Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, 200 Maine Street, Lawrence, KS (2025)

11/20/2025

As part of our ongoing monitoring, we track Douglas County, KS emergency department (ED) visits and wastewater levels to better understand how respiratory illnesses are spreading in our community. These tools give us an early look at local trends for COVID, flu, and RSV so we can share timely updates and guidance.

In Douglas County, COVID, Flu, and RSV ED visits remain at 0%, and Lawrence, KS wastewater levels for all three viruses are currently low. These indicators show that our community is experiencing very low respiratory illness activity.

This is a great time to get caught up on flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines, keep up good handwashing, improve ventilation indoors, and stay home when you’re sick. These precautions are especially important as we head into colder months and holiday gatherings when viruses typically spread more easily.

11/20/2025

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health is launching an effort to better understand water quality in rural households. This new initiative offers free, voluntary well water testing for property owners across Douglas County. Residents with private wells can work with LDCPH to collect samples for comprehensive analysis, including screening for contaminants such as nitrates, coliform bacteria, and E. coli bacteria.

For more information and to start the process, please email ehinfo@ldchealth.org or call 785-843-3060.

11/16/2025

We are proud to share that Healthy Families Douglas County, a program of LDCPH, has earned accreditation from Prevent Child Abuse America. 🎉🎉

This achievement is a national recognition of quality and commitment to supporting families and celebrates our team's hard work and dedication to helping families thrive. Visit https://bit.ly/47X61p6 to read the whole release.

To learn more about Healthy Families Douglas County, visit ldchealth.org/fsp.

11/14/2025

Bob Tryanski, Director of Behavior Health Projects for Douglas County, shares progress made on the Behavioral Health focus area of the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) at last month's CHIP update celebration.

Explore the CHIP: https://bit.ly/43rbHqc
Learn about Zero Su***de: https://bit.ly/4pfIhUo

Douglas County, Kansas Government

11/14/2025

In collaboration with Heartland Community Health Center, we are pleased to announce a transition that strengthens access to family planning services and expands options for patients.

Effective July 2026, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health will assume responsibility for the Title X Family Planning Grant, reflecting a shared commitment to improving access to reproductive health services in Douglas County.

See the full release below.

11/13/2025

Great news this week from our respiratory illness surveillance reports! ED visits for COVID, Flu, and RSV are all at 0% in Douglas County, and wastewater monitoring shows low levels of all three viruses here in Lawrence, KS. These trends suggest that respiratory activity in our community remains minimal, which is a positive sign as we move further into the season!

Historical patterns show that respiratory viruses often increase around holiday gatherings and cold weather, so maintaining awareness remains important.

Even with these encouraging numbers, now is the perfect time to stay ahead of seasonal illness:
- Get vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 if you haven’t yet. Protection takes about two weeks to build.
- Stay home when sick and practice good hygiene (cover coughs/sneezes, wash hands often).
- Ventilate indoor spaces and consider masks in crowded areas if respiratory illnesses start to rise again.
- Follow our weekly update, as trends can change quickly and early awareness helps protect the community.

11/12/2025

You can’t see it, taste it, or smell it, but carbon monoxide (CO) can be deadly. As you start up your furnaces and fireplaces this fall, now’s the time to check your CO alarms and get your heating systems inspected.

1️⃣ Install CO alarms outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home
2️⃣ Test alarms monthly and replace them according to manufacturer instructions
3️⃣ Have your fireplace, chimney, and HVAC system serviced before it gets too cold
4️⃣ Never warm up your car or run a generator inside a garage, even with the door open

🔗 Learn more from NFPA’s Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips: https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/carbon-monoxide

11/12/2025

Did you know you have legal protections for breastfeeding at work and in public? 🤱
You deserve to feed your baby with confidence, wherever you are! 🌟Luckily, WIC is here to support lactation in the workplace by providing breast pumps and support through peer counselors and breastfeeding experts (like IBCLCs) to program participants.

For more information, call or text our WIC line at 785-856-5350.
Read about Kansas breastfeeding laws at https://bit.ly/4qVdgXc and https://bit.ly/3LwQZ1Y.

11/10/2025

The ***coquitline offers free 24/7 help to quit to***co to all Kansans. For free help to quit to***co or va**ng, visit ksquit.org or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669).

11/08/2025

Jill Jolicoeur, Assistant County Administrator for Douglas County and convener of the Anti-Poverty focus area, reflects on the successes from the first year of implementation of the 2025–2029 Community Health Improvement Plan.

Are you a single parent in Douglas County?
The Anti-Poverty Work Group, in partnership with KU's Center for Public Partnerships & Research, is gathering voices to help shape a stronger, healthier and more equitable community. Help drive change in economic mobility, health and well-being by sharing your story.

🔗https://ourtomorro.ws/DGCOthrives

Douglas County, Kansas Government United Way of Kaw Valley

11/06/2025

As part of our ongoing monitoring, we track Douglas County, KS emergency department (ED) visits and wastewater levels to better understand how respiratory illnesses are spreading in our community. These tools give us an early look at local trends for COVID, flu, and RSV so we can share timely updates and guidance.

COVID, flu, and RSV ED visits in Douglas County are all currently at 0%, which is great news for our community! However, local COVID wastewater levels are at medium levels and show a slow, gradual upward trend. This means there’s still some virus activity in the community even if ED visits remain low. Flu and RSV wastewater levels remain low in Lawrence, according to WastewaterSCAN data.

These trends suggest that while overall illness levels are currently low, COVID activity could increase in the coming weeks, especially as more people gather indoors and travel during the holiday season.

To help keep our community healthy:
- Stay up to date on your COVID and flu vaccines. Vaccination remains one of the best ways to prevent severe illness and protect those around you.
- Practice good hygiene. Wash hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home if you’re not feeling well.
- Keep an eye on symptoms. If you experience fever, cough, sore throat, or fatigue, consider testing for COVID or flu and avoid close contact with others.

11/05/2025

Heartland Community Health Center and Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health are partnering to expand access to family planning services across Douglas County.

Beginning July 2026, LDCPH will administer the Title X Family Planning Grant, while Heartland will continue providing reproductive health care as a Federally Qualified Health Center. This will give patients more options and ensure seamless, affordable access to care.

🔗 Read the full joint statement: https://heartlandhealth.org/2025/11/heartland-community-health-center-and-lawrence-douglas-county-public-health-announce-title-x-transition/

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health

11/20/2025

11/20/2025

11/16/2025

11/14/2025

11/14/2025

11/13/2025

11/12/2025

11/12/2025

11/10/2025

11/08/2025

11/06/2025

11/05/2025

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