Asthma is one of the most common childhood illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 7.1 million children have asthma. It is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism and can cause physical, emotional, and financial burdens if not well controlled. Knowing what asthma is, how it affects the body, and ways to help control it are key to a child’s optimum health. The Asthma Control Program is committed to improving the quality of life for all children in Montana with asthma.

This program is a home based, multi-component program which targets children and families, and includes environmental and educational aspects. In order to be eligible for the program your child must:

• Be under the age of 17 with a diagnoses of asthma.
• Live within the sites’ service area.
• Have has had at least one ER visit, urgent care visit or hospitalization within the previous 12 months, or have scored less than 20 on the Asthma Control Test within the previous 12 months (applicable to those age 4 and older).

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Sapphire Community Health's comprehensive cancer control services focus on cancer prevention, early detection and screening, and health advocacy to meet the needs of at-risk Montanans. Every man, woman and child can help prevent cancer by knowing their risk factors, getting screened and choosing a healthy lifestyle.

Our efforts, guided by the Montana Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, include:

• Providing financial assistance for screening
• Coordinating outreach and education
• Building coalitions
• Nurturing advocacy

The Montana Cancer Screening Program supports comprehensive cancer control by providing ongoing quality screening services to Montana women and education in a manner that is appropriate, accessible, cost-effective and sensitive to the client’s needs. Contact us to find out more about our Cancer Screening Services and eligibility requirements.

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Cardiovascular diseases and cancer jointly account for approximately half of all deaths in Montana each year. Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in Montana across the lifespan, contributing to adverse outcomes of pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, many kinds of cancer, and asthma. Increasing rates of obesity and overweight contribute to the growing epidemic of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Chronic disease deaths could be postponed and healthy living enhanced through a combination of Montanans complying with health recommendations and improving personal lifestyle.

Sapphire Community Health Communicable Disease Prevention efforts help protect the public from the spread of communicable diseases through:

• Education, reporting and tracking of communicable diseases.
• Notification response.
• Management of outbreaks.

Communicable diseases include sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Influenza, Anthrax, Pertussis, Norovirus, West Nile Virus, HIV, food borne illness and others. We care for people who have a communicable disease and people who may have been exposed to one, as well as provide education and information about these diseases and how to avoid their spread. Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), is the most common reportable infectious disease in Montana, underscoring the need for ongoing STI prevention activities.

The Montana Diabetes Prevention Program is a public health program that supports healthy lifestyle changes for adults who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Trained lifestyle coaches deliver the program through 19 organizations across the state. Committed to reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, the Montana Diabetes Prevention Program utilizes sustainable community partnerships to provide opportunities for primary prevention emphasizing healthy lifestyle change among high risk Montanans.

Implementing healthy, sustainable changes to your daily nutrition and learning how to implement physical activity that is enjoyable can ultimately help you lose weight and feel better is what this lifestyle program is all about. You will be in classes with others who have similar struggles, but can offer a sense of support. There are trained lifestyle coaches that will educate and help guide you to success.

Eligibility Criteria

Adults are eligible if they are overweight, have medical clearance and have one or more of the following risk factors:

• Pre-diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high triglycerides
• Had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or delivered a baby >9 lbs

People who have completed this year-long program gain confidence and learn new life skills. You will attend 1-hour group classes for a 16-week series of nutrition and physical activity classes and then 6 monthly classes. You will learn how to make better food choices, be more active, and manage stress or other challenges to help you lose weight.

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The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act provides funding for HIV/AIDS care. Federal funds enable states to improve the quality and availability of healthcare and support services for people infected with HIV/AIDS. Sapphire Community Health provides and coordinates top-quality care under the Ryan White CARE Act. Our services include:

• Medical, pharmaceutical, nutritional, mental health and substance abuse service.
• Referrals to specialists as needed.
• Assistance in accessing financial resources and financial assistance on a sliding fee scale.
• Education and counseling for HIV/AIDS patients and their families.
• AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and AIDS Insurance Continuation Program (AICP).
• Housing and transportation referrals.
• Advocacy and case management services.

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Sapphire Community Health provides protection from disease through immunizations. Please remember to bring all immunization records with you to each visit.

Childhood Vaccines

Childhood immunizations are crucial to the health of your child, as well as the health of the community. Because they are so critical, Vaccines for Children, a federally-funded program, helps provide vaccinations to children who are not insured or underinsured. With Vaccines for Children, there is no fee for the office visit, and no appointment is necessary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends several childhood immunizations. The state of Montana requires immunizations as a condition of daycare and school entry.

Adult Vaccines

Vaccines available for adults include: Hepatitis A and B, HPV (human papillomavirus), influenza, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), meningitis, pneumonia, polio, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis), chickenpox, and shingles. The vaccine for shingles is recommended for all adults age 60 and older, since the older a person is, the more likely they are to develop a severe a case of shingles rather than a mild case.

Travel Vaccines

If you travel overseas, you can protect yourself against many serious illnesses by making sure you have the proper immunizations. Give yourself four to six weeks prior to your trip to complete all necessary vaccinations. Travel vaccinations are available by appointment only. Contact us to schedule an appointment. People age 60 and older need a prescription from their doctor to receive Yellow Fever Vaccine.

Unintentional injuries cause almost half of all deaths among children, teens, and young adults. One third of unintentional injury deaths occur in vehicle crashes. Four out of five people who die in vehicle crashes are unrestrained by seat belts or age-appropriate car seats. Montana consistently ranks among the top ten states for the highest occupational injury and fatality rates, in part because many Montanans work in high-risk occupations. However, a large proportion of occupational injuries and fatalities are also caused by vehicle crashes. Strengthening and better enforcing motor vehicle safety policies can reduce injuries and save lives. Environmental hazards are known to exist; these hazards can be found both indoors and outdoors. The public health system works to identify and mitigate exposures that can potentially lead to adverse health effects.

We provide basic lab services such as complete metabolic and lipid panels, tests for glucose levels, and urine analysis, liver and hormone tests, drug screens and enzymes tests. We also provide genetic testing to provide guidelines for medication compatibility.

Sapphire Community Health offers reliable and confidential testing and prevention services for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Because many STIs have few or no symptoms, people can unknowingly spread infections to others through sexual contact. If you have symptoms of an STI, or if you have been exposed to an STI, contact a Sapphire Community Health at (406) 541-0032 to learn more about confidential diagnosis and treatment options.

Follow these links to learn more about STIs and their prevention. This information should be used to help decide whether to seek medical care, but it is not intended for self-diagnosis.

Common STIs:

• Genital Herpes
• Gonorrhea
• Chlamydia
• HPV
• Syphilis
• Trichomoniasis
• HIV/AIDS

Hepatitis Services

Hepatitis, a disease that harms the liver, can be spread through exposure to blood, contaminated food and water, contaminated needles or through sex with an infected person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is an excellent resource for more information about hepatitis.

To help prevent the spread of hepatitis, Sapphire Community Health provides Hepatitis A and B immunizations on a sliding fee scale; hepatitis C testing; and free prevention information. Call (406) 541-0032 to learn more.

Suicide is preventable. Yet, Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation and has for 40 years. In 2013, Montana had the highest suicide death rate in the nation with 23.9 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 13 deaths per 100,000.

Common Suicide Warning Signs:

• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Giving away possessions
• Isolation
• Drug and/or alcohol abuse
• Drastic change in mood
• Noticeable decline in school or work performance
• Change in sleep or appetite
• Negative comments such as, “I’d be better off dead” or “I’m a burden to everyone”

Get Help

If you or a loved one are in crisis, call the Montana Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 988 or text MT to (406) 741-741 a free, 24/7 text line for people in crisis. For more information also visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Four Montanans die every day from tobacco-related diseases. And corporate tobacco spends more than $28 million a year to advertise tobacco products in Montana.

At Sapphire Community Health we support the efforts of the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program, which addresses the public health crisis that is caused by the use of all forms of commercial tobacco products. Our goal is to reduce disease, disability, and death related to tobacco use by:

• Preventing tobacco use among young people
• Eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke
• Eliminating disparities related to tobacco use and its effects among certain populations
• Encouraging adults and young people to quit

We promote the use of the Montana Tobacco Quit Line: 1 (800) 784-8669 and the American Indian Commercial Tobacco Quit Line: 1 (855) 5AI-QUIT. Both services connect callers to certified cessation coaches and additional benefits.