Is your athlete gearing up for the upcoming sports season? Central Valley Health is here to help with our Sports Physical Blitz opportunities, offered on:

• Monday, July 22
• Monday, July 29

Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling 701-252-8130.

Sports physical appointments will include a one-on-one health history screening, physical examination, as well as a full review of the athlete’s immunization records to ensure they are up-to-date and meet the requirements for the school year.

The cost of the sports physical can be billed to your medical insurance, or you may choose to pay a $40 cash price at the time of the appointment.

Please make sure your student brings their completed required forms to the appointment. These forms are available to download at:
👉 centralvalleyhealth.org/sports-physicals

Let us help your athlete start their season strong and safe—schedule your appointment today!

For Immediate Release

Jamestown, ND — Due to recent severe weather and ongoing power outages, the City of Jamestown has requested that the Kids Safety Day event, originally planned for this Thursday, to be postponed. The event is held annually by the Community Health Partnership (CHP), a coalition of local health and safety organizations.

The new date for the event is Thursday, July 24, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Jamestown Civic Center.

This decision was made after exploring alternate venue options and reviewing the forecast for the original event date. With our community currently focused on recovery and cleanup efforts, postponing was deemed the most responsible and safest option for all involved.

“We were looking forward to hosting the event this week,” said Shannon Klatt, Director of Health Promotion at Central Valley Health District and member of the CHP coalition. “But we know the rescheduling will still provide a fun, engaging, and educational experience for children and families once our community is better positioned to come together.”

Central Valley Health extends sincere appreciation to all vendors and community health and safety partners for their flexibility and continued support.

Community members are encouraged to help spread the word and mark their calendars for the new event date.

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NEWS: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BISMARCK, ND (JUNE 24, 2025) – North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that state residents who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and lost food due to the recent power outages caused by the June tornadoes, windstorms and hail may qualify for SNAP replacement benefits.

SNAP households that lost power for more than four hours have until June 30, 2025, to request replacement benefits.

Because HHS was able to verify power outage information based on county-wide impacts, households in the following counties can simply request replacement benefits without needing to further verify food loss due to outages:
Barnes, Burleigh, Cass, Foster, Grant, Griggs, Kidder, Logan, Morton, Ransom, Sioux, Steele, Stutsman and Traill.

SNAP households living in all other North Dakota counties may still be eligible if they experienced food loss,but must verify that they were affected by a power outage of four hours or more to receive replacement benefits. Verification should be a notification of power outage from the power company such as website updates, text notifications or other methods used by the company.

Impacted households can request replacement benefits by:

Submitting a fully completed and signed Request for Replacement Due to Loss of SNAP Benefits form (SFN 270) within 10 days of reporting a loss by uploading it to the Self-Service Portal (SSP), by emailing it to applyforhelp@nd.gov, or returning it to a human service zone office.

Contacting the Customer Support Center by email at applyforhelp@nd.gov, phone Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT at (866) 614-6005 or (701) 328-1000, 711 (TTY) or mail to Customer Support Center, P.O. Box 5562, Bismarck, ND 58506.

The program will replace the amount of the loss up to the monthly benefit amount. For example, if a household reports a food loss of $250 and the household received $300 in SNAP benefits for the month, $250 in replacement benefits will be issued once the loss is verified.

The maximum replacement amount cannot be more than one month of the SNAP benefit amount the household received. People with questions can find information online at hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/snap or by contacting the Customer Support Center or a human service zone office.

North Dakotans who were impacted by the recent disaster and maybe struggling or in crisis, can find help through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Residents can also find help through 2-1-1 FirstLink, which provides confidential support and referrals for essential needs such as food, housing, utilities, transportation and more by visiting FirstLink’s Database or calling the 2-1-1 Helpline for 24/7 assistance.

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Due to recent weather-related events and power outages, the Kids Safety Day event originally scheduled for this week has been postponed.

We’re disappointed we won’t see you this week, but our city is currently facing significant recovery efforts and strains on infrastructure. Thank you for your understanding – help us spread the word!

A new date will be announced soon — stay tuned!

UPDATE 6/24/2025: Due to recent weather-related events and constrains on city infrastructure, the event has been POSTPONED to Thursday, July 24, 2025.

Central Valley Health District is excited to invite you to the Community Health Partnership’s Kid’s Safety Day — a free, interactive experience for families and children to age 12!

📍 Jamestown Civic Center
📅 Thursday, June 26
⏰ 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

This highly anticipated event brings together local health and safety organizations, including first responders, educators, and wellness advocates, to offer a variety of hands-on activities, educational booths, live demonstrations, and more. It’s a great way to learn, engage, and connect with the people and programs that help keep our community safe and healthy.

✨ Highlights Include:

• Explore first responder vehicles up close
• Visit educational booths and interactive stations
• Enjoy safety and wellness demonstrations
• Take home a swag bag (free for the first 300 attendees!)

🚲 Don’t Miss the Bike Rodeo!
Back by popular demand, the Bike Rodeo—led by Jamestown Parks and Recreation—is a fun and engaging bike safety course designed for kids. Helmets are required, so if you have one at home, bring it along to get professionally fitted. Don’t have one? A limited number of free helmets will be available with Central Valley Health, thank you to the Jamestown Optimist Club for your recent donations to purchase helmets.

This event is part of our shared mission to promote a safe, healthy, and informed community. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or simply passionate about community wellness, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

🔗 More details + RSVP here:
Click to visit the Facebook event

We’ll see you there! 🧡

Thank you to our participating vendors:

• Central Valley Health District
• Jamestown Parks and Recreation
• Essentia Health
• South Central Human Service Center
• Vision Zero North Dakota
• Stutsman County Farm Bureau
• American Red Cross
• North Dakota Hunter Educators
• Healthy Families ND
• ND Highway Patrol
• Sanford Health
• Jamestown Fire Dept
• Jamestown Regional Medical Center
• Jamestown Area Ambulance
• Jamestown Police Department
• James River Senior Center & Public Transit
• Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office
• The Medicine Shoppe
• Downtown Dental
• Child Care Aware
• Anne Carlsen Center
• Jamestown Rural Fire Department
• Looysen I Care
• North Dakota Game and Fish
• Bridgewell

Our Environmental Health Department develops and releases an Aquatic Newsletter for aquatic facilities and public health partners for the the southeast central region of North Dakota. Below is the contents from Volume 2.

Released May 28, 2025

Promoting Aquatic Safety: Resources from CVHD

As a recipient of the Dr. R. Neil Lowry Grant, Central Valley Health District (CVHD) is proud to support healthy swimming practices and drowning prevention in our communities.

To help promote aquatic safety, CVHD has created an informational handout designed to educate the public on safe swimming habits. A digital version is attached to this newsletter for your convenience.

We encourage you to share this handout by posting it on your facility’s website and social media channels. CVHD will also distribute printed copies to each facility. Additional copies may be requested while supplies last, or you may print more as needed.

CVHD is also partnering with local public health units across the Southeast Central Region of North Dakota to distribute the handout at outdoor recreational water sites and to the broader public.

If you have creative ideas for sharing this important information, we’d love to hear from you!

Reminder: Water Body Sampling Requirements for Seasonal Aquatic Facilities – 2025 Season

As a reminder, before opening for the 2025 season, each water body at a seasonal aquatic facility must have a satisfactory water sample on file.

Monthly Sampling Requirement:

• Once in operation, each water body must have a water sample submitted by the 15th of every month.

Example:

• If a facility plans to open on May 30th, a satisfactory pre-opening water sample is still required.
• This sample can be collected after May 15th, as the facility was not operational prior to that date.
• A separate June sample must be submitted by June 15th, even if a May sample was submitted just before opening.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Seasonal Facilities: Please contact CVHD with planned opening date, hours of operation and schedule including swim lessons.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Healthy and Safe Swimming Week Campaign Materials

Aquatic Newsletter, Volume 2 (PDF):

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed the state’s first case of measles since 2011. The case involves an unvaccinated child from Williams County who is believed to have contracted the illness from an out-of-state visitor. 

The individual is currently isolating at home to avoid spreading measles to others. HHS is contacting those who may have been exposed and advising unvaccinated individuals how long to quarantine.

Measles is a contagious, viral illness that can be serious, particularly for young children and those with compromised immune systems. 

Measles symptoms often include: 

• fever
• cough
• runny nose
• eye irritation
• followed by a body-wide rash

Measles spreads easily through the air and remains contagious for several days before and after symptoms appear. There is no specific medical treatment for measles, antibiotics may be used in cases that have a developed secondary bacterial infection.

Because the majority of North Dakotans are vaccinated, the risk to the general public is low.

People who were vaccinated as children and adults born before 1957 are considered protected due to previous infection.

Molly Howell, HHS immunization director, said, “Anyone with symptoms consistent with measles should call ahead before visiting a clinic to avoid exposing others. Vaccination remains the most effective defense against measles. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination is safer than risking measles illness. The MMR vaccine has been safely used in the United States since 1973.” 

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing infection. The vaccine is routinely recommended for children at 12-15 months of age and again between 4-6 years. Most adults born in 1957 or later should have at least one documented dose. People born before 1957 are assumed to be immune due to history of measles. Those in health care settings are recommended to have two doses. 

Families and individuals should consult with their trusted health care provider to discuss immunizations. HHS encourages residents to check if they are up to date on MMR vaccine and to review their immunization records, available at hhs.nd.gov/IRR or from their health care provider.

Vaccines are available through most clinics, and for families in need, the federally funded Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program offers support through local providers. 

North Dakota currently reports an 81% MMR vaccination rate among toddlers, and a 90% rate among kindergarten students for the 2024-2025 school year. According to public health data, a 95% vaccination rate is generally needed to prevent wider spread in communities.

For more information about measles or immunizations, contact the HHS Immunization Unit at 701.328.2378, 711 (TTY) or visit hhs.nd.gov/measles. 

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Central Valley Health District (CVHD) is deeply saddened to share the passing of CVHD Board of Health member, Jerry Bergquist. Jerry was not only a valued member of our board, but also a longtime partner and advocate for public health in his over 30 years of dedicated service in emergency management for Stutsman County.

Central Valley Health District extends heartfelt gratitude to Jerry for his years of service to Central Valley Health — and for his unwavering leadership, wisdom, and dedication through countless community health emergencies and coalitions. His deep knowledge, steady guidance, and passion for serving others made a lasting impact on the organization and community.

Photos from CVHD archives that capture Jerry in action:

Jerry had served on the CVHD Board of Health as the Stutsman County Commission Representative for 3 years. Visit here to view Jerry’s obituary.

NEWS: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BISMARCK, ND (MAY 1, 2025) – North Dakota Health and Human Services announced that public health programs that serve children and families have increased their qualifying income levels based on changes in federal poverty level guidelines, which are updated annually to reflect cost-of-living changes.

Qualifying income levels are increasing today for the North Dakota Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, and for diagnostic and treatment services available through the Special Health Services Financial Coverage Program.

Effective May 1, 2025, a family of four can earn up to $59,478 annually and meet qualifying income requirements. That is a $1,758 increase. Qualifying income levels vary by the number of people in a household. Both programs have additional requirements.

The federally funded WIC program offers healthy food, nutrition education and community referrals to qualifying pregnant women and families with children younger than five years of age. WIC provides fresh fruits and vegetables; milk; whole grains and cereals; eggs; cheese; yogurt; 100% fruit juices; peanut butter and beans. WIC also supports breastfeeding and provides iron-fortified formula for infants who are not breastfeeding and baby food for older infants.

Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants qualify for WIC. To learn more and apply, visit hhs.nd.gov/food-programs/WIC.

The Special Health Services Financial Coverage Program helps North Dakota families pay for medical services for eligible children ages newborn to 21 years who require specialty care to diagnose and treat their chronic health conditions. Medical services include, but are not limited to dental services, medications, therapy, nutrition services, laboratory tests, medical equipment and care coordination.

About one in five children in North Dakota have a special health care need. While many have health insurance, Special Health Services can help fill coverage gaps for over 100 eligible medical conditions and promotes access to quality care. To see if a child qualifies, visit hhs.nd.gov/health/children/special-health-services/financial-coverage-program or contact 800-755-2714, 711 (TTY) or tfeigitsch@nd.gov.

On April 1, North Dakota Medicaid also adjusted the eligibility limits for its different coverage groups. See details at hhs.nd.gov/healthcare/medicaid/eligibility.

The federal poverty level is used by the United States government to determine eligibility for various assistance programs. It is a baseline to help identify individuals and families who may need financial assistance. HHS is an equal opportunity provider.

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BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) is reminding residents to follow state regulations surrounding open burning, especially as drought conditions persist throughout much of the state. These rules are in place to protect public safety, reduce environmental risks, and minimize wildfire hazards.

Prescribed Burns Require Prior Approval

Land management agencies planning to conduct prescribed burns, such as those for wildlife habitat improvement or other land optimization, must obtain written approval from NDDEQ.

Open Burning and the Law

Residents are encouraged to follow all burning restrictions to ensure proper burning and safety procedures are achieved. Details about those rules, and also information on more specific burning activities such as burning buildings, burning at landfills, and burning oil, are available at the NDDEQ Open Burning Webpage. Certain activities, such as campfires, outdoor cooking fires, and agricultural crop burning, do not require a burn variance. However, local burn restrictions/bans must still be followed.

Additional Burn Requirements

Even with a burn variance, individuals must:

• Check for local burn restrictions/bans here.
• Monitor fire danger ratings Fire Danger Ratings and red flag warnings Reg Flag Warning.
• Follow emergency declarations. Up-to-date conditions can be found at ndresponse.gov.
• Residents must also notify local fire departments and emergency management offices before burning.

Community Awareness and Safety

Although not required, NDDEQ encourages residents to notify their neighbors before conducting an open burn. This helps ensure safety and community awareness. For more information, visit NDDEQ’s open burning webpage at NDDEQ Open Burning Webpage or contact your local fire department or emergency management office.

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Open Burn Variance

Central Valley Health District issues authority for Burn Variances for all of the counties in the South Central Region 6 area. Regardless of whether or not the burning is permissible under the rules or whether a variance to open burn has been issued, all open burning must comply with all of the conditions contained in Subsection 33.1-15-04.2. Some of these conditions are as follows:

• No public nuisance is or will be created.
• No occupied building may be impacted by air contaminants from the burning.
• No traffic hazards can be created.
• The burning must be attended and supervised at all times.

To report a suspected illegal open burning incident in Region 6, contact the Central Valley Health District or your local law enforcement agency.