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Your Future is Key to Stay Drug Free Red Ribbon Week is celebrated October 23 – 31, 2017 and the theme is “Your Future is KEY so stay DRUG FREE”.  Red Ribbon Week is the oldest, largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people each year.  During this week communities, agencies and organizations are asked to wear red ribbons to take a stand again drugs. On a separate note, it is important to point out that Kentucky is one of the unhealthiest states in our nation; but, a few healthy lifestyle choices could change this. First, […]

BULLYING: Talking to Children Source: National Bullying Prevention Center (Pacer: Bullying.) Bullying affects everyone who’s involved. Children who are involved experience mental health issues, physical symptoms, and poor school performance. You can help your child recognize the signs of bullying. Children often don’t understand when someone is being bullied. They may feel someone is joking or may not understand social norms. Children should be informed of the differences between friendly behaviors and bullying behaviors. When talking to children about bullying parents should listen, react in ways to encourage trust from the child, be supportive, be patient, provide information that the […]

Understanding Mental Illness The purpose of the following information is to provide a general understanding of what mental illnesses are, and to address some facts associated with these disorders.  What is mental illness? Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder […]

National Preparedness Month Throughout September, the Lake Cumberland District Health Department and numerous partner agencies will support emergency preparedness efforts and encourage citizens to take action to become better prepared for disasters and emergency situations. Prepare Globally. Diseases know no borders, which is why we need to work together to stop epidemics quickly and close to the source. Partners around the world are combining efforts to prevent, detect, and quickly respond to public health emergencies of international concern. Prepare Locally. In the U.S., state and local health departments play a critical role in keeping people safe from public health threats. […]

How Can You Prevent Rabies in Animals? There are several things you can do to protect your pet from rabies. First, visit your veterinarian with your pet on a regular basis and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats, ferrets, and dogs. Second, maintain control of your pets by keeping cats and ferrets indoors and keeping dogs under direct supervision. Third, spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly. Finally, call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighborhood since these animals may […]

Our Children – Keep Them at a Healthy Weight One in 3 children in the United States are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity puts kids at risk for health problems that were once seen only in adults, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The good news is that childhood obesity can be prevented. In honor of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, the Lake Cumberland District Health Department encourages your family to make healthy changes together. Get active outside: Walk around the neighborhood, go on a bike ride, or play basketball at the park. Limit screen time: […]