The Langlade County Health Department along with the Senior Center of Langlade County are hosting its third annual food drive: Give Hope. Give Love. Give Food. Last year 310 lbs. of food and hygiene products were collected. In Langlade County 19% of children live in poverty and may lack access to healthy foods, according to the County Health Rankings of 2024. Together we can help others in need this holiday season.

As the holiday season approaches, families and friends gather to celebrate with festive meals. Ensuring food safety is key to prevent foodborne illnesses and keep the holiday cheer alive. “While the four steps to food safety---clean, separate, cook and chill are important every day, we should pay close attention to them during the holidays,” says Tammy King, RS, Environmental Health Specialist, Langlade County Health Department. “Food is an important part of many holiday celebrations, so we do not want food related illness to ruin your holiday,” she added.

During National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (October 20-26), the Langlade County Health Department is encouraging all residents take steps to prevent and detect childhood lead exposure by getting the facts, helping children get tested for lead exposure, and checking homes for lead hazards. "There is no safe level of lead," said Jean Turunen, Public Health Nurse "This week serves as a reminder to families to be aware of lead hazards, and to make sure all children are tested."

Every year millions of people get the flu. The Langlade County Health Department is reminding everyone that they can be a flu fighter by getting an annual flu shot. Along with a flu shot, healthy habits can protect against the flu. The flu vaccine has been given for more than 50 years to hundreds of millions of Americans annually. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, in the 2023-2024 Influenza season 31.9% of Langlade County residents received the flu vaccine. “The single best way to lower the risk of flu is to get a flu shot every year,” says Jean Turunen, Public Health Nurse, Langlade County Health Department.

When in doubt, stay out! During the warm summer months, we may see our lakes and rivers looking more like pea soup or having discolored water. This could be from blue-green algae. Langlade County Health Department wants to remind everyone to watch out for blue-green algae blooms.

Modern life can have a significant impact on mental health — for better or for worse. And ironically, while our devices make us more connected than ever, loneliness is an increasingly serious public health concern. We are now able to have conversations with friends and family on the other side of the world in real time. However, constant connection also means that we will know if we weren’t invited to a friend’s party down the street. Recent survey data show that more than half of U.S. adults (58%) are lonely.

With Prom and Graduations coming up, there are will be no shortage of celebrations with family and friends. The Alliance for Substance Use Prevention of Langlade County would like to remind families that providing alcohol to your student’s underage friends unsafe and illegal. By decreasing access and talking about alcohol use, we can support efforts to help change behaviors and attitudes about underage drinking.

Homes built before 1978 probably contain lead-based paint. When the paint peels and cracks, it makes lead dust and particles. People are exposed to lead by eating lead paint chips, ingesting contaminated food or water and /or breathing in lead dust. Children younger than 6 years are more likely to be exposed due to their hand-to-mouth behavior.

The County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health provides local communities with data on more than 90 health-influencing factors. The County Health Rankings rank two factors; health outcomes which tells us how long people live on average within a community and health factors that represents things that we can modify to improve the length or quality of life.

With the U.S facing a demand for mental health services, combined with a shortage of mental health providers, the Langlade County Health Department today announced a partnership with Credible Mind in order to increase access to mental health resources in Langlade County. This partnership provides Langlade County residents with digital access to science-based self-care resources.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents do not consume energy drinks, yet between 30-50% report consuming these drinks. Through creative marketing, energy drink companies are targeting adolescents and young adults.

Langlade County residents now have access to free harm reduction supplies via vending machines. The vending machines stock free items such as NARCAN and other items which include: drug disposal bags, condoms, gun locks, and resource guides.