What the department does

Marion County health department director Krista Schneider kicked off a meeting Saturday at Florence Carriage Manor by asking attendees what services came to mind when they thought about the health department.

The No. 1 answer was vaccinations.

Health department staff members administered 2,696 vaccines from April 3, 2022, through April 2 of this year, Schneider said.

She said her department:

• Provided services to 111 Women, Infants and Children clients last year
• Checked 24 car seats since summer 2022
• Educated 22 families about safe sleep since last summer
• Distributed 135 life jackets and 38 smoke detectors during the past year
• Performed 47 epidemiology and reportable disease investigations during the past year
• Investigated 22 animal bite/rabies cases.
• Inspected all public schools in the county’s five districts and one private school.