It was a busy summer for the Northern Kentucky Health Department, which strives to keep our region healthy in every way. Food health inspections, wellness kiosks. school inspections, warnings about contagions — and more — are always on the lists.
Here are the highlights of NKY Health’s activities for the quarter, as they head into the last one for 2026:
• NKY Health Dept. began offering PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) in our four county health centers in July. PrEP is a medication that prevents individuals from getting infected by HIV. NKHD now offers HIV prevention, HIV testing, as well as connections, support, referrals, and case management to those who test positive for HIV.
• In an effort to better accommodate the needs of clients, each of our four health centers began new operating hours in July, with each center staying open until 6 p.m. one night a week.
• NKHD spent much of August monitoring 61 cases of NKY residents who were diagnosed with Cyclospora —the gastrointestinal illness that spread across the country that was traced back to infected lettuce.
• NKHD wrapped up its testing of students and faculty of Lloyd High School after an individual associated with the school tested positive for tuberculosis. Fortunately, all tests came back negative.
• NKHD spent much of the summer inspecting temporary food booths at festivals and fairs around the region. They are inspected in much the same way we inspect all of the restaurants in the region. Last year we inspected 831 temporary food booths.
• The Harm Reduction Team put on Save-a-Life Day in September, setting up booths at six locations around the region in an effort to flood the area with lifesaving resources, including free naloxone.
• NKHD also installed three new wellness kiosks in the region over the summer, making seven across four counties. The kiosks are free vending machines that are filled with health and wellness items ranging from water to Narcan to flu tests to pregnancy test kits to socks.
• NKHD also began installing naloxone distribution boxes in businesses around the region. The boxes look like newspaper vending machines, but are stocked with Narcan, drug test strips, and HIV test kits.
• NKHD wrapped up its five-month-long Community Health Assessment survey in September. Every five years it surveys Northern Kentucky residents on what they think are the most important health-related issues facing the region. It then collects and analyzes the results, getting a comprehensive picture of the community. NKHD uses the data to create a Community Health Improvement Plan on how we are going to address those issues. The CHIP is used to build our larger strategic and operational plans for the next five years.
The survey included numerous focus groups, individual meetings, and a large partnership with Local12 during its Northern Kentucky Community Day at Turfway Park in August, which included a panel discussion with Health Director Jennifer Mooney.
• As NKHD does every August, it inspected every school in the region before it was allowed to open. Inspectors look for a number of health and safety concerns, including if the restrooms maintained in a sanitary manner; Is there adequate lighting in all classrooms and other common areas; Are buildings in good repair and free of insects and rodents; Are any safety hazards present. New construction and remodeling efforts must also be approved by NKY Health if they involve food or plumbing issues.
• The new school year started with 26 schools taking part in our Vape Disposal Program. Schools are required to confiscate vapes from students, but since the vape liquid is considered hazardous waste, NKHD saves them money by collecting the vapes and turning them over to a certified hazardous waste treatment business. Last year NKHD collected and disposed of 379 vapes.
• The start of the school year also saw the start of our Tobacco-free Tailgate Parties before select football games. We hand out fun swag as well as educational material to students and parents about the dangers of nicotine.
• NKHD breastfeeding team, which is part of our WIC program, hosted the annual “Lactation on the Levee” in August, with 125 healthcare professionals and advocates attending from across the country. The event provided evidence-based education, clinical strategies, and networking opportunities for lactation consultants, nurses, doulas, doctors, and WIC specialists.
Northern Kentucky Health Department