Bell County Public Health District

02/03/2026

Day 3 of is Dr. Joycelyn Elders. Minnie Joycelyn Elders (born Minnie Lee Jones, 1933) served as Surgeon General of the United States from 1993 to 1994. A vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, she was the second woman, the second person of color, and the first African American to serve as Surgeon General. Born to a sharecropping family in rural southwest Arkansas. She earned a degree in biology from Philander Smith College in Little Rock, worked as a nurse aide at the Veterans Administration hospital in Milwaukee, served in the U.S. Army, where she was trained as a physical therapist, and then attended the University of Arkansas Medical School earning her MD in 1960 and a MS in biochemistry in 1967.

In 1987, then-Governor Bill Clinton appointed Elders the director of the Arkansas Department of Health, making her the first African American woman to hold that position. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed her Surgeon General. At both the state and federal levels, she advocated for s*x and reproductive education to address the spread of s*xually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies, particularly in the Black community. She was also an advocate for studying the legalization of drugs. Forced to resign due to her views on s*x education, she returned to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences as a professor emerita in pediatrics.

02/02/2026

It's ! Be sure to wear red this Friday to show your support!

is here!

Every February is American Heart Month, a nationwide observance that spotlights cardiovascular disease and the need for more lifesavers. First proclaimed in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Heart Month began as a national call to take charge of your heart health—a mission that continues today.

How will you celebrate?

02/02/2026

Day 2 of is Mary Eliza Mahoney. Mary Eliza Mahoney (1845 - 1926) was the first African American to graduate from an American school of nursing in 1879. She and two of her colleagues founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, which worked to improve access to educational and nursing practices, raise the standard of living for African American nurses, and eliminate racial discrimination in the registered nursing profession. She was one of three students out of 40 to complete the nursing program and receive their degree from the New England Hospital of Women and Children.

In addition to working as a private care nurse, Mahoney also served as the director of the Howard Colored Orphan Asylum for Black children in Brooklyn, New York City. The asylum was run by African Americans and served as a home for Black children and the Black elderly. She was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 1976 and the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993.

02/02/2026

We're proud and excited to be a part of this amazing community event. See you tonight!

FACEBOOK REMINDER POST (Public)

REMINDER – Join Us This Monday! ❤️🖤💚

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Mu Delta Zeta Chapter invites you to a powerful and informative virtual discussion:

HIV Awareness and Prevention for the African American/Black Community

Monday, February 2, 2026
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (CST)
Virtual via Zoom

Featured Speakers:
• Dr. Tavell Kindall, Ph.D., DNP, APRN
• Mary Parrish, Bell County Public Health District
• Rolonda Jones, M.Ed – Facilitator

This FREE community program will provide education, resources, and open dialogue focused on awareness and prevention.

🔗 Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/4qEVBSV

Meeting ID: 860 3459 9386
Passcode: 028845

Scan the QR code on the flyer or share with family and friends.

02/01/2026

Day 1 of is W.E.B. Du Bois. William Edward Burghard Du Bois (1868 - 1963) was an American sociologist, writer, historian and civil rights activist. He was the first African American to earn a doctorate at Harvard University and rose to national prominence as a leader of the Niagara Movement, a group of black civil rights activists seeking equal rights. He was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and a professor at Atlanta University (now known as Clark Atlanta University). He was a prolific author and sociologists documenting the conditions and challenges faced by blacks due to Jim Crow, racial discrimination (individual and institutional) and lynching. His most noted works include “The Souls of Black Folk”, “The Philadelphia Negro”, “Black Reconstruction in America”, “The Crisis”, and “Dusk of Dawn.”

01/31/2026

This February, the BCPHD will be honoring some of the most influential African American pioneers in public health. Stay posted as we share their stories.

01/29/2026

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. While vaccination and regular testing are important for women, it's just as important for men to do their part.

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) can cause not only cervical cancer, but also cancers of the mouth, throat, p***s, and a**s (1).

Only 9.0% of men aged 18 to 26 received the recommended number of doses of the HPV vaccine (2), despite having a lifetime probability of acquiring HPV at 91.3% (3). Sources in comments.

The Bell County Public Health District offers HPV vaccines to uninsured or underinsured individuals and to Medicaid recipients.
Killeen Clinic Hours:
Tuesdays
Walk-ins: 7 to 11 am
Appointment only: 1 to 3:30 pm
309 N 2nd St, Killeen, TX 76541

Belton Clinic Hours:
Wednesdays
Walk-ins: 7 to 11 am
Appointment only: 1 to 3:30 pm
1605 N Main St #104, Belton, TX 76513

01/29/2026

01/28/2026

Join us on Thursday, February 26th, from 4 to 5 pm at The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors, Killeen, for naloxone training. This training is free, but registration is required.
bit.ly/4a8UiGg

01/28/2026

IMMEDIATE VOLUNTARY WATER CONSERVATION REQUEST:
WCID #1 has asked the Cities of Harker Heights, Nolanville, Killeen, Ft Hood, and Copperas Cove to voluntarily implement water restrictions during this cold spell.

The Belton Water Treatment Plant is under construction and operating at reduced capacity. Plant 4, their largest plant, is currently out of service for a filter pipe gallery rehabilitation project.
With that plant out of service, they have 50 MGD (million gallons daily) firm capacity; flows have been trending around 30 MGD but are increasing, and some water storage tank levels are beginning to drop. WCID is working to identify the causes of increased water flow, but has asked our local communities/neighbors to voluntarily conserve water where possible. It might just be a matter of limiting how much water is dripping into your sink. Every little bit will help.

01/28/2026

❄️ Warming Centers Reactivated Tonight

Due to continued below-freezing temperatures, the City of Killeen has reactivated both warming centers to provide a safe, warm place for residents in need.

📅 Open through Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m.
📍 Friends in Crisis (412 East Sprott Street)
📍 Killeen Arts and Activities Center (801 North Fourth Street, Suite B)

Warming centers are available to all community members, including those without heat or experiencing power outages.

Residents interested in donating supplies may contact the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at em-coordinator@killeentexas.gov.

🔔 Stay informed with City alerts:
www.killeentexas.gov/notifyme
ℹ️ Updates: www.killeentexas.gov/ohsem

01/28/2026

The Bell County Public Health District will open at 12 pm on Wednesday, January 28th.