Serving Colchester, East Haddam, East Hampton, Hebron, Marlborough, Portland
Health Education
Our Community Health staff provide a variety of Health Education and Outreach Services including:
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Community blood pressure screenings
See our calendar to the right to find upcoming screening events.
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Health education workshops
We offer Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and Diabetes Self-Management Program workshops throughout the year. These evidence-based workshops include six instructional sessions in which participants are taught tools to help self-manage a variety of chronic diseases and symptoms, including HBP, high cholesterol and diabetes to prevent and/or lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. The workshops also include education about stress management, physical activity, and healthier eating.
We are not currently enrolling for any sessions.
Check back again soon
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In-person educational presentations on a variety of wellness and prevention topics.
See our calendar to find upcoming presentation topics and locations:
Chatham Health District Calendar
Monthly Newsletters
Communicable Disease Monitoring and Control
CHD is responsible for the monitoring and control of communicable disease. State law requires area physicians, hospitals, and laboratories to report selected diseases to local health departments. CHD is then required to investigate the extent of these illnesses, and apply control measures when necessary. This process involves interviewing the affected persons and, in some cases, friends, family members and associates. We work within the community along with state partners to detect, control, and prevent the spread of communicable (infectious) diseases.
The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) revises the list of reportable diseases annually.
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The public health nurse receives and follows up on communicable disease reports as necessary. By monitoring these diseases, we can identify potential outbreaks and sources of disease and implement education and prevention measures as appropriate.
When appropriate, investigations of foodborne illnesses are undertaken in collaboration with the Environmental Health staff.
Report a foodborne illness (food poisoning):
You will need to create an account.
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Immunizations
Vaccines help to prevent infectious diseases. Some illnesses that once injured or killed many people every year have now been eliminated or dramatically reduced thanks to vaccination.
Chatham Health District (CHD) conducts public seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
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For details about our upcoming vaccination clinics see our calendar at the right.
To find other COVID-19 vaccination clinics near you visit:
Chatham Health District Calendar
Tick Testing
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Please note the following guidelines for tick submission:
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Remove tick with tweezers or forceps.
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Do not apply oils, soaps, alcohol, etc. to the tick to remove it. Also, please do NOT use tape to ‘hold’ the tick in place. Using these products may delay the testing process.
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After removal, clean skin area with antibiotic/antiseptic product.
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Place tick in a zip baggie.
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Bring it in to any of our District offices for submission.
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Your tick will be tested at the CAES laboratory in New Haven, CT.
Results can take up to 4 weeks:
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Your tick testing results will be sent to us here at CHD – the results will then be sent to you as soon as we receive them.
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If you submit a dog tick, it will be identified as such and will NOT be tested, as dog ticks do not transmit Lyme disease. You will be notified of this decision.
CHD accepts ticks that have been found on the bodies of citizens of our jurisdiction. You can bring the tick to any of our offices and we will forward the tick for testing
at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES)
at no cost to you.
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Investigation
Our Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Investigation Program is a collaboration between our Community Health Program and our Environmental Health Program.
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It is designed to confirm, investigate, conduct, identify, review, inspect, report, conduct follow up case managements and close out investigations of a child under the age of six with a confirmed Elevated Blood Lead Level.
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If you are concerned about the possible presence of lead based paint in your home and its impact on a child, contact the Healthy Homes Program at Connecticut Childrens Medical Center.
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Any renovation, repair, or painting (RRP) project in a home built before 1978 can easily create dangerous lead dust. EPA requires that RRP projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and preschools built before 1978 be performed by lead-safe certified contractors. To find your nearest EPA certified firm click on this link:
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Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction
Substance misuse is a serious public health challenge. Substance misuse includes any use of illegal drugs and the inappropriate use of legal substances, including alcohol, tobacco and cannabis.
The CHD Naloxone Leave Behind Program aims to increase the availability of the opioid reversal agent, naloxone, in the community.
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Is your medicine cabinet full of expired drugs or medications you no longer use? Prescription medicines that are safe for you might be harmful for someone else. The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a secured drop box or a drug take back event. Find a prescription drop box near you:
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The US Drug Enforcement Agency sponsors National Drug Take back Days twice a year (April and October). Find a Take Back Day Event near you:
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CHD is a member of several local coalitions working to reduce the impact of substance misuse in our area:
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