Latest news with #Magstadt
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Mobile clinics aim to boost rural health care measles vaccinations amid outbreak
The "Wellness on Wheels" program launched in spring of 2024. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Health) The South Dakota Department of Health plans to send its fledgling mobile clinics to underserved and undervaccinated areas of the state in response to the nationwide measles outbreak making its way to the state. Last year, South Dakota reported its first measles case in nine years. The state Department of Health recently reported the state's first case this year in Meade County in western South Dakota. Last week, on Friday, a second case was reported in Rapid City. People who visited Sam's Club in that city on June 1, or Dakota Premier Medical Center the following day were urged by the department to monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through the air. Those who lack immunity from vaccination or past infection are highly likely to catch it from an infected person. As surrounding states report more cases, Health Department Secretary Melissa Magstadt said the state's 'Wellness on Wheels' clinics can help encourage vaccinations. 'I question it myself': South Dakota vaccination rates fall amid mistrust and misinformation The fleet boasts five vehicles equipped to provide immunizations, test for sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, as well as provide screenings, prenatal care and other support. The effort fills in gaps to public health care access across the state, especially in rural and tribal communities, Magstadt said. 'It's about how we can actively use these tools to reach underserved populations,' Magstadt said. 'It's not something I would have thought about looking to leverage for something like measles vaccinations before.' The department hasn't decided where to send their fleet. Counties with the fewest kindergarteners vaccinated per capita for measles, mumps and rubella include Faulk, Jones and Hutchinson, state data shows. South Dakota counties that share tribal land and rural counties in south-central areas of the state rank the worst for clinical care use and access in the state, according to the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute's 2023 report. Federal COVID relief funds paid for Wellness on Wheels. 'Because of the pandemic, public health infrastructure was found to be wanting,' Magstadt said. That infrastructure missed 'critical pieces' that hadn't been invested in, she said, such as health care access in rural areas. More than a hundred rural hospitals in the U.S. have closed in the last decade. The program, launched in April of last year, cost about $800,000 in federal funding. The state's public health COVID funding was also used to support a community health worker program, update emergency medical service equipment and telemedicine access, analyze the state of emergency medical services in South Dakota, and build a Public Health Lab and department training center. Magstadt said staff working with the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program requested the mobile units. WIC is a federal-state program that provides healthy food, nutrition education and health care referrals to low-income women and their young children. So far, Wellness on Wheels staff have mainly driven to events. Magstadt said the department has focused on increasing awareness of the program and building trust in communities and among tribal leaders. She plans to have staff drive the buses to rural communities more regularly to increase exposure and encourage use. 'Being consistently at a facility or place every other week will help people find it,' Magstadt said. 'We talk about the importance of STI testing, for example, but if you don't know where to get tested then that's another barrier.' Magstadt plans to have the department park one of the vehicles at a homeless shelter in Rapid City this summer as well to encourage underserved urban communities to seek services. 'We like people to be connected to primary care services, but there are unique situations where it's harder to get to health care facilities,' Magstadt said. She compared the mobile clinics as a return to home visits by doctors. That practice largely ceased in the 1960s due to cost efficiencies. 'It's a part of this menu of health care access and options no longer requiring people to come to a clinic or health care system,' Magstadt said, 'but health care being taken to patients and families who need it.' Mobile health care clinics are available in every state. They range from public entities like South Dakota's Wellness on Wheels, to specialized, private care. Other mobile clinics operating in South Dakota, according to Mobile Health Map, include: Delta Dental Mobile Program Horizon Health on Wheels Midwest Street Medicine Mobile Women's Health Unit VA Mobile Counseling Program
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mercury pollution lands two more South Dakota lakes on fish consumption advisory list
Walleye are found in South Dakota's large streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. (Courtesy of SD GF&P) State officials have added two more South Dakota lakes to the fish consumption advisory list after testing found elevated mercury levels in large walleye. The state announced Monday that Dry Lake #1 in Clark County and Lake Henry in Kingsbury County have been added to the list. For Dry Lake #1, health officials recommend limiting consumption of walleye over 21 inches in length. At Lake Henry, the advisory applies to walleye over 24 inches. Walleye in South Dakota can grow to more than 30 inches. The guidance is based on mercury concentrations detected in fish tissue samples collected through the state's annual monitoring program. 'Our commitment to public health and safety drives the annual fish sampling program,' said Department of Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt in a news release. Mercury, a toxic heavy metal, ends up in fish across the United States largely due to atmospheric deposition. Coal-fired power plants release mercury into the air before it settles into lakes and rivers. Bacteria convert it into methylmercury and fish absorb it. Fish consumption advisories are not enforceable bans but are issued to help people make informed choices to reduce health risks. 'We encourage everyone to check the DOH website for the latest advisories and take necessary precautions when enjoying locally caught fish,' Magstadt said. In addition to Dry Lake #1 and Lake Henry, these lakes are on the state's fish consumption advisory list: Bitter Lake: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 30″) and any size walleye, particularly for children under age 7 and women who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Coal Springs Reservoir: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Cottonwood Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Dry Lake Number 2: Limit consumption of walleye (over 22″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Elm Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Hazeldon Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Horseshoe Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Kiesz Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 16″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Lake Hurley: Limit consumption of Largemouth Bass (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Lake Isabel: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 25″) and Largemouth Bass (over 17″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Lake Minnewasta: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Lardy Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Little Moreau Lake: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 26″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Long Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 17″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Lynn Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Middle Lynn Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. New Wall Lake: Limit consumption of black and white crappie (over 13″) and Largemouth Bass (over 16″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Newell Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and northern pike (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. North Buffalo Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. North Island Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and Smallmouth Bass (over 19″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Opitz Lake: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 26″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Pickerel Lake: Limit consumption of white bass (over 16'), particularly for children under age 7 and women who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Pudwell Dam: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and Black Crappie (over 12″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Reid Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 23″) and northern pike (over 32″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Roosevelt Lake: Limit consumption of largemouth bass (over 18″) and northern pike (over 24″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Scott Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. South Buffalo Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Swan Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Twin Lakes (Minnehaha County): Limit consumption of any size walleye, particularly for children under age 7 and women who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Walleye tested above recommended limits for mercury. Twin Lakes (Brookings/Kingsbury counties): Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and northern pike (over 19″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. Source: South Dakota Department of Health
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Life saving drug to be made more available in South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The state of South Dakota is partnering with Emily's Hope to provide life-saving medication kits to reverse opioid overdoses. Under this new program, people can get Naloxone kits anonymously at distribution boxes set up in high-traffic areas around the state. The Department of Health, Social Services and the Attorney General's office are working together in hopes of saving lives. Influenza, Whooping Cough seeing decline in SD Boxes like this will be placed at various locations around South Dakota. People can simply open a box and grab a Naloxone kit free of charge, no questions asked. The nasal spray rapidly reverses an overdose and is proven to save lives. Secretary of Social Services, Matt Althoff, says the goal is to get the life-saving drug into the hands of people who are most likely to need it. 'The anonymous distribution is a critical component that we realize, our goal, of course, is to create that safety net, always strengthening it, always making sure it's even broader,' said Althoff. The program is using funds from a settlement with opioid companies. Attorney General Marty Jackley secured $78.6 million as South Dakota's share. 'I'm a strong voice that those dollars need to not sit in trust funds for state government, they need to be put to use. And putting to use is why we are here today,' said Jackley. South Dakota Secretary of Health, Melissa Magstadt, has put it to use herself. She's very familiar with the impact Naloxone can have in the right hands. 'I have administered Naloxone myself, and actually seen patients wake up and come back after an overdose of opioids, its a very powerful medicine to save lives,' said Magstadt. Magstadt says Naloxone has already saved countless lives in South Dakota Emily's Hope founder, Angela Kennecke, likens naloxone to other life-saving tools like defibrillators and EpiPens. 'We will have the boxes in as many places as possible, I would like to see them by every defibrillator, everybody who has a defibrillator and if people want it in their homes, we will give it to them as well,' said Kennecke. This new initiative aims to distribute 20 thousand kits statewide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
SD uses portion of opioid settlement funds to distribute overdose prevention kits
Naloxone harm reduction kits will be available in some public spaces across South Dakota due to a partnership between the state and Emily's Hope, officials announced on April 25, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) About 20,000 opioid overdose prevention kits will be distributed across South Dakota thanks to a partnership between the state and Sioux Falls-based nonprofit Emily's Hope. The kits are filled with naloxone, an antidote for opioid overdoses, along with other resources and information. Emily's Hope founder and CEO Angela Kennecke, whose daughter died from a fentanyl overdose in 2018, announced the partnership in Sioux Falls on Friday alongside South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, state Health Department Secretary Melissa Magstadt and state Social Services Department Secretary Matt Althoff. The distribution is funded with $350,000 of South Dakota's $78.6 million 'and counting' in national opioid settlement funds, Jackley said. The national opioid settlements were reached to resolve opioid litigation against pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers accused of flooding communities with opioid painkillers even though they allegedly knew how addictive and deadly the drugs were. South Dakota will receive about $50 million over the next 15 years from the first settlement and will receive another $28.6 million over the next 17 years from a settlement with Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Teva and Allergan. 'That's what is so important about this partnership is it's putting those dollars back to work to save and protect people,' Jackley said. Teva pharmaceuticals donated 2,313 kits for the effort and sold the other kits at a discounted rate to the state. Ninety-five South Dakotans died from overdoses in 2023, according to the state Department of Health. Forty-seven of the deaths were opioid-related, and 39 of those were fentanyl-related, Magstadt said. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. 'Since 2019, we've had a 70% increase in the amount of fentanyl deaths in South Dakota,' Magstadt said. 'It's hitting home.' The program will target areas of the state impacted the most by opioid use, overdoses and death, officials said. The top 10 counties impacted, according to Emily's Hope, are Minnehaha, Lincoln, Pennington, Corson, Roberts, Turner, Todd, Oglala Lakota, Beadle and Meade. Although most overdose deaths are among white residents, Native Americans are disproportionately affected. Native Americans die from overdoses at a rate of 26.6 per 100,000 — more than four times the rate among white South Dakotans, according to the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System. The kits will be placed in publicly accessible areas, Kennecke said. Emily's Hope has been distributing naloxone kits, primarily in the Sioux Falls area, for nearly a year. The organization has distributed about 6,000 kits in that time. Although most overdoses occur in private residences, they also happen in public restrooms, in traffic or on the street, Kennecke said. Offering them in public allows more bystanders to access the drug and intervene. 'Our goal is to have one of these kits in every house, in every business, by every AED possible,' Kennecke said. AEDs are automated external defibrillators that help people in cardiac arrest, many of which are stationed in public areas and offices throughout the state. Magstadt called naloxone a 'one more chance' medicine, since it halts overdose symptoms and opens a window for people to seek treatment for opioid use disorder. Administering naloxone will not harm someone who isn't experiencing overdose, she said, and victims often appear sleepy while overdosing from opioid use. The state has distributed about 15,000 naloxone kits in the last eight years to law enforcement, emergency medical services and schools across the state using a federal grant. About 3,600 kits have been distributed to public spaces through the new program so far. South Dakota's current plan in the Department of Social Services is to put a majority of settlement dollars into a trust fund to gain interest over time. Althoff said he wants to ensure the money is spent wisely rather than 'spend this precious resource for the sake of spending.' Jackley told South Dakota Searchlight he doesn't agree with the trust fund approach and he'd rather see the funds be put toward prevention and treatment immediately. That includes funneling some of the settlement money toward rehabilitation for South Dakota prisoners, he said. 'Today, there was a minimal amount of money used from that settlement to save lives,' Jackley said. 'We need to do more of that.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
