Broome County Health Department

10/21/2026

Another day of Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, another Lead Head to meet!

If your child has a high lead test, then Heather is one of the first people you'll meet. She helps families understand test results and gives them strategies they can use right away to limit lead exposure. One of the best strategies is also the simplest: handwashing! When babies and toddlers crawl on the floor, they can pickup lead dust on their hands. Washing hands, especially before meals and bedtime, reduces how much dust goes in their mouths.

Heather also comes up with a lot of creative ways to talk about lead poisoning and show our work to the community. (Like these posts!) Come say hello to her tonight at a lead-safe gardening workshop with VINES!

10/20/2026

✂️ Today, we were proud to join the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier for the ribbon cutting of their new building in Binghamton!

This 24/7 mental health crisis center provides a much-needed resource for our community. In addition to access to professionals who can help during a mental health crisis, the center offers supportive resources such as a calming space, showers, on-site laundry, and referrals for ongoing services.

With services designed to support both youth and adults, this new center is an important step forward in making mental health support more accessible to everyone. 🤗

Mental health challenges affect so many people in our community, whether we see them or not. Help spread the word so everyone knows where to turn when they or someone they care about needs support.

This is one of 20 new centers opening across New York State! Congratulations to the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier and everyone who worked so hard to make this vital resource a reality for our community. 💚

10/20/2026

It's another day of Lead Poisoning Prevention Week so let's meet out second Lead Head!

Brooke is one of our newest Lead Heads. You may recognize her from her previous position helping daycares improve nutrition and physical education. This makes her a great addition to the team since she knows so many community resources that can help families with young kids! If you have young kids, it's really important to know when your home was built. If it was built before 1978, your kids are at a higher risk for lead exposure. Knowing your risk is the first step to prevention! Brooke may even be able to help you with our HUD Lead Hazard Reduction grant!

We're so happy you've become a Lead Head, Brooke!

10/19/2026

Our BCHD Sustainability Committee participated in Broome County Environmental Management Council's 40th Annual Riverbank Cleanup Day over the weekend. Keeping our riverbanks clean reduces waste runoff into the river, and helps maintain the health and safety of our water.

10/19/2026

Do you have questions about health insurance? Wondering what your options are?

Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network will have staff available at the Broome County Health Department every Tuesday during clinic hours (8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) to provide free, one-on-one assistance with:

✔️ Exploring your health insurance options
✔️ Understanding your coverage
✔️ Enrolling in a plan, if eligible

This service is available to anyone who needs help navigating health insurance.

Call 607-772-0517 to schedule an appointment.

Learn more about the programs and services offered by Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network: https://mothersandbabies.org/

10/19/2026

Visit our STI clinic for testing and treatment. Every Tuesday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM. Call 607-778-2839 to make an appointment. Walk-ins are available upon availability.
Visit: https://www.gobroomecounty.com/hd/clinics-and-screenings for more information.

10/19/2026

Happy Lead Poisoning Prevention Week! To celebrate, we thought we would introduce you to some of our lead staff, collectively know as the Lead Heads!

Meet Kara, our lead risk assessor! Armed with her trusty x-ray fluorescence device and sample collection kit, she finds out where the lead is coming from. (Hint: it's probably the paint!) She wants to remind you that all kids should get a lead test at 1 and 2 years old. That way, she knows who needs her help!

Thank you for all you do, Kara!

10/17/2026

Remember the Community Health Assessment (CHA) Survey that we asked everyone to complete last year? The results are in! This process lead to us identifying the three most pressing priority areas in Broome County: Housing Security and Affordability, Poverty, and Anxiety and Stress. But what do we do now?

The CHA leads right into the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)! Using the CHIP, the Broome County Health Department, , and , along with many partner agencies, will spend the next five years working towards specific goals to try and improve the three priority areas. Follow along to see the progress we make!

If you’d like to read the full CHA report, you can find it on our website: https://www.broomecountyny.gov/hd/cha

10/16/2026

10/16/2026

October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness and Safe Sleep Awareness Month. The best way to keep your baby safe is by following the ABCs of Safe Sleep 🌙💤

Alone: Your baby should not sleep with adults or other children. Share your room, not your bed. Nothing should be in the crib except baby; no pillows, bumper pads, blankets or toys.

Back: Put baby to sleep on his/her back, not on his or her tummy or side.

Crib: Your baby should sleep on a firm, flat surface, such as a crib, bassinet or pack-n-play.

Smoke-free: Keep your baby's sleeping space free of smoke or v***r.

For more information or safe sleep tips, check out https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/conditions/safesleep/