Pam Harklau is closing in on her first year leading the diverse agency of Hamilton County Public Health.

Editor’s note: Progress 2025 begins today. You’ll find stories about Health & Wellness in Hamilton County inside.

It is perhaps the busiest department within Hamilton County.

Providing services under the dual umbrellas of both public health and home health, this is the place where young moms come to learn how to be a mom, where infants and children may receive their life-saving vaccines, where the elderly can come for basic foot care.

This is the public health side of Hamilton County Public Health. Many of the services receive funding from a number of outside sources, including state and federal grants as available.

Want to learn more? Here’s a brief breakdown of the services provided. (This list does not include the services of nurses and homemaker/aides in the more widely known home health division of Hamilton County Public Health.)

WIC — Women, Infants and Children clinics

Nutrition programming for children from birth to 5 years, including pregnant women and women who have given birth in the last six months.

Maternal Health Clinic

Offers enhanced prenatal services to pregnant women, including services from a registered dietician and education on nutrition and breastfeeding.

Immunizations

Children from two months to age 18 on Medicaid Title 19 or those with no insurance. This free service protects not only the children served, but the larger community by increasing herd immunity through vaccine protection.

STI Clinic

Free, confidential testing for HIV and Hepatitis C, including education and prevention materials.

Early Head Start

Provides services for families with infants and toddlers up to 3 years old. Eligibility is based on income and provides activities for children and parents to learn about development, health and nutrition.

Building Families

Serves women, infants and toddlers up to 5 years of age. Includes scheduled home visits, family support workers, education. Participation is voluntary and free to families, and is not based on income.

Respite

Provides respite care for those caring for a loved one at home. There is no cost to the family, allowing a caregiver to take even just a few hours to do errands or enjoy some much-needed time on their own.

Foot Clinics

Multiple clinics provided throughout the county to provide basic foot care.

Private Well Grant

Free annual testing of wells and reimbursements to assist with well plugging, cistern plugging and shock chlorination.

Septic Inspections

Designed to help protect surface and groundwater from contamination.

Disease Investigation

Reporting and investigation of any potential outbreak, including contact tracing.

Emergency Preparedness

Collaborative effort with federal, state and other agencies to plan for any natural disaster.