-725-1001
- ParentHelp123 is a resource for parents and caregivers, which provides free, online physical and emotional developmental screenings. It also provides other resources which can support parents with children of all ages.