Below are a list of Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to Elkhart County Health Department's Health Education sorted by area of expertise. To expand the answer to a question, click on + to the right of the question, or simply click on the question.
Car seats may be deemed unsafe for any number of reasons, including the age of the safety device, its crash history, compatibility with the vehicle in which it is installed, the age and size of the child, and whether or not the parent purchased the seat secondhand. During an inspection in Elkhart County, if a car seat is determined to be unsafe or not appropriate for the child, the technician will offer a replacement seat if available. Donations are requested to continue funding for the program, though parents may obtain the new car seat at no cost if they participate in state or federal assistance programs.
Please contact:
Elkhart County Health Department/ Health Education
608 Oakland Ave.
Elkhart, IN 46516
574-523-2116
During all car seat appointments, parents and caregivers need to bring the following:
Elkhart County does not currently offer any free distribution programs for parents to obtain car seats. With grant funds provided by the Indiana Automotive Safety Program and the IU Health system, the Elkhart County Health Department maintains a permanent fitting station at Lincoln Center, 608 Oakland Ave. Appointments may be made by calling 574-523-2116, and office hours are generally 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In Elkhart County, several public safety and health agencies offer the services of experienced CPS technicians. Generally, these are:
Also, online resources exist at:
www.preventinjury.org
www.carseat.org
While many police and fire departments have certified child passenger safety technicians on staff, the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration requires a 32-hour certification course for trained car seat technicians. Not all officers and firefighters are required to attend this training and may not have the knowledge necessary to properly examine and install your car seat.
There is no cost to our programming at this time. It is our mission to promote healthy lifestyles and we will provide programming to schools, community groups, clubs, daycares and others at no fee. Donations are accepted and we reserve the right to refuse requests which may be burdensome to staff.
One of our primary goals is to give additional health education to school aged children. It is our focus each and every school year. We also make ourselves available to colleges and universities in the area. The forms section contains a list of the most requested school programs but we may provide other training as requested.
Health Education is able to provide programming to all our community partners given staff availability and notice. Please utilize the Community Programs and Health Fairs section to learn more or contact us at (574) 523-2116.
Training dates are periodically posted under the latest news on the website homepage or the Health Education Facebook page. Please contact (574) 523-2116 if you need further information.
Two types of training are available so be certain you register for the right class, Adult MHFA or Youth MHFA. Registrations are available in the forms section of the website or by contacting our office at (574) 523-2116. Registration costs are non-refundable however the costs may be used for a future training.
The current price is $30 and includes a box lunch and a resource manual for the 8 hour training.
A complete and thorough understanding of the subject matter requires that you attend the entire 8 hours of training. There is a lot of material covered and missing even a portion of the class means you must either retake the class or attend a future class to complete the training and receive certification.
A smoking ban complaint for Indiana’s Smoke-Free Air Law can be submitted to the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission. A smoking ban complaint for the City of Elkhart’s Clean Air Ordinance can be submitted to the City of Elkhart’s Building & Code Enforcement Department.
The Indiana Tobacco Quitline is a free phone-based counseling service that helps Indiana smokers quit. Services include:
Services are available to you 7 days-a-week in more than 170 languages. A trained quit coach will work with you and provide solutions tailored to your needs. For support information call today at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) or visit online at QuitNowIndiana.com.