Berrien County Health Department

05/28/2026

🐥 Are you or someone you know raising chickens, turkeys or other backyard poultry? Or interested in starting a flock?

⚠️ If so, it’s important to know children younger than 5, older adults or people with weakened immune systems should not handle or touch chicks, ducklings or other poultry.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services offers other safety tips to protect you and your loved ones from Salmonella and other poultry-related diseases:

• Avoid kissing or snuggling backyard poultry, especially the chicks.
• Do not keep live poultry inside your house.
• Keep poultry away from areas where food or drink is prepared, served or stored.
• Never give baby poultry as gifts to anyone, including young children.
• Remain outdoors when cleaning cages, feed, water containers and other materials used to care for your poultry.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after touching birds or anything in their environment.

Learn more about backyard poultry health and safety by visiting cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about
/backyard-poultry.html?utm_campaign=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

05/27/2026

New and soon-to-be parents are invited to join a free virtual baby fair hosted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. 👶🩷

Virtual baby fairs will take place:

9-11 a.m. Thursday, June 11
6-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 16

Each session will feature various resources to support the health and safety of parents and their little ones. Many MDHHS programs will participate, including Women, Infants and Children, Infant Safe Sleep, Breastfeeding Support and much more.

Learn more about the virtual baby fair and register at michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/virtual-baby-fair.
Unable to attend? Access baby fair on-demand videos at michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/virtual-baby-fair/virtual-baby-fair-ondemand.

05/26/2026

The earlier you start, the greater the risk. Adults who began drinking before age 15 are 3.6 times more likely to have alcohol use disorder than those who waited until age 21 or later, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

We encourage you to talk with your teen about waiting. Need help to have this conversation? We’ve got you. Check out resources at berriencounty.org/1890/Underage-Drinking-Prevention.

Learn more about the facts of underage drinking and find prevention resources.

05/22/2026

In honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, our offices will be closed Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day.

We’ll be back at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 26. For access to many of our services and resources 24/7, visit bchdmi.org.

05/22/2026

Babies and kids thrive on routines, particularly around bedtime. Brush, Book, Bed, a program of the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends this calming ritual 30 minutes before bedtime to help children wind down and ease stress:

🪥 Help your child brush their teeth or wipe their gums after feedings.
📚 Read their favorite book to them.
🛌 Maintain the same bedtime each night.

Find more tips and resources to help you start the Brush, Book, Bed routine at healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/oral-health/Pages/Brush-Book-Bed.aspx.

An infant safe sleep checklist can also be found at berriencounty.org/706/Infant-Safe-Sleep.

05/21/2026

Keep your fur babies safe from ticks 🐾

Pets are just as vulnerable to tick exposure as people, especially if they spend a lot of time outside in grassy or wooded areas. Protect your pet from tick bites by:

• Regularly using flea and tick prevention. Ask your pet’s veterinarian for a recommendation and instructions.
• Checking them after coming indoors through visual and hands-on inspections:
- Run your hands over their body and feel for any bumps.
- Pay close attention to their ears, chest, underbelly, legs and feet.
- Make sure to check between their toes and around their tail.
• Talking with your pet’s veterinarian about Lyme disease immunization.

Learn more about how to protect your pet and yourself from tick bites by visiting berriencounty.org/1779/Fight-the-Bite---Ticks-Mosquitos.

05/20/2026

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re celebrating programs like Rx Kids that help reduce stress and support maternal mental health. 🤱

Rx Kids helps cover groceries, diapers, transportation and other financial stressors to ease the burden for moms during pregnancy and after their baby's birth. Learn more about Rx Kids and check out eligibility requirements at RxKids.org

05/19/2026

We’re proud to share we've once again earned the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation. 🏆

This recognition reflects our team’s dedication to protecting and promoting public health in our community by supporting young families through Mi-APP, partnering with local schools to provide sexual health resources, providing food safety inspections for local restaurants and so much more.

Learn more about the accreditation and our services in this The Herald-Palladium story: https://www.heraldpalladium.com/communities/benton_harbor/berrien-county-health-department-earns-accreditation/article_5f7f0bbd-c882-5319-885e-b4c812b8bbf6.html.

05/18/2026

As the school year winds down, now’s the perfect time to get a head start on kindergarten requirements ✏️🍎

Set your child up for success on the first day of school by scheduling their free dental, hearing and vision screenings this summer 🏅

Our preschool and prekindergarten screening clinics begin Monday, June 8, with locations across Berrien County. These screenings are required by Michigan law for children entering kindergarten at public and private schools.

Summer appointments fill quickly, so be sure to schedule early!

Learn more about clinic locations and how to make an appointment: https://www.berriencounty.org/m/newsflash/home/detail/2507

05/14/2026

👩🏽‍🍼Do you know a young mom age 14-21? We’ve got a paid opportunity for her.

Please help us spread the word about a building healthy relationships study, which offers up to $140 in digital gift cards to participants.

Study participants will:

📝Complete three short online surveys over one year (about 30 minutes each)

👩🏽‍🏫Potentially be selected for an in-person workshop series June 11-25 at the Berrien County Health Department

Study eligibility includes:
• 14-21 years old
• Pregnant or parenting
• Can attend in-person sessions if selected

💬If you know someone who may be interested, share this post or have them text or call Candi Purdiman at 269.287.9731.

We’re partnering with Empowering Young Parents on the study to better understand and support young families.

BCHD works to prevent disease, prolong life and protect the health of the community.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.