Communicable Disease Prevention | Maternal & Child Health | Abortion Access | Safety | Oral Health
Free items for expectant parents of Tompkins County
Participating programs: Tompkins County Whole Health (WIC, Moms PLUS+, HiP Tompkins), Healthy Families Schuyler/Tompkins, and more!
Plus, everyone can enter in a Free Raffle!
Our Community Health Services Team works collaboratively to support the health and well-being of our community by providing multiple programs and services to Tompkins County residents. These include health and support services for families with children from prenatal to age 5, immunizations, communicable and vector-borne disease surveillance and response, reproductive health, and lead poisoning prevention.
Community Health Nurses investigate all reportable diseases to identify contacts and to educate individuals regarding disease transmission and prevention. For more information call 607-274-6604 or follow the links below.
Communicable Disease homepage
Check our immunizations homepage for the latest school requirements and most up to date CDC recommendations and NYS vaccine programs. TCWH immunization clinics are held most Fridays serving community members with no insurance, or with Medicaid or a Medicaid managed care plan. Seasonal flu vaccinations are available by appointment. For more information on vaccine clinics, please call 607-274-6604.
Immunizations & Vaccines homepage
Moms PLUS+ is a home visiting nurse program that provides maternal child health supportive services, free of cost, to residents of Tompkins County regardless of insurance status. Moms PLUS + is designed to improve equitable access to quality maternal child health care, increase lactation support for parents choosing to breast and chest feed and enhance the coordination of care with other community partners.
The Moms PLUS + program offers a client centered approach by delivering gender affirming, harm reduction and trauma informed care to all participants. To speak with a Moms PLUS + nurse call 607-274-6604.
Visit the Moms PLUS+ page.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to community services to women who are pregnant and post-partum, and their children under five years of age. Breastfeeding support is also available. For more information about who is eligible and how to join, visit our WIC web page or call 607-274-6630.
TC WIC homepage
SafeCare is an evidence-based, parent-training program for parents of children ages 0–5 who are at risk for, or have been reported for, child neglect or physical abuse. SafeCare providers work with families in their homes to improve parents' skills in three areas: parent-child interaction, child health and home safety. The program is conducted in weekly home visits for about 18 weeks.
In Tompkins County, SafeCare is currently only available to families involved with Family Treatment Court. SafeCare providers have completed training and certification in the program and are nurses in the Community Health Services department at TCHD. SafeCare in Tompkins County has recently expanded to include a local certified SafeCare coach who meets with providers regularly for quality control/improvement.
SafeCare was implemented in Tompkins County starting in 2015 by Family Treatment Court with grant money from the Prevention and Family Recovery Project. Additional funding came in 2017 with a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The SafeCare program was developed at the Georgia State University School of Public Health. It has expanded worldwide. For more information you can check out the SafeCare website.
How New York Protects Your Right To Reproductive Healthcare (2025)
Sometimes called “crisis pregnancy centers” or “limited-service pregnancy centers,” these are not abortion clinics. These are places that try to prevent people from having abortions — sometimes even from using contraception. They typically:
Most of these facilities are not health care providers and are not subject to the same privacy laws as medical facilities. Many are connected with organizations that oppose abortion, contraception, and education about reproductive health. Before doing anything at a facility or sharing any personal information, ask whether abortion services are available. If staff don’t directly answer or give you a vague answer, you may be at a fake abortion facility. If you accidentally go to one of these facilities, the staff will likely try to talk you out of having an abortion. You are free to leave. You can find a real abortion provider through the resources listed here.
Note: Many of these facilities promote an unproven “treatment” they call “abortion pill reversal.” Be advised that “abortion pill reversal” has not been accepted by any major medical association, demonstrated safe or effective through clinical trials, or approved by the FDA.
The Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Program (CLPPP) is the largest in the country. CLPPP works to make homes safe. It funds local health departments to gain access to high-risk housing to educate, inspect and control lead hazards. It looks for properties with lead paint hazards, then it takes action to make them lead safe – protecting children from lead poisoning.
At Tompkins County Whole Health, we partner with Environmental Health to perform home visits for all children in Tompkins County with elevated blood lead levels and provide education to the public about lead poisoning prevention.
For more information call 607-274-6604 or visit the Lead Poisoning Prevention page.
Lead Poisoning Prevention
Ticks can spread disease. Not all ticks can cause disease and not all bites will make you sick, but as these diseases become more common it's important to learn how to prevent a bite, how to remove a tick and what to do if you think you could have a tick-borne disease.
Ticks Page
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system. Infected mammals can transmit rabies virus to humans and other mammals. Rabies is most often seen among wild animals such as raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes, but any mammal can be infected. Pets and livestock can get rabies if they are not vaccinated. People usually get exposed when an infected animal bites them.
Rabies Page
Mosquitoes usually are seen as a nuisance, but they can sometimes spread diseases to people and animals. These diseases can cause illness and even death. While your chances of being infected with a disease through a mosquito bite are very small, some diseases spread by mosquitoes have increased in recent years. Climate change continues to increase the risk of diseases spread by mosquitoes, especially for people who travel to areas where they are more common.
Mosquitoes can spread several diseases to people, but two viruses that some mosquito species in New York State can transmit are:
Protect Yourself:
Preventing mosquito bites is the most important way to reduce your risk of getting a disease that is spread by mosquitoes.
For much more information about mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, visit the NYS DOH Mosquitoes and Disease website.
At Tompkins County Whole Health, we believe in the power of a healthy smile. Our mission is to improve your health by providing you with oral health tips, resources, and information about dental care providers and dental insurance options. Your smile matters, and we are here to support you every step of the way.
Oral health is an important part of whole health, which affects our ability to speak, eat, smile, taste, chew, and swallow. In addition to causing cavities and gum diseases, poor oral hygiene is linked to diabetes, lung and heart diseases, stroke, and other chronic diseases. Maintaining good oral hygiene is essential for fighting oral and systemic diseases.
Oral Health Page
3/30/2026