Marion County Public Health Department's new location

Only a few weeks in their new building at 2003 N. Lincoln in Knoxville, Marion County Public Health officials couldn't be more pleased. Coming from a 3000 square foot space holding 27 employees, and moving into a 14,000 square foot facility (with an additional 3000 square feet currently unfinished), Kim Dorn, Director of Public Health, says "We really haven't bought a lot of anything new. We've just spread out what we had!"

Dorn basically designed the building, gave her plans to the county engineer who made alterations according to what could and could not be done, then Snyder and Associates from Ankeny was hired to manage the project. The building was previously a farm and home store, then a manufacturing facility, so most of the interior had to be redesigned.

Public Health today also includes environmental health and elderly nutrition services, and planning for this building has been a ten-year effort. 2003 N. Lincoln now has space for the director, the senior nutrition manager, an office workroom for printing and copying, etc., the office coordinator's office, a Medicaid billing office, home visitors office, the financial office, and the office of the assistant manager, who covers Hawki Health coverage, insurance, home visitors, and the Early Childhood Iowa board. The WIC program (Women, Infants and Children, a supplemental nutrition program) has a wing of offices for its nurse, dietician, maternal and child health services, social workers, immunization and Nest programs, and more. There are also care coordination offices and offices for case management for the elderly, planning for public health emergencies, and tobacco prevention and cessation services.

Not done yet! There is a large multi-use training room. Seating 75 theater style or 40 classroom style, it serves as an education facility for the WIC program or for public health emergencies. It easily converts to serve as the command center in such an event, or to expand the response effort county-wide if the Emergency Operations Center at the Law Enforcement center becomes too small. Environmental health staff have offices. There's a large garage to accommodate the moving of computers in and out of the WIC vehicle, which travels daily throughout the county. There is ample storage space, a conference room, a records room, a dental office, and a staff break room. There is space allotted for Capstone Behavioral Mental Health offices with a separate entrance.

The building has a back-up generator to keep the facility operational, and to provide limited short-term shelter for those on oxygen at home should the electricity fail.

This renovation project cost $1.25 million. New construction was estimated at $90-$120/square foot; renovating was estimated at $68/square foot.

The Marion County Public Health Department includes the following programs:

Homemaker - provides care to individuals who need assistance in their homes, such as with personal care, or light housekeeping, etc. These are paid for by the client.

Elderly Waiver - helps keep individuals over 65 in their homes safely and to prevent early nursing home placement.

Senior Nutrition - provides those 60 and older with nutritionally sound meals and other nutrition services.

Tobacco - works to prevent the initiation of tobacco use and encourage the cessation of tobacco use

NEST - an incentive program providing educational classes related to pregnancy, childbirth, infant care, and parenting, as well as certain basic supplies

Hawk-i - free or low-cost health care coverage for kids

WIC - supplemental nutrition program available to those 0-5, pregnant women, breast-feeding women, and those who have had a baby in the last 6 months. Provides food, education, and health screenings.

Vaccines for Children - from birth through 18 who meet certain criteria

I-Smile - children ages 0-20 can receive various dental services

1st Five - healthy mental development for the first 5 years

Preschool Tuition Assistance

Prenatal Project - supportive services

Healthy Child Care Iowa - supports registered nurses who are experts in child health, child care, and child safety. They work with child care and early education businesses.

Home Visiting Programs - Baby's Bright Beginnings, Parent as Teachers, and Positive Parenting

Care for Yourself - breast and cervical cancer early detection program, and the promotion of heart health.

Emergency Preparedness Bio Local - insure preparedness for any kind of naturally occurring or man-made biological, chemical, or radiological emergency.

Region 5 Emergency Preparedness - Preparing to respond to an emergency or disaster regionally

Environmental Health - responds to and investigates health concerns or complaints such as animal bites, illegal dumping, healthy home issues, nuisance complaints, hazardous conditions, etc.

Public Health Nursing - wide range of services such as home visits, homemaker services, foot care clinics, blood pressure screens, CPR training, etc.

Lead Poisoning

Radon testing

For further information about any of these services, contact the Marion County Public Health Department at 641-828-2238

marty racheter 061611

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