May 15, 2007
Elena Herrera, EPSDT Program Coordinator, gets the big AHHHfrom Paula Changsak in Russian Mission. Above: Phoebe Barage and her mother Karen find a fascinating book in the waiting room.
The community of Russian Mission is leading the way towards a healthier future.
During the month of May, Russian Mission Community Health Practitioner and trained EPSDT examiner Olga Evan is performing Well-Child Exams for both children and adolescents in an effort to make sure every child and adolescent has a thorough medical, psychological and behavioral health assessment.
Well-child exams play an important role in a child's development and help detect health issues at an early age.
"The screening gives a complete assessment that helps detect and prevent health issues in our children and adolescents," said Elena Herrera, YKHC's Early, Periodic, Screening and Diagnostic Treatment (EPSDT) Program Coordinator.
The well-child exam includes a complete physical exam, vision and hearing tests, lab tests, immunizations if needed, dental exams, nutrition assessments, developmental and behavioral assessments, and health education.
YKHC's EPSDT Program works with village health aides to provide well-child examination services to children birth to age 21.
The Russian Mission effort was initiated as a pilot project between the clinic and Tribal Council of Russian Mission and YKHC's EPSDT Program to increase immunization rates.
"We hope to conduct this type of clinic in more villages to increase the number of well-child exams in children and adolescents, but also to increase our immunization rates," said Herrera. "It's a great model for communities to initiate. Well-child exams are an important part of routine health care for our children."