Johnson County offers maternal health care in Iowa County

MARENGO — Johnson County Public Health offers maternal and child heath services to Iowa County residents, said Hianca Andrades, health coordinator, and Hayley Abda, a maternal health nurse with Johnson County Public Health, during an Iowa County Health Board meeting last month.

Funded by many sources, including the Medicaid Administrative program, the Title V grant, matching funds and tax levy, the maternal health program offers free supplemental services to pregnant women.

Child Health is funded by a different grant, said Andrades. It offers Iowa County residents access to health services such as Vaccines for Kids and blood lead testing.

The Vaccines for Kids program was created in 1993 after tens of thousands of cases of measles resulted in hundreds of deaths from 1989 though 1991, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than half of the children who had measles had not been vaccinated, according to the CDC, and the cost of the vaccine was the primary reason.

The program provides vaccine at no cost to VFC Program-eligible children through VFC Program enrolled public and private health care providers.

Johnson County’s Child Health program also offers vision screenings, developmental screenings and dental services to children, said Andrades.

WIC is one of the biggest services used by both counties, said Andrades. WIC services are available once a month at Williamsburg Public Library and Marengo Public Library, said Andrades.

Women, Infants and Children provides free, healthy foods and personalized nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to other services. Johnson County’s program also provides access to HACAP food boxes.

For referrals, call 319-356-6042.

Iowa County’s WIC locations have open appointments each month, said Iowa County Health Department Director Lorinda Sheeler. Iowa County residents don’t need to drive outside the county for WIC appointments, she said.

Sheeler said the Johnson County programs have been a great benefit to Iowa County residents.

“It’s been a great partnership with maternal child health,” said Sheeler. Lead testing has been useful. A family that recently moved into an old farm house caught rising lead levels in their children through lead testing at WIC, she said.

The maternal and child health services also provides help with car seats and their installation.