Western Plains Public Health

08/27/2026

🥗 Healthy Food Helps Fuel a Healthy School Year!

Busy mornings and packed schedules can make healthy choices a challenge, but a little planning can go a long way.

🍳 Start with breakfast. A nutritious breakfast helps kids fuel up for the day and be ready to learn. Check whether your child’s school offers breakfast, too!

🥪 Plan lunches together. Take a look at the school menu and let your child help decide when to pack a lunch.

🍎 Keep healthy snacks handy. Choose nutritious options and remember to consider food allergies and school guidelines.

💧 Choose water more often. Sugary drinks can add a lot of extra sugar to a child’s day. Make water the go-to drink when possible.

💙 Healthy eating helps kids learn, grow and thrive!

Learn more:
👉 healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/school/Pages/back-to-school-tips.aspx?

08/27/2026

Head lice and nits are very common, especially among school children and families. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Head lice are very common and can affect anyone. Having head lice does not mean someone has dirty hair.

They spread mainly through head-to-head contact. 👱‍♂️👱‍♀️ Signs of head lice may include an itchy scalp, feeling something moving in the hair, small white or brown eggs (nits) attached to hair strands, and live lice in the hair or scalp.

If head lice are found, treat them as soon as possible. Early treatment can help stop head lice from spreading to others. 🧴

For more information:
🔗 hhs.nd.gov/health/diseases-conditions-and-immunization/az-diseases-and-conditions/head-lice-factsheet

08/27/2026

👩‍⚕️💙 Got a health question? Need a quick service? Our Nurse of the Day is here to help!

Sometimes you don't need an emergency room or a long wait. You just need a friendly public health nurse. 😊

Our Nurse of the Day provides convenient services to help keep you and your family healthy, including:
🚲 Bike helmet fittings
🩺 Blood pressure checks
🪮 Head lice checks
💉 Immunizations
🦠 Rapid strep tests
🧪 TB testing (Quantiferon)

Think of us as your go-to resource for many of life's everyday health needs!

📞 Call 701-667-3370 to schedule an appointment.

We're here to answer questions, provide trusted care, and help keep our community healthy...one visit at a time. 💙

08/27/2026

💙 September is Substance Use Prevention Month

For parents and caregivers, prevention starts long before a child is faced with a decision about substance use.

You don’t need to have all the answers. Small, everyday conversations can make a big difference:

💬 Talk early and often. Keep conversations open and age-appropriate.
👂 Listen without judgment. Make it easy for your child to come to you with questions or concerns.
🤝 Know their world. Stay connected to their friends, activities and interests.
📱 Set clear expectations. Talk about the risks of alcohol, ni****ne, cannabis and other substances.
❤️ Be present. A strong, supportive relationship is one of the best tools for prevention.

Prevention isn’t about one big conversation. It’s about building trust and staying connected over time.

Your child may not always act like they need you...but they do. 💙

08/27/2026

Attention Hazen - Please save the date! 💗

✨ Women’s World of Wellness is coming soon! ✨

Join us October 14 & 15 at Sakakawea Medical Center for our 1️⃣5️⃣th annual mammo marathon and celebration of women’s health and wellness!

🩷 Mammo Marathon: Complete your annual mammogram on our 3D mammography machine. Enjoy refreshments, snacks and door prizes! Call 701-748-7278 now to schedule your appointment.

🛍️ NEW THIS YEAR — Vendor Fair BOTH DAYS!
The Vendor Fair will be open both October 14 & 15 in the SMC Main Galleria! Stop by to shop, learn more about women’s health and wellness, and connect with local vendors and organizations. Vendor fair is open to the public!

We’ll be announcing our vendors and health education booths as we get closer to the event, so stay tuned for more details!

Save the dates and join us! 💗

08/27/2026

Expertise matters. 🩵

A Note from Sandra Tibke, executive director  As parents and caregivers, we want nothing more than to protect our children and make the best decisions for their health and well-being.

08/27/2026

🎙️ NOW PLAYING!
“TikTok Said It, So It Must Be True…Right?”

Have you ever heard a health claim online and wondered, “Is that actually true?” 🤔
In this episode of Public Health MATTERS, Becky sits down with Jessica Barker, Director of Nursing at Western Plains Public Health, for a fun, myth-busting conversation about:
🔎 Common health myths and the truth behind them
📱 How health information spreads online
🏥 What public health really does
✅ How to find health information you can trust

Pull up a chair and join us for a conversation that separates fact from fiction!

🎧 Listen anytime: dakotamediaaccess.org/listen/public-health-matters/ (part of Dakota Media Access ) or wherever you get your favorite podcasts
📻 Fridays at 9 AM | Sundays at 4 PM
📡 Radio Access 102.5 FM

08/26/2026

We’re grateful for opportunities to work alongside community partners to support healthier, safer families! 💙

Today we joined partners such as Standing Rock Indian Health Service & SRST Tribal Health Administration in Fort Yates to share information about immunizations, car seat safety and commercial to***co quitting resources...important tools for protecting children and keeping families healthy.

We appreciate the opportunity to be there, connect with our community and work together to make health and safety resources more accessible. Partnerships like these make a difference!😊

08/26/2026

💊 Have leftover or expired medications at home? Don’t let them sit around... dispose of them safely!

Western Plains Public Health offers FREE Deterra® and DisposeRx® packets to help you deactivate medications and safely dispose of them in your household trash.

Why use them?

🧴 Simple to use
🌱 A safer option for the environment
🚫 Helps prevent accidental or intentional misuse

It’s an easy step you can take to make your home safer and keep unused medications out of the wrong hands.

📞 Call Western Plains Public Health at 701-667-3370 to request your FREE packet today!

Safe medication disposal starts at home. 💙

08/26/2026

💙 Protect yourself. Protect the people you care about.

Taking steps to protect your sexual health is an important part of overall health and well-being.

Western Plains Public Health offers FREE condoms to anyone age 14 and older. No appointment is needed. Just stop by our Mandan office during regular business hours.

Questions? We're happy to help connect you with information and resources.

📍 Western Plains Public Health