Rhea County Health Department

Rhea County Health Department Services

Baby and Me Tobacco Free

An incentive-based, smoking cessation program created to reduce the burden of tobacco use on the pregnant and postpartum population. Those eligible to participate include pregnant women living in Tennessee who use tobacco products and would like to quit smoking. Contact the Rhea County Health Department to enroll today.

Child Health

Well-baby/child exams, Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) exams, are provided to children 20 years and younger. For more information visit

Children’s Special Services (CSS)/Help Us Grow Stronger (HUGS)

• CSS — Medical services coordinated by a social worker for children with special health care needs who are under 21 years of age and who meet both program diagnostic and financial guidelines.
• HUGS — Home visiting and care coordination program for pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and young children with the goals of promoting healthy pregnancies to ensure positive outcomes, assisting clients and families in accessing health care and other social and educational services, and providing individualized education regarding pregnancy, growth, development, and parenting education. Eligible persons include pregnant/postpartum women and children birth through five years old.

Communicable Disease Screening

Sexually Transmitted Diseases which include confidential testing, treatment, and contact follow-up including HIV/AIDS. Tuberculosis skin testing is provided to persons assessed to be at risk for tuberculosis. Medication is provided at no cost to suspected, active, and latent cases. Contacts to suspected or known cases are notified, tested, and treated as needed.

Family Planning

Education, counseling, physical exams, and birth control methods are provided at RCHD by a physician one day per week. Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening (BCS) is also provided for qualified individuals. View eligibility requirements for the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program.

Food and General Sanitation

The environmentalist inspects existing food service establishments and reviews plans for prospective ones. Inspections are also conducted on hotels, motels, public swimming pools, bed and breakfasts, childcare facilities, and school cafeterias.

Health Education/Promotion

Health education activities are provided that focus attention on lifestyle choices that result in positive differences for at-risk groups.

Immunizations

Immunizations are provided for infants, children, and adults. Contact RCHD for eligibility requirements based on your insurance status.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

WIC is a federal program designed to provide supplemental food to income-eligible pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children until the age of five. The program provides a combination of nutrition education, supplemental foods, and breastfeeding promotion and support. View Current Income Guidelines for the WIC Program.

Vital Records

• Birth Certificates — Certified copies of birth certificates for birth occurring in Tennessee frhttps://rheacountytn.org/wic.pdfom 1949 to present can be obtained at RCHD. The price of a birth certificate is $15.00 per copy.
• Death Certificates — Certified copies of death certificates may be obtained from RCHD if the death was pronounced in Rhea County. RCHD maintains records of death for six years. The price of a death certificate is $15.00 per copy.
• Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity — Service provided to parents to establish legal paternity of child. For eligibility information, please contact the Rhea County Health Department.