Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Health Unit Targets May 1 Opening For Offices

If everything goes according to plan, the new Nevada County Health Unit will open its doors on May 1, 2000.

Janet McAdams, NCHU director, said this is the target date, but things could change because of weather conditions. Currently, she said, the contractors are ahead of schedule.

Construction costs, she said, will total $445,000 for the 5,200 square foot facility.

"We have strict guidelines for state owned buildings," she said. "We are heavily regulated."

Once the building is completed, Nevada County will be responsible for its upkeep and maintenance.

Because of this, McAdams said, the state wants to build a quality building.

The new NCHU will have 17 rooms and a lobby. There will only be two private offices. Because of the work done in these two offices, they are required to be private by the state.

The unit will have four examination rooms, but can be expanded to create a fifth one, if the need arises.

McAdams said this building is designed with the idea of future expansion in mind. This way, if there's a shift in the population, the state will be prepared.

This particular building, she said, is expected to last at least 30 years.

Once operational, the NCHU will continuing offering the same services it does now.

These services include maternity care and family planning. A breast and cervical cancer program will be available to women 40-65 years old who are income eligible. McAdams said those who qualify can get free physicals and mamograms.

The NCHU also offers well-child checkups, with a pediatrician coming to Prescott on a monthly basis from Mena.

Clients can still be checked for sexually transmitted diseases and communicable diseases such as TB.

Flu shots are available for those six months and older.

In addition, McAdams said, there are on-site clinic visits made, along with visits to area nursing homes, where vaccinations for the flu are given. Nurses also go to the Nevada County Day Service Center and do vision screenings as well as vaccinations, along with TB screens.

When the current facility was built, McAdams said, there were three employees. This total has now reached 17 being stationed at the NCHU.

Several of these people primarily stay on the road, providing the aforementioned services in the eight counties served by the unit.

The new structure will house a person providing computer services for all eight counties, with this employee being in and out of the local office.

With flu season underway, McAdams said flu shots are a good idea.

However, anyone with flu symptoms, she continued, should see their family physician.

At this time Type A and B influenzas are going around. The symptoms for both are similar including fever, chills, body aches and upper respiratory problems. Anyone experiencing these symptoms, McAdams said, should see their doctor.

A stomach virus is also making the rounds, but this health problem should not be confused with the flu bug.