By Shirley Shuman
Since she became administrator of Braxton County Health Department several months ago, Rebecca Batton has been busy adjusting to her new position and promoting the many services the local health department offers.
The administrator explained that she is new not only to the health department but to the type of position she now fills although her educational background provides the knowledge. Batton, a BCHS alum, graduated from Glenville State University with a degree in Business Management and obtained an MBA from Marshall University. “I knew little about the health department and had never served as an administrator until I took this job,” she noted. She does, however, enjoy it and sees herself and the staff providing an abundance of services to the public.
To begin, Batton referred to one with which the public is familiar—immunizations for both adults and children. She also mentioned family planning and pregnancy tests. Other tests the health department administers are those for STDs, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis. Sharon Gaston is the registered nurse who covers this part of the health department.
Continuing, the administrator explained the duties of Sanitation Director Jessica Shreve. “Jessica does food inspections anywhere they serve food,” Batton noted, “including restaurants, food trucks, fairs, and festivals. She also issues permits for newly opening restaurants.” The health department also holds food handling classes on the last Thursday of each month.
Another service offered at Braxton County Health Department is the distribution of NARCAN. “Many people think NARCAN is only for addicts and for EMTs to use in cases of emergencies, but that’s definitely not true,” Batton emphasized. “Anyone in the community can overdose accidentally,” she said. “This includes the elderly who may have problems with their medications. Also, a cashier might suffer an overdose after handling a dollar bill which someone has used for snorting. This drug is free to anyone who comes in and asks for it, “ she added.
Batton noted that the department also distributes small environmentally safe bags used to dispose of unused or expired medications. “All a person needs to do is put the medications in the bag, add water, and seal,” she explained. “It is then safe to put in the trash.”
One of the services the health department offers which Batton especially enjoys seeing people use is their Blessing Box. Those at the health department are “going in a different direction” with their Blessing Box than many other organizations. They have gone with hygienic products of all kinds—soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, and many others. Anyone may take whatever they need from the box, and Batton definitely welcomes donations for the box. “We’ve been running a bit low lately,” she said, “so we can definitely use whatever anyone wants to donate.”
Vickie Key, the Threat Preparedness Coordinator for Braxton County Health Department has an action plan for any emergency that could happen in Braxton County. Key also works to obtain volunteers that may be needed in an emergency. She uses WV REDI (Responder Emergency Deployment Information), a database for volunteers. In case there are too few personnel available at an emergency, Key will call people registered as volunteers. Asked how she feels about her position as administrator of Braxton County Health Department, Rebecca Batton responded, “There may be a lot more we could do to help the community but we are limited by a lack of funds,” she said. “However, we plan to change that, and we’ll always do our best.”
