Planning your New Year’s resolutions for 2026? The Henry and Stark County Health Department and their First Choice Healthcare Clinics in Kewanee and Toulon offer the following Healthy Resolutions Checklist:
● Get Your Annual Exam
● Seek Help for Behavioral and Mental Health Issues
● Keep Your Annual Pap Test
● Make sure all in the family are up to date on needed immunizations
● Eat Healthy
● Get Exercise
● Keep/Make Well Baby/Well Child Exams
● Get an Annual Fasting Blood Draw
● Protect Your Sexual Health
If you are considering one of these resolutions, the First Choice Healthcare Clinics may be able to help you with clinic and lab services, mental health clinic services and therapies, PrEP/HIV prevention medications and services, immunizations, women exams, and health education and counseling. These services are available at their clinic locations in Kewanee and Toulon, many for a nominal fee.
The Health Department also reminds area residents that they have grant funds, services and programs to help you keep your 2026 New Year’s Resolutions.
The New Year can be a great opportunity to start fresh. And New Year’s resolutions can be a powerful tool to give your health a big boost and improve your whole life. Far too often, though, resolutions don’t last past February or March. Instead of motivating you for success, resolutions are often unrealistic – and can make you feel like you’ve failed. Let the Health Department and their First Choice Healthcare help you meet your goals and resolutions for the upcoming year.
For more information call the First Choice Healthcare Clinics in Kewanee at 309-852-5272; and Toulon at 309-852-3115 or visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and Instagram at Henry and Stark County Health Departments.
The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and their First Choice Healthcare Clinics in Kewanee and Toulon are reminding local residents of their PrEP/HIV Prevention program and services.
This new PrEP/HIV Prevention Grant includes and provides to local residents:
● Completely confidential and inclusive safe sex education, including how to reduce risk of HIV transmission
● HIV testing for general screening or post-exposure to HIV
● Assessment of individual risk and potential need for PrEP or PEP treatment
● Counseling about PrEP and PEP treatment and necessary monitoring
● Prescribing prophylactic PrEP medication (Oral or Injectable) OR
● Prescribing PEP medication, to reduce risk of HIV after a possible exposure
The Health Department notes that another aspect to this important health grant and initiative is that funds are available to help participants to receive services and needed medications.
First Choice Healthcare Clinic staff can help participants navigate financial assistance, for different types of insurance or lack of insurance:
● Medicaid insurance – covers treatment 100%
● No insurance or private insurance? Financial assistance is available easily through the state.
For more information, call the First Choice Healthcare Clinic nearest you Kewanee 309-852-5272; or Toulon 309-852-3115 or visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find them on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments or follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
It’s a small device that can save a life. The Henry and Stark County Health Departments remind residents they have Free Gun Locks available through their offices and clinics in Kewanee, Colona and Toulon. Recently the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced a major milestone in its effort to promote firearm safety: the agency, in cooperation with local Health Departments, has now provided more than 100,000 free gun locks since the statewide initiative began less than a year ago.
According to health department officials every day, 64 Americans die by firearm suicide, one every 22 minutes. Also of note, households that locked both firearms and ammunition were associated with a 78 percent lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries and an 85% lower risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens, compared to those that locked neither.
“These simple steps can be life saving for the adolescent or adult who reaches for a firearm in an impulsive gesture during a moment of crisis. Or for a school-age child who thinks the firearm is a toy,” said RaeAnn Tucker, director of Health Promotion with the Henry and Stark County Health Departments.
The initiative, aimed at reducing the stigma of addressing gun safety, is part of a growing effort by public health and medical professionals who are treating the country’s gun violence epidemic as a public health crisis.
These gun locks are available through the Veterans Crisis Line. This is a 24/7 Confidential Crisis Support Network. Simply dial 988, then press 1; or Chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat; or text 838255.
“The purpose of this program is to limit young people having easy access to guns. In addition, this initiative is being used to prevent readily accessible guns being in the hands of the wrong people or individuals in mental crisis. Therefore, we encourage family members of and those with mental health concerns to take advantage of these free gun locks.” said Tucker.
Residents can pick up free gun safety locks by stopping by the Henry and Stark County Health Department offices and First Choice Healthcare clinic locations in Kewanee, 110 N. Burr Blvd; Colona, 103 1st St.; and Toulon, 120 E. Court St. Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on the Free Gun Safety Locks program, visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find them on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments.
The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and the Get Covered Illinois Navigator Program asks, “Do You Need Health Insurance?” Their Health Insurance navigators will be present at the upcoming local events to assist anyone looking to set up health insurance coverage:
Glazed Donuts & Coffee, 512 Greenpark Ave., Colona, Ill.
Wednesday, Jan. 14
8-10 a.m.
Shell Gas Station, 511 S. Main St., Kewanee, Ill.
Friday, Jan. 16
9 a.m. -noon
Their “Get Covered Illinois” Navigators can help you:
● Find affordable health coverage that meets your needs
● Fill out and submit your application
● Compare quality health plans side-by-side
● Find out if you qualify for financial help to lower your monthly premium
● Find out if you qualify for Medicaid or an affordability program
● Understand your benefits
● Understand health insurance terms
Remember you may be eligible to enroll in a Get Covered Illinois health plan outside of the usual Open Enrollment, or make changes to your existing coverage, if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). The SEP may require you to enroll within 60 days of a Qualifying Life Event. A qualifying life event is a life change, such as:
Loss of Health Coverage, due to:
● Losing job-based coverage
● Losing Medicaid coverage
● Losing Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors or Health Benefits For Immigrants Adult coverage
● A divorce or legal separation
● Turning 26 years old, no longer eligible for parents’ coverage
Other Qualifying Life Events include:
● Getting Married
● Having a baby or adopting a child
● Moving to a new ZIP code or county
● Becoming a US Citizen
● Leaving incarceration.
For more information on this Get Covered Illinois Navigator Event or assistance in enrolling in a Get Covered Illinois Healthcare Marketplace please call 309-852-5272.
