The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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MINTGOMERY, AL - On July 21, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) observes Zero HIV Stigma Day, a global grassroots campaign that has engaged over a million voices across the world to confront and end the stigma surrounding HIV. "With your help, we are working to raise awareness, educate our communities, and build a culture of compassion where no one is judged or isolated because of their HIV status," Chelsey Flowers of the ADPH Office of HIV Prevention and Care said. "Together, we...
In celebration of the 150th year anniversary of the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Montgomery County Health Department invites the public to attend an open house on Thursday, July 24. The open house will be held from 9 a.m. until 12 noon at the facility at 3060 Mobile Highway, Montgomery. "We would love it if you could swing by and help us celebrate 150 years of ADPH," County Administrator Kevin Hicks said. "We plan to highlight the many services we provide and answer any questions you...
Various state and local partners will be offering free wellness screenings, educational resources, and food, while supplies last, at a community-wide event on Wednesday, June 11, from 9 to 11 a.m., at Selma University. All Dallas County residents are invited to attend and learn more about applying for Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits; nutrition and physical activity; Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); mental health and community connections; and much more! Selma University expressed...
Frequent preventive health screenings, a healthy diet, regular physical activity, lowering stress, and addressing mental health challenges are important in maintaining men's health outcomes, yet men are less likely to seek medical care and die an average 6 years earlier than women. Men's health is often overlooked, and their symptoms go unnoticed. June is National Men's Health Month, and its purpose is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and to encourage early detection and...
May 21, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - As mosquito season ramps up, the Alabama Department of Public Health urges all residents to take preventive measures to protect themselves and their communities from mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), and La Crosse virus (La Crosse). Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance; they can carry viruses that cause serious illness in humans. Fortunately, there are simple steps...
May 15, 2025 - The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) annually updates fish consumption advisories based on data collected the preceding fall by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). ADEM, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) collected samples of specific fish species for analysis from various waterbodies throughout the state during the fall of 2024 (492 samples: 42 collection stations). ADPH...
May 20, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Behavioral and mental health issues affect every aspect of life; one in five adults in the United States experiences mental illness each year. Alabama has seen the number of mental health providers and access to care improve, though more work is needed to meet the demand for services. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said, "The strains experienced with COVID-19 highlighted a mental health gap between the people seeking assistance and the shortage of...
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) confirms that a bulldog in Pike County near County Road 7708, Troy, tested positive for rabies. The dog's owner reported that the bulldog was acting aggressively toward other animals and the owner, and on Monday called Troy Animal Control. Several other dogs live around the residence and are being monitored for signs of rabies. ADPH is monitoring and urging people in the general area to keep their pets and other animals current on rabies...
The Alabama Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program is excited to improve the experience for its participants by introducing the WICShopper app for smartphones and other devices. This new app has taken the place of the former Alabama WIC app, providing a valuable resource for participants to build and maintain healthy eating habits. The WICShopper app makes it easy for Alabama WIC participants to keep track of their benefits in real-time, helping them stay updated on eligibility and monthly...
MARCH 21, 2025 - LOWNDES COUNTY, AL. - A fox that scratched a hunter in the Burkville community of Lowndes County has tested positive for rabies. The scratch occurred when the fox repeatedly attacked and began biting the hunter's shoes. The fox was eventually subdued, captured and submitted to the Alabama Department of Public Health laboratory for rabies testing. The person has already begun receiving the post-exposure prophylaxis series. According to Dr. Dee W. Jones, State Public Health...
March 11, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Did you know that tuberculosis (TB), an airborne infectious disease, remains one of the leading causes of death in the world? Daily, TB claims approximately 4,100 lives, and close to 27,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to end TB have saved 79 million lives since 2000. Significant progress has occurred, but to be even more effective, more people need access to effective treatment and new TB infections that were missed...
March 7, 2025 - MONTGOMERYY,AL - March is Social Work Month, a month to celebrate social work professionals and their many contributions to our state and nation. The theme for 2025 is "Social Work: Compassion + Action." This theme emphasizes how social workers dedicate their lives to helping others while addressing societal challenges and promoting well-being. In the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), social workers serve as members of a multi-disciplinary team of professionals skilled...
March 3, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) asks for the help of Alabamians to assess the health needs of women of childbearing age, infants, children, and youth in the state. One way the public can assist is by participating in an anonymous online survey that is to be completed by families, youth, and healthcare providers. Other ways ADPH is collecting information are through focus groups, key informant interviews, and listening sessions hosted around the...
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has successfully completed a review process to maintain national accreditation status through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). In maintaining its accreditation status for another five years, ADPH has demonstrated that it meets PHAB's quality standards and measures and has the capacity to continue to evolve, improve and advance to continue improving the health of the residents of Alabama. PHAB was created to serve as the national public...
December 16, 2024 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Alabama Wellness Alliance (AWA) is excited to announce the "For Every Body" campaign, which encourages healthy lifestyle behaviors and access to resources for all Alabamians, regardless of age, race, size or ability level. The campaign includes social media graphics and messages that can be utilized to increase awareness of the Alabama Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan (ALPAN), promote state and local events, promote healthy behaviors, encourage use...
January 27, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. To increase public awareness of radon and to promote testing and mitigation, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is offering one free radon test kit per Alabama household as part of an initiative to reduce dangerous radon exposure. Radon is a radioactive gas that cannot be seen or smelled. It is produced when uranium breaks down in soil and water. Radon is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor...
November 20, 2024 - MONTGOMERY, AL - World AIDS Day is held December 1 each year. This day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the epidemic and encourage progress in HIV prevention, treatment, and care around the world. The World AIDS Day 2024 theme is, "Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress."The goal is to acknowledge and celebrate the progress made as well as recognize challenges when it comes to HIV treatment. HIV is not c...
October 24, 2024- MONTGOMERY - The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has confirmed that a stray kitten approximately 4 to 6 weeks of age in Auburn has tested positive for rabies. Other kittens in the litter are also being tested for rabies. ADPH has been notified that there was another kitten, presumably of the same litter, that was not caught. The location of the case was in the area of Auburn off East Longleaf Drive within the city limits. ADPH is identifying all persons who may have...
October 28, 2024 - MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) continues its investigation of possible rabies exposure to humans from a stray kitten. A litter of kittens had been abandoned on the campus of Tuskegee University. The kittens were subsequently taken to a veterinarian practice in Auburn where one of the kittens became ill and was tested for rabies. That one kitten tested positive for rabies, and three additional kittens tested negative for rabies. An individual...
The Butler County Health Department is now providing most services in a modular facility at 350 Airport Road in Greenville. In addition, a second location at 300 North College St., Greenville, will continue to provide Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Environmental Services. Following a June 30 fire which destroyed the long-standing Health Department building, the county and district staff have worked tirelessly to provide full services to clients. Since the fire, the Jefferson County...
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) announces that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will distribute oral rabies vaccine (ORV) in parts of Alabama October 1-20. The current action is a continuation of a decades-long program to reduce raccoon rabies and the associated public health risks from rabies exposures. In urban areas, such as the Birmingham metropolitan area, vaccine packets are distributed by hand from trucks alongside the tree lines. Low-flying airplanes and...
Over the past few weeks, cases of rabies in wildlife have exposed several pets. In the city limits of Hokes Bluff in Etowah County, a raccoon positive for rabies was found inside a fenced yard. Three dogs in the yard were exposed to rabies. In early August in Sylacauga, Talladega County, a bat positive for rabies was found on a front porch and a cat was likely exposed. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) reminds the public that rabies is a viral disease that can be fatal if...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $2.975 million to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Maternal Mortality Review Program (MMRP) over five years through the ERASE MM Grant to expand support to Alabama's Maternal Mortality Review Committee (AL-MMRC).). The AL-MMRC was established in 2018 under the leadership of the ADPH Bureau of Family Health Services. The committee is composed of experts and stakeholders who are familiar with the unique aspects of...
The Alabama Department of Public Healt currently accepting proposals to collaborate with qualified organizations in Alabama to affect social norm changes around tobacco use and protect youth from nicotine initiation and exposure to secondhand smoke. The program anticipates awarding up to nine grants ranging from $50,000 to $75,000. The required scope of work will include promoting community environments that protect elementary, middle, and high school-aged children from exposure to secondhand...
Alabama begins screening newborns for two additional genetic disorders The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is excited to announce that on July 29, 2024, the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories began testing for two treatable genetic disorders. Newborn screening can alert healthcare providers to the potential for a condition that is typically not apparent at birth. With a simple blood screen and treatment, most affected babies have the opportunity to avoid death and disability and grow up...
