Regional Health
Public Health Nurse Program
Regional Town Nurse Lisa White at work.
Program Overview
Two towns in Franklin County have combined funds to support a part-time Public Health Nurse through the FRCOG. Public Health Nurses were a staple of local government for many years, but have been largely missing in rural Massachusetts in the last thirty years - due partly to budget cuts from Proposition 2 1/1 and partly to the regionalization of school systems (removing the school nurse as a local employee). Public Health Nurse Lisa White works out of an office in the Deerfield, Town Hall, and conducts regular office hours at the Conway Town Hall. The Public Health nurses provides support to member towns on a variety of issues, including:
- Weekly walk-in clinic Weds at Deerfield Town offices 1- a.m. – 2 p.m. assisting residents with a variety of health care needs (medication management, assessment and monitoring of health conditions, medication information).
- State-mandated infectious disease surveillance, reporting and case monitoring, including assistance to residents and local agencies regarding the prevention and spread of disease and to assure appropriate treatment.
- Blood pressure, blood glucose and other preventative and diagnostic health screenings.
- Community vaccination clinics providing Seasonal Flu, pneumonia and tetanus/diphtheria. Home vaccination to residents in need.
- Coordination assistance planning, purchasing and medical inventory: Frontier Regional Drive Thru Emergency Dispensing Site and Flu Clinic.
- Mercury thermometer and sharps disposal and container exchange (Franklin County Solid Waste Mgmt. Program).
- Assisted administration of a three town grant project (Whately was the lead) providing medication management services to seniors.
- Skin testing for residents and town employees at risk for Tuberculosis.
The FRCOG's Public Health Nurse Program serves only residents of Conway and Deerfield and can be reached at (413) 665-1400 x 114.
Links to other Franklin County town nurses:
- Montague Public Health Nurse – 413-863-3202
- Greenfield Public Health Nurse – 413-772-1404
- Rowe Public Health Nurse – 413-339-9943
- Heath Public Health Nurse – 413-337-4934
This page was last updated on 07/14/2011