Tompkins County Whole Health Department

02/27/2026

Give a listen to TCWH's Medical Director, Dr. William Klepack's interview with Joe Salzone on WHCU Radio this week, where he discusses the risks of stroke, the 5th leading cause of death in our country. Dr. K shares how to recognize warning signs of a stroke and prevention measures to reduce risk.

STROKE Warning Signs --- watch for sudden:
NUMBNESS or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
CONFUSION, trouble speaking or understanding speech
TROUBLE SEEING in one or both eyes
TROUBLE WALKING, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
SEVERE HEADACHE with no known cause

HOW TO SPOT A STROKE, F.A.S.T.:
F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven?
A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred?
T = Time to call 911 – Stroke is an emergency. Every minute counts. Call 911 immediately. Note the time when any of the symptoms first appear.

Dr. K stated, "Stroke is also a leading cause of adult-onset disability; among individuals who survive 6 months, almost half are dependent in at least 1 activity of daily living. With better implementation of known strategies for risk factor control, more than half of stroke events could be prevented."

Feb. 25 on 607 This Morning: Joe was joined by Ithaca City School District Board of Education President Dr. Sean Bradwell and Tompkins County Whole Health Department Medical Director Dr. William Klepack. https://607newsnow.com/podcasts/categories/607-this-morning/

02/26/2026

🚨Toy Recall Alert:
*TheKiddoSpace Children’s Flashcard Talking Toys
*TheKiddoSpace Print and Cursive Handwriting Kits
*TheKiddoSpace Children’s Christmas Tree Toy Play Sets

Please be aware of these product recall alerts associated with unsafe levels of lead, a toxic metal that can cause serious health effects. The toys also contain levels of phthalates that exceed the federal phthalates ban. Lead and phthalates are toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues.

Learn more here: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls

02/25/2026

Reminder -- our offices at 201 E. Green St. and 55 Brown Rd. are closed today for an all-staff training day.

Genoa Pharmacy, located inside TCWH’s office at 201 E. Green St. (Ithaca) will remain open for their regular business hours. Pharmacy customers will need to call upon arrival at the office to be let indoors as the main door will be locked. Genoa Pharmacy: (607) 252-5130

Tompkins County Human Resources and Administration offices, located on the 5th floor of 201 E. Green St., will be open, but visitors will need to call upon arrival at the office to be let indoors as the main door will be locked. County Administration: (607) 274-5551

All Whole Health staff will participate in the all-day staff development. Our answering service will receive phone calls, and messages will be reviewed throughout the day.

**For Health Services’ answering service, call 607-274-6600.

**For Mental Health Services’ answering service, call 607-274-6200.

If there is an emergency, appropriate staff will be notified. Prescription requests received by 2:30 pm will be processed on Wednesday, February 25.

EMERGENCY AND CRISIS CONTACTS FOR 24-HOUR HELP if you or someone you know needs to speak with a mental health professional:

**For life-threatening emergencies, dial 911

**National Su***de Prevention Lifeline, DIAL 988 (1-800-273-8255)

**Veterans: dial 988 and Press 1 or text 838255. Visit www.veteranscrisisline.net for online chat and more.

**Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741-741.

**Ithaca’s Su***de Prevention and Crisis Service hotline, 1-607-272-1616.

02/24/2026

Have you taken or tried to take your child to the dentist in the past 12 months? We'd love to speak with you!

In collaboration with Tompkins County Whole Health Department, a team of Cornell Public Health faculty and students are looking for Tompkins County parents and caregivers of children under 18 years of age to participate in interviews about seeking and/or receiving oral health care for themselves and their children. We are looking for caregivers with a range of insurance status (e.g., Medicaid, private insurance, other insurance, no insurance).

We want to hear about:
🦷your experiences with seeking/receiving dental/oral health care,
🦷the impact of oral health care services (or lack thereof) for your family,
🦷what support you feel you need to get care,
🦷your perspectives (including trust) on non-traditional preventive and clinical dental/oral health services

Your participation will help inform future programming to address oral health needs in Tompkins County.

Interviews will take place over Zoom and will take between 30-45 minutes. We will provide a $35 gift card to participants for taking the time to speak with us!

If you are interested in participating, please contact the Oral Health Care Study Team at: mph-oral-health@cornell.edu for more information.

02/24/2026

TCWHs's Mental Health Services presents:

Circle of Security Parenting Program: for parents of children ages 0 - 10yrs, seeking support with parent-child relationships.

This group will meet virtually on Wednesdays, March - May, from 4:30pm-5:30pm.

Register to participate by calling our intake office: 607-274-6200.

02/23/2026

Please be advised: our offices will be closed for staff professional development on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. There will be no Open Access or other regularly scheduled programming, as all-staff will be participating in the all-day training.

Our answering services will remain available and messages will be checked throughout the day.

201 E. GREEN ST: Genoa Pharmacy and the Tompkins County Human Resources & Administration offices will remain open to the public, but you will need to call in order to enter the building.

Details: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health/Whole-Health-Press-Room/2026-02-February/Office-Closure-2-25-26

02/23/2026

🤧WEEKLY TOMPKINS COUNTY RESPIRATORY ILLNESS UPDATE🤧
https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health/Community-Health-Services/Respiratory-Viruses -2

Weekly Tompkins County Flu update: 67 new positive lab-confirmed cases as reported to NYSDOH, over past 7 days.

Weekly Tompkins County COVID-19 update: 9 new positive lab-confirmed PCR & Antigen cases, as reported to NYSDOH, over past 7 days.

Free COVID-19 test kits (Inteliswab brand) are available at TCWH's offices! Stop in Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm to pick up free kits.
To anonymously self-report at home test results, visit: www.makemytestcount.org

Get Vaccinated! The data shows routine peaks of COVID and Flu through March. It is not too late to get vaccinated. Learn more at: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health/Community-Health-Services/Immunization-Vaccines

02/20/2026

We are proud to be a provider of SafeCare, 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.

https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health/Community-Health-Services

Better late than never! Huge congratulations to the 24 partner agencies who recently completed accreditation with the National SafeCare Training and Research Center during the fourth quarter of 2025! 🎉

Agency accreditation is a key part of SafeCare's quality assurance and fidelity monitoring process. More importantly, though, it's a time to re-connect with our amazing implementing agencies around the world and hear about the incredible partnerships they form with families during the course of the year.

Grateful for all of you fulfilling our vision: Stronger families and brighter futures worldwide.

02/17/2026

Appointment slots are still available for Tompkins County Whole Health's upcoming Rabies Vaccination Clinic for dogs, cats and ferrets

No Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinics for Dogs, Cats & Ferrets
Date: **TOMORROW** Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Time: 6–8 p.m.
Where: Caroline Highway Barn, 852 Valley Rd., Brooktondale, NY 14817
Register online for appointment: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health/Community-Health-Services/Vector-Borne/Rabies-Control-Program

Dogs must be on leashes or in carriers, cats and ferrets must be in carriers. Bring proof of prior vaccination for 3 year certificate, otherwise 1 year certificate will be given. Pre-registration preferred but walk-ins also welcome. If an owner has multiple dogs and they get nervous or excitable it is recommended that they are brought in one at a time.

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Infected mammals can transmit rabies virus to humans and other mammals. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Rabies vaccination is an important measure to prevent infection from this deadly disease. Rabies vaccination is legally required for domestic dogs, cats and ferrets in NYS. Tompkins County Whole Health provides free vaccination clinics throughout the year to help pet owners keep their pets protected, at no cost.

02/17/2026

🤧WEEKLY TOMPKINS COUNTY RESPIRATORY ILLNESS UPDATE🤧
https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health/Community-Health-Services/Respiratory-Viruses -2

Weekly Tompkins County Flu update: 84 new positive lab-confirmed cases as reported to NYSDOH, over past 7 days.

Weekly Tompkins County COVID-19 update: 4 new positive lab-confirmed PCR & Antigen cases, as reported to NYSDOH, over past 7 days.

Free COVID-19 test kits (Inteliswab brand) are available at TCWH's offices! Stop in Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm to pick up free kits.
To anonymously self-report at home test results, visit: www.makemytestcount.org

Get Vaccinated! The data shows routine peaks of COVID and Flu through March. It is not too late to get vaccinated. Learn more at: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health/Community-Health-Services/Respiratory-Viruses -3

02/16/2026

TCWH offices are closed Monday, February 16th, in recognition of Presidents Day.

Our answering services remain available, 24/7: Public Health 607-274-6600; Mental Health: 607-274-6200.

For emergencies, always dial 911. For mental health crisis or support, dial 988.

02/13/2026

💓💝During Heart Health Month and especially on Valentine's Day, take care of your heart!💓💝

🩸"Know your numbers": monitor your blood pressure
🥗Eat real food, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and reduce processed foods
🏃‍♀️Be active, move more!
🚭Quit smoking/vaping: if you need help quitting, visit: https://www.tfreezone.net/

Listen to Dr. K's interview with WHCU Radio to learn more about how to reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes:
https://607newsnow.com/podcasts/dr-william-klepack-tompkins-county-medical-director-132/