Prevention Services Division
Division Director, Judith Gilligan, MSW
Mission Statement: The mission of the Prevention Services Division is to promote, with community involvement, a healthy lifestyle and to prevent disease and injury through culturally respectful programs of education, outreach and intervention.
WIC Women, Infants & Children (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program)
WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children. Services include nutritional and bio-chemical assessment to determine health risks, assistance with obtaining nutritious food packages, nutrition education and counseling, and referrals to other pertinent programs. Education is provided on nutrition and breastfeeding.
Pregnant and post-partum women, infants and children up to age five are screened and assessed as to their nutritional risk, income level and residency. There is no charge for these services. For further information on any of these programs, please call us TOLL FREE at 877-942-2477 or email us at Nutrition@cochise.az.gov.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Services
Trained Health Educators offer a menu of evidence-based curriculae upon request by schools, youth programs, parent groups and other venues:
- Promoting Health Among Teens! – Twelve 1-hour lessons for 11-18 year olds focusing on exploring sexual feelings, consequences of risky sexual behavior and sexual responsibility including abstinence, condom use and negotiation & refusal skills.
- Cuidate – Six 1-hour lessons based on the Hispanic/Latino culture focusing on cultural beliefs and attitudes about HIV/AIDS and including negotiation & refusal skills.
- Making a Difference – Eight 1-hour lessons for junior high school youth focusing on the consequences of sex and helping teens develop skills to resist peer/partner pressure.
- Reducing the Risk -
- Active Parenting of Teens – A 12 hour parent workshop focusing on helping parents learn how to help their teens make healthy, responsible choices.
- Can We Talk? – An 8 hour parent workshop to help parents learn to talk to their teens about important life issues.
- All curriculum emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles by providing teens with the knowledge to make informed decisions. All components provide an abstinence-based message.
- Please call (520) 432-9493 or contact us at healthyliving@cochise.az.gov.
Tobacco Prevention Services
Our trained Health Educator works in all schools to educate youth about the harmful effects of tobacco, and reinforce that tobacco use is no longer the norm:
- Tobacco prevention presentations are delivered to all grade levels upon request by the school.
- SPARK (Sports, Play & Active Recreation for Kids) – These elementary level classes are designed to promote physical activity for children that will help improve their health-related fitness movement skills that add to their success and enjoyment, and encourage positive socialization.
- Youth Health Coalition - At the high school level, we are forming partnerships to implement youth coalitions countywide. Youth coalition members will promote tobacco prevention messaging to their peers, focus on community-wide policy change and assist at school and community events.
- Ashline – We offer training for businesses and health care providers in effective ways of making Ashline referrals.
- We also refer individuals to the ASHLINE (Arizona Smokers’ Helpline) for FREE smoking cessation coaching and NRT.
- Please call (520) 432-9493 or contact us at healthyliving@cochise.az.gov.
Active Adults
Intended to enhance the existing County wellness services, this program is designed for Cochise County employees who have risk factors for chronic disease, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Trained Exercise Specialists and a Registered Dietitian provide the following services for county employees:
- Individual assessments of physical health, nutrition and lifestyle.
- Personalized fitness and/or nutrition plans and individual coaching to achieve change.
- Workplace wellness activities including walking groups, Zumba classes and monthly educational topics.
- Healthy Living Classes: this program is a series of 6 FREE workshops that help individuals or their care givers manage their chronic illnesses. Anyone with a chronic condition such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, asthma, or any other on-going health condition can participate.
- Please call (520) 432-9493 or contact us at healthyliving@cochise.az.gov.
Maternal and Child Health Home Visiting
Trained Community Health Workers and Parent Educators guide women through their pregnancy and the first three years of a child’s life using evidence-based home visitation models (Partners for a Healthy Baby and Parents As Teachers). Home visitors help women to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy birth and focus on parent-child interactions, developmental-centered parenting and family well being. Services are provided to the client in their home for client convenience and to stimulate positive parent-child relationship in their own environment. Pregnant women are connected to prenatal care providers and receive on-going education about fetal development and healthy behaviors that can impact birth outcomes. Home visitors partner with parents in supporting their child’s development by providing insight, information and resources, as well as developmental screenings. Clients are referred to various community resources as needed and provided with assistance to access those services. This program is free for all county residents and covers all county communities and areas.