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Last updated on Tuesday, November 22, 2016
(SEYMOUR) - The Jackson County Health Department is continuing to make changes to better provide services to more local residents.
By offering extended hours this winter, health officials want to make it more convenient for busy people to come in for things such as flu shots, assistance with registering for government health insurance and the state's online vaccination database, HIV and hepatitis C testing and free naloxone distribution and training.
Beginning this week through December 14, the Jackson County Health Department, located at 801 W. Second St. in Seymour, is now open from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"Our goal is to make some of our services more easily accessible to those who are needing them," county health officer Dr. Chris Bunce told the Seymour Tribune.
The evening hours are being added temporarily to gauge need and the community's response, he added.
Not all services, such as obtaining birth and death records or inspections for permits, will be available during the extended hours due to staffing.
Hepatitis C and HIV testing are services Bunce said are important for the public, especially with the continued increase in intravenous drug use in the community.
Both tests are free and confidential, and results are available within 20 minutes.
Because hepatitis C is a "silent" disease, often with no symptoms, the only way for people to know if they have the virus is to get tested.
For those residents needing help signing up for health insurance, an insurance navigator will be available to assist with the enrollment process. A public health nurse also will be on site to sign up people for MyVax, a program that allows individuals to obtain and keep track of their own medical records.
Adults can receive a flu shot during extended clinic hours with no appointment needed. The health department accepts health insurance and Medicare or cash for flu vaccines.
A limited supply of naloxone, supplied by the Indiana State Department of Health, will be made available at no cost for individuals who cannot afford to purchase it on their own. Naloxone can be used to reverse the effects of overdoses of opioids including heroin.
Individuals seeking naloxone will be required to participate in a short training on the identification of a possible overdose and the administration of the product prior to receiving the naloxone.
For information about Jackson County Health Department's services, call the health department at (812) 522-6474.
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