Public Health

Location

Rock Falls Office:
1300 W. 2nd St., Rock Falls, IL 61071-1005
815-626-2230 extension 3

Community Lab

The Whiteside County Health Department Community Lab offers discounted lab services to individuals with lab orders from their primary care physician. This program helps individuals who are uninsured, under insured, have high deductibles, or poor laboratory coverage save money on their labs. Because the lab order is from a client's provider, a provider they are established with, who knows their health picture, will follow-up regarding any abnormal lab results.

Individuals must have a lab order from their provider for most labs and schedule an appointment on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday between 8:00am and 9:30am.

Cash, check and credit card payment ONLY.

To help keep this program cost effective, WCHD will not bill or assist in billing of any health insurance plan, nor can clients submit their labs to their insurance company.

Women Infants & Children (WIC) Program

WIC is a federally funded supplemental food and nutrition education program intended to improve the nutritional status of eligible women who are pregnant, recently had a baby, or are breastfeeding, and for infants and children up to the age of five.

To qualify, participants meet federal income guidelines and have medical and/or nutritional risks that the WIC foods may help improve. Supplemental WIC foods may include milk, eggs, cheese, tuna, carrots, dried beans, peas, peanut butter, cereal, juice, or iron-fortified infant formula.

Breastfeeding is a baby’s best start. WIC staff can also provide a breastfeeding peer counselor to help clients who are interested in starting or having trouble breastfeeding.

WIC is available:

Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Late Appointments available on Tuesday by Request

Immunizations

Immunizations are offered by appointment only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This program helps protect both children and adults from vaccine preventable diseases. Low-cost vaccines are available through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program for a child, 18 years or younger that meet eligibility criteria, Medicaid, insurance and self pay are also accepted. Previous immunization records are necessary and a parent/legal guardian must sign a consent form. Please call 815-626-2230 and choose option 3 to schedule your appointment.

Childhood Immunization Schedule
WCHD COVID-19 Immunization Appointment Schedule

Family Case Management (FCM)

FCM is a program designed to help women and children get off to a healthy start…and to stay healthy. At the heart of FCM is an emphasis on obtaining recommended well child examinations (check-ups), medical screenings, and immunizations. WCHD staff help clients by providing needs assessments, education, provider referrals, follow up and additional support. These services are provided at no cost to pregnant women and infants under the age of one who meet specific income guidelines.

Lead Program

Exposure to lead can seriously harm a child’s health and cause damage to the brain and nervous system, learning and behavior problems, hearing and speech problems as well as slow their development. To help protect kids, the Whiteside County Health Department is a State delegate agency for lead screenings. Law requires lead screenings before admission to preschool or kindergarten. Our team will follow up after a screening if a child’s lead level is high to provide education on common sources of lead, a brief assessment and will work to put your family in contact with an environmental inspector from the State to help determine how to reduce exposures. Staff can also provide provider recommendations if a child’s level is significantly high.

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)

What is PrEP
PrEP is short for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, a once a day pill, which if taken correctly, can significantly reduce the likelihood of being infected with HIV. Studies have shown PrEP can reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% and injection by more than 70% if taken as prescribed.

Who is PrEP for?
PrEP is for Everyone!

PrEP is for HIV negative individuals who want to prevent HIV.

PrEP may be right for you if you are negative for HIV and have had sex in the past 6 months and have not consistently used condoms, have had an STD, or have a partner with HIV. PrEP may also be right for you if you inject drugs and or share needles or other equipment to inject drugs with others.

How do I start PrEP?
Individuals who are interested in PrEP should talk with a healthcare provider to assess their risk of HIV and potential benefits and risks.

To get started, you can contact the Whiteside County Community Health Clinic at 815-626-2230 to make an appointment for a PrEP Consultation Visit.

What does PrEP Cost?
Most insurance plans and State Medicaid programs cover PrEP and there are several programs that provide PrEP for free or at reduced cost such as the Ready, Set, PrEP program, Co-pay Assistance Program and Illinois’ Prep4Illinois Program.

Your healthcare provider can review and help answer questions about these programs.

Together we can end HIV infection

Communicable Disease

Healthcare providers and hospitals are required by law (77 Illinois Administrative Code 690) to report any suspected or confirmed cases of selected communicable disease to the Whiteside County Health Department. Communicable Disease Staff investigate and track all infectious disease, as required by Illinois Department of Public Health to help ensure individuals receive treatment and work with individuals to mitigate and stop the spread.

The IDPH Illinois Reportable Disease Poster lists reportable disease and timeframes providers have to report these illnesses to the local health department.

Confidential HIV and STD testing and counseling is offered to at risk people.

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) is a medical case management program that helps ensure low-income people living with HIV can access medical care, medications, and other essential services to ensure better health outcomes. The program works with individuals and our community to improve HIV-related health outcomes and reduce HIV transmission to help end the HIV epidemic in the United States.

Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP)

The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program offers free mammograms, breast exams, pelvic exams and Pap tests for women ages 35-64 who are uninsured or underinsured. This program also includes case management and education. Call 815-626-2230 and choose option 3 and ask if we can help.

Click here to learn more about the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program

High Risk Follow-Up Program

The Whiteside County Health Department partners with local community health agencies and the Illinois Department of Human Services to offer the High Risk Follow-Up Program, a free, voluntary service provided to parents and children referred by local hospitals. Children that have health or other concerns for healthy development can be referred to this program by a healthcare provider through the APORS (Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Reporting System. This program does NOT replace your doctor but helps to coordinate care between your doctor and other services to promote the best growth and development of your child. The goals of this program are to provide early referrals for treatment of any complications, help prevent illness and other complications, teach parents how to care for your child’s special needs and decrease stress for parents and families.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
fax: (833) 256-1665 or(202) 690-7442; or
email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

En español: https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource-files/snas-wic-nds-spanish.pdf
Other Languages: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cr/fns-nondiscrimination-statement