Cutbacks impact Adams County Health Department’s Ritzville office

The Adams County Health Department services continue to be offered in Ritzville at 108 E. Main. Effective Feb. 1, the office is to be open to the public on Wednesdays only, from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. These limited hours are a result of loss of funding and reduction in staffing. Public health staff continues to be available at the local phone number, (509) 659-3316, which reroutes to the Othello office.

Environmental Health food worker classes are available at the Adams County Health Department in Othello, 425 E. Main, on Thursdays at 3 p.m. The food worker classes are no longer available in Ritzville. The Adams County Health Department is exploring additional ways for the public to access food worker classes via the Internet.

Adams County Community Counseling Services’ mental health counseling program is not impacted. Counseling services continue to be provided in Ritzville two days per week at 120 E. Main, appointments can be scheduled by calling the 24-hour crisis line at 659-4357.