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South Nevada Hospital
Mailing Address
Southern Nevada Health District
P.O. Box 3902
Las Vegas, NV 89127
The Southern Nevada Health District is a public hospital and is tasked with promoting health and well-being of the environment in South Nevada. The health organization offers several services to the people and visitors of South Nevada including administration, community health, environment, and nursing services.
Protecting and promoting the health, the environment, and the well-being of Southern Nevada people and visitors.
Services Offered to the Southern Nevada Community
The health institution offers numerous health services to the people and regulatory supervision on a continuous basis. There are multiple community services including Family Planning, Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Immunizations and TB, HIV/STD Services.
Others include Maternal/Child Health, Nurse-Family Partnership, Refugee Health, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Health Cards, Vector Control, Community Health, Public Health Preparedness, Emergency Management Services, and State Public Health Lab.
The SNHD has been in operation for over 50 years having been established in 1964. In 2010, it embarked on the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.
The facility has been at the forefront of promoting the health and environment of Southern Nevada since its inception. It has also educated more than 300 youth through the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program on reproductive health using a practical curriculum, open days and collaboration with community-based organizations.
Clinics
The Southern Nevada District offers services to the public from the clinics below:
- Adolescent Clinic
- Back-to-School Vaccine Clinics
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Screening Clinic
- Family Planning Clinic
- Flu Vaccine Clinic
- Healthy Kids Exams
- HIV/AIDS Clinic
- Immunization Clinic
- Family Health Clinic
- Kids Physicals
- Laughlin Clinic
- Mobile Clinic
- Sexual Health Clinic
- STD Clinic
- Travel Vaccine Clinic
- Tuberculosis Treatment & Control Clinic
- Women’s Health Connection
Programs
To meet its mandate of protecting and promoting the health, the environment, and the well-being of Southern Nevada people and visitors, the organization has implemented 42 programs geared at providing better services to the people of Southern Nevada.
The Aquatic Health Program (AHP) takes care of the Public Bathing Places (swimming pool and spa) within the jurisdiction of Southern Nevada Health District’s. The Southern Nevada Health District’s Aquatic Health Program (AHP) is responsible for Public Bathing Places (swimming pool and spa). The Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) Chapter 444.010 provides the regulations and administrative framework for the program. In 1962, only about 613 public bathing was licensed, but that number has risen to the current 4800. Usually, administrators in the AHP engage architects, engineers, and contractors to ensure compliance. There is also field visits from inspectors during the construction phase to check the following:
- Quality of water
- Well-installed ground fault interrupters
- Well-installed circulation and filtering systems
- Regulatory compliance
The following is the process for obtaining permits
- The initial meeting between project owners and regulator
- Application
- Review of plans and applications
- Feedback transmission to applicants within 30 days
- Correcting plans or resubmissions
- Comments on corrections and resubmissions
- Inspection of the facility during excavation, plumbing, pre-plaster, and upon completion
The Aquatic Health Program employs specialists who conduct routine inspections in all permitted public bathing facilities. The objective of inspections is to ensure health and safety compliance in the facilities.
South Nevada Health District Office of AIDS has been at the forefront fighting the AIDS endemic in the community. It has carried out awareness activities and programs since its establishment in 1985. In the present, the program involves the following:
- HIV Patient-Centred Counselling
- Evaluation Clinic for adults living with HIV and AIDS
- Case Management for all persons living with the virus
- Support for partner counseling
- Outreach programs
- Community recommendations
- Circulation of safer sex items for the prevention of HIV
- Training medical personnel Client Centred Counselling.
The AIDS/HIV program is located within the Sexual Health Clinic at 280 S. Decatur Blvd. Las Vegas NV 89107.
The program ensures the protection of public water safety from pollution and contamination. The regulatory framework is contained in the NRS 439, NAC 444 and NAC445A and gives the institution mandate throughout Clark County. Inspectors in the program have been trained on the identification of water systems with cross-connections at particular food outlets, public bathing facilities, accommodation facilities and mobile home parks to ensure backflow devices are installed properly.
The health district has maintained the record of births in Clark County since 1973. The cost of birth certificate issuance is as follows:
| Birth Certificate Fees (per request) |
Purchase of First Certificate $33.00 |
Each Additional Copy $20.00 |
It takes at least two weeks to issue new-borns with a birth certificate at the district. However, for births before 1973, the records are available at the Nevada State Office of Vital Records Clark County Births as is the case for births outside Clark County but in the state of Nevada. Birth certificates are ordered by mail or in person.
Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion
The Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion office has a professional staff trained as health educators to improve the community’s health. They do so by mobilizing community members and supporting them. The staff collaborate and create partnerships internally and externally to bring about programs that support community health innovatively. Its mission is to empower communities and develop evidence-based programs and policies that promote health and health equality. It focuses on four main agendas including:
Chronic Disease prevention entails encouraging community members to adopt healthier lifestyles and environment. It sensitizes the community on matters such as nutrition, physical activities, tobacco usage and some of the most prevalent diseases such as diabetes, heart ailments, obesity, and cancer. The main focus is to reduce the incidents of the ailments through a concerted public effort and improve the quality of life of people living with chronic diseases.
On injury control, the program seeks to minimize death and disability especially in the first forty years of existence. It seeks to sensitize the public to be careful and avoid falls, drowning, vehicle accidents, and poisoning that would otherwise prevent adults and children from having a fulfilling and productive life. It has been very active within Clark County by providing information and tools in the local communities. Its ultimate objective is to ensure all residents enjoy the highest quality of life.
The tobacco control program seeks to prevent the youth from the habit, encourage cessation among smoking adult, eliminate passive smoking, eliminate health variations among various groups. The program sensitizes target groups and teaches about the dangers of smoking using media campaigns, community outreach programs, internet posts and youth ambassadors.
Child Related Services & Clinics
Southern Nevada District has numerous programs and offered education to ensure the wellbeing and health of all children. Child programs include:
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
- Immunization Clinic
- Kids Clinic
- Healthy Start Program
- Nurse-Family Partnership
Clark County Child Death Review
The Clark County, Child Death Review Team, reviews all death cases for children under the age of 18. It was established under the NRS432B.403 – NRS432B.4095 statutes. The objectives of the regulations are to:
- Recommend law and policy improvements for the County
- Improve the safety of children
- Reduce preventable deaths of children
The SNHD has an extensive recycling program to deal with the recycling of materials such as plastic, wood, aluminum, and other materials. The facilities are open to the public, and each facility has a list of accepted materials. Further, the SNHD maintains a list of permitted recyclers.
The health district has recorded deaths in Clark County since 1988 and issues death certificates. The cost of registering deaths is as shown:
| Death Certificate Fees (per request) |
Purchase of First Certificate $33.00 |
Each Additional Copy $20.00 |
The Nevada State Office of Vital Records contains records for those deaths that occurred before 1988.
Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System
The Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System is an initiative by doctors, nurses, emergency medical personnel, volunteers and policymakers. The Office of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System is tasked with the provision of medical protocols for a rapid response team in the county. It has a team of over 3000 approved personnel at all levels of response including EMTs, Advanced EMTs, Paramedics and pre-hospital nurses. The systems certify and license EMS personnel working within the county. All EMS regulations have to be approved by the board of SNHD.
The mission of the program is to protect the public, providers and organizations in Clark County through competency and efficiency in the delivery of EMS services as well as pre-hospital emergency services, patient evacuation and care through leadership, training, regulations, resource provision and advocacy.
Emergency preparedness program sensitizes the entire community to get involved in preparations for emergency situations. It does so by dissipating information to the general public. Largely, the program aims to prepare the public for emergency public health situation using simple and effective procedures. Such threats include both natural and manmade calamities.
Southern Nevada Community Preparedness App
There is an app for the program to help in disaster preparation. The Southern Nevada Community Preparedness app contains a wealth of information on the best responses for disasters.
The application has the following additional features:
- Share your safety status with relevant agencies from the phone.
- Receive danger alerts and anticipated emergency notifications.
- Locate safety shelters in the event of an emergency.
- View dedicated evacuation routes and maps
- Get weather and news updates from Southern Nevada
- Receive personalized emergency response plans after filing simple questions.
The environmental health division of the Southern Nevada District is a regulatory body working towards a healthy and safe environment for the people of Southern Nevada. Specifically, it has the mandate to regulate or oversee the programs below:
- Aquatic Health Program
- Backflow Protection Program
- Body Art Operators & Technicians
- Childcare Program
- Children’s Camps
- Clark County Recycles
- Cottage Food Operations
- Farm-to-Fork Operations
- Food Establishment Complaint Form
- Food Establishment Operations
- Food Facility Design Assessment & Permitting
- Food Regulations Training
- Illegal Vendors
- Landlord/Tenant Disputes
- Mobile Home & RV Parks
- Mosquito Surveillance
- Public Accommodations – Hotel/Motel, RV/MHP/SCRV
- Recycling Centers
- Restaurant Inspections
- Restricted Waste Management Program
- Safe Drinking Water Program
- Schools – Public, Private & Charter
- Sewage (Septic) Disposal Systems (ISDS)
- Subdivision Review
- Solid Waste and Compliance
- Temporary Permits
- Used Mattresses and Bedding Regulations
- Underground Storage Tanks
- Vector Borne & Zoonotic Disease Surveillance
- Waste Tire Hauler Program
Epidemiology/Disease Reporting
The Epidemiology Office is a surveillance office for various diseases and conditions. The investigations it carries put help prevent outbreaks of diseases and act as an early warning office to prevent the spread of illnesses and health conditions. It surveys for both communicable and non-communicable diseases, chronic diseases and general well-being of all the people of Southern Nevada and visitors. All the activities of the Epidemiology Office conducted by the office are as follows:
- Investigating communicable illnesses such as measles, influenza, and hepatitis
- Investigating diseases caused by unhygienic food locally and internationally
- Monitoring trends in chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart diseases
- Assessing biological health hazards
The office also supports the medical community through recommendations for prevention and control mechanisms for transmissible diseases, they provide information to the public about disease infection and support the activities of health programs within the district.
The family planning clinic offers low-cost birth control services to residents of Clark County. It also attends to couples seeking to space their pregnancies and all services offered are confidential. Uninsured patients can access a whole range of financial services as well Nevada Medicaid, HPN Medicaid, Amerigroup Medicaid or Nevada Checkup for insured patients. The cost of services is determined by the income level and the number of people in the household.
The Department of Environmental Health Food Establishment Operations is responsible for inspecting all food establishments operating in Clark County. All licensed food establishments are regularly inspected by the staff of the health district for continued compliance with requisite regulations.
Healthy People 2020 is an initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Clark County is a participant in the venture through the Southern Nevada Health District as it seeks to
- Identify priorities for improving health nationally.
- Increase awareness of the public as well as the knowledge of the determinants of health, disease, and disability and the prospects for advancement.
- Maintain measurable objectives and goals that have significance at all levels of national, State, and local governance.
- Involve various sectors to act to fortify policies and improve those practices that rely on the finest available evidence and knowledge.
- Identify essential research, assessment, and data collection requirements.
The revised priorities for 2020 include:
- Adolescent Health
- Blood Disorders and Blood Safety
- Dementias, As well as Alzheimer’s Disease
- Early and Middle Childhood
- Genomics
- Global Health
- Healthcare-Associated Infections
- Health-Related Quality of Life and Well-Being
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health
- Older Adults
- Preparedness
- Sleep Health
- Social Determinants of Health
The OPHP is an office tasked with coordination of efforts that prepare the public and respond to breakouts of infectious diseases, biological attacks, and other potentially devastating public health emergencies. The office coordinates the emergency training exercises involving staff of the Southern Nevada Health District to assess various facets of the National Response Plan and National Incident Management System. Conducting the activities allows the determination of the health district’s capabilities for fulfilling their mandate during disasters and health crises.
The mosquito and vector surveillance program have been in place since 2004. It was a response to an incident West Nile Virus identified in Clark County in the same year. The program monitors incidents of West Nile Virus (WNV), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), and Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE).
The surveillance program also tracks the types of mosquitoes breeding in the county. There are several emerging illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes such as Dengue fever, Chikungunya and Zika virus. Remaining vigilant on the mosquito species is essential and can offer a warning for new diseases in Los Angeles.
There have been over 150,000 specimens submitted to the Nevada Agricultural Department for analysis of WNV, SLE, and WEE vectors. About 4000 of the specimens have tested positive for WNV, and in some rare cases, WEE and SLE have been detected as well. Usually, there are only a few small areas that require a remedy for mosquitoes under the health district. For large problems, the Public Works and Parks and Recreation offices are called in.
Sothern Nevada Health District maintains an immunization program that is very active in some ways:
Immunization Records
Nevada has a public access portal for parents and guardians to print out records of immunization for their children who are below 18 years. Also, adults can also print their records. The immunization services administered include:
- Procedural immunizations for age-appropriate vaccines
- Immunizing travelers
- Seasonal influenza vaccine
- Pneumonia vaccine for residents of 65 years and above
- Immunizing college students
- Immunization Child Care Program
Immigrant iimmunizations
Safe Drinking Water Program (SDWP) has been a part of the department since 1977. It plays a significant role in the promotion of health, environment and well-being of all residents and visitors of Southern Nevada. It is coordinated alongside the activities of the Bureau of Safe Drinking Water (BSDW) to ensure groundwater remains safe from surface water contamination. Bureau of Safe Drinking Water is a government agency to enforce minimum standards for all water systems under the national Safe Drinking Water standards. The outreach activities include:
- Assessing sanitary conditions of water systems.
- Visiting various sites to survey for conditions that can lead to total coliform sampling events.
- Evaluating sampling plans.
- Training water systems operators
- Handling lab results to determine compliance with NAC 445A.454 and 445A.455.
Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Agency (SAPTA) Program
The program is aimed at treatment and prevention of substance abuse in a variety of programs and activities. SAPTA has a fund, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, which funds alcohol and drug abuse programs. The grant is funded by the federal government and receives input from the Substance Abuse Advisory Board. The role of Southern Nevada Health District in supporting SAPTA is testing for tuberculosis and HIV for all providers across Clark County. It also provides a lot of information on drug and substance abuse to the communities.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
Southern Nevada Health District supports the activities of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program for teenagers in the local community. The program intends to enhance the safety of sex and reproductive health to reduce teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The target group is adolescents of between 13 and 19 years reached to through education, community, and mentoring. Since it is a sensitive program, the program is a partnership between the community and health workers to provide evidence-based learning. The program focuses on high-risk areas such as Las Vegas and North Las Vegas.
Vector Borne & Zoonotic Disease Surveillance
The Environmental Health Division of the hospital coordinates with Nevada State Health Division to control mosquito populations and the spread of vector diseases. The hospital carries out regular screening of residents in affected areas. The program offers the services below as well:
- Rodent Prevention and Control
Since 2003, the Health District has tracked rodents in urban centres and captured roof rats and deserts rats in urban places and business premises. All animals were checked for fleas and tested for the plague. There has never been an identified case. However, the health district does not exterminate rodents on private property.
- Rabies Prevention
The health district analyses suspect animals for rabies infection if there is a risk to human life. The office of epidemiology follows up with all positive cases and recommends treatment to the affected persons.
On the whole, the Southern Nevada Health District offers the following programs including:
- AIDS/HIV Prevention
- Backflow Protection Program
- Birth Certificates
- Child Related Services & Clinics
- Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion
- Clark County Child Death Review
- Clark County Recycles
- Death Certificates
- Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System
- Emergency Preparedness
- Environmental Health
- Environmental Health and Regulated Community Partnership
- Epidemiology/Disease Reporting
- Family Planning
- Food Establishment Operations
- Food Establishment Resource Library
- Food Handler Safety Training Card
- GetHealthyClarkCounty.org
- Health Cards
- Healthy People 2020
- Healthy Start Program
- Illegal Dumping
- Illegal Vendors
- Immunization Child Care Program
- Immunization Program
- Injury Prevention Program
- Landlord/Tenant Disputes
- Legionella Resource Library
- Mosquito Surveillance
- Nurse-Family Partnership
- Public Health Preparedness
- Restaurant Inspections
- Restricted Waste Management Program
- Safe Drinking Water Program
- Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory
- Southern Nevada Trauma System
- Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Agency (SAPTA) Program
- Tattoos, Piercings & Permanent Makeup
- Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
- Vector Borne & Zoonotic Disease Surveillance
- Volunteer Programs
