If there is anyone in imminent danger, dial 9-1-1. Additional contacts.
THE TOMPKINS COUNTY Health and Mental Health Departments have integrated to become Tompkins County Whole Health.
OUR MISSION is to build a healthy, equitable community in Tompkins County by addressing the root causes of health disparities and integrating mental, physical and environmental health. (See the About page for more detail.)
Both locations, 201 East Green St. and 55 Brown Rd., serve clients for many Whole Health programs.
Families, Children & Youth
RAISING a family takes a village. TCWH services support the care of children, youth, and their families. Programs provide care and support before, during and after pregnancy, and for children in their growth and development, including immunizations, nutrition education and breastfeeding support, mental health services, speech therapy, and physical therapy.
Adults
Mental health is integral to well-being. TCWH provides mental health services for adults, including counseling, medication assisted therapy or management, and group programs. On-site clinics provide immunizations for uninsured and underinsured adults.
Dial 988 to speak with a counselor 24/7 whenever you or a loved one are in crisis.
Community Programs
Whole Health supports a healthy community for all Tompkins County residents. Our programs bring prevention measures to homes and public places through education and policy. Community health workers go directly to residents and community groups to provide on-going connection and support.
Environmental Health Permits and Guidance
ENVIRONMENTAL Health supports overall community wellness and public safety. The Environmental Health team -inspects and issues operating permits for all food served to the public, public pools and summer camps, public water supplies and residential septic systems, clean indoor air, and tobacco retailers to prevent underage sales. They are on call 24/7, responding to emergency needs such as exposure to rabies or other environmental hazards.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
TOMPKINS County Whole Health embraces the County’s vision for continued education and implementation of DEIB initiatives to advance health equity. Our Community Health Improvement Plan identifies health disparities and opportunities to inform programs and services.
Recent Press Releases
Newly Launched Anti-Vaping Campaign Reminds Youth to Keep Your Focus, Not Your Fix
(4/18/2024) Over the past 5 weeks, young people in Tompkins County saw hundreds of posters featuring blurred images of everyday life changed overnight to reveal focused images of youth enjoying sports, reading, classroom activities, friends, and family – activities that can be negatively impacted by vaping and nicotine use. The poster switch-out is part of the “Keep your focus, not your fix” campaign launched earlier this year to discourage vaping and share resources for those looking to quit. The message urges youth to “save their breath” for the activities they enjoy.
Use of e-cigarettes remains prevalent among Tompkins County youth. In fact, nicotine-based vapes are shown to be one of the most used substances among middle and high school students county-wide. E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive chemical that is particularly harmful to adolescent brain development.
The anti-vaping campaign was created by Tompkins County Whole Health in partnership with Tobacco Free Zone and the Community Coalition for Healthy Youth with the goal of reducing e-cigarette use among county youth. The concept was inspired by local youth, who offered creative guidance throughout the process.
Whole Health Commissioner Frank Kruppa stated, “As our Tobacco Free Tompkins slogan has long stated, 'We cannot afford another generation of tobacco addiction.' TCWH applauds the efforts of this collaboration between TCWH, Reality Check, and the Coalition for Healthy Youth to implement this awareness campaign, developed by and for local youth.”
Additional information and statements are in the full press release.
COVID-19 Update: Conclusion of Free COVID-19 Test Kit Program in Tompkins County; Changes to COVID-19 Data Dashboard
(4/17/2024) The Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) free COVID-19 Test Kit Program has come to a close, as of Thursday, April 4th. Commissioner of TCWH Frank Kruppa stated, “TCWH thanks our community libraries, municipal centers and non-profits agencies for their partnership in distributing these essential resources. With their support, TCWH has distributed over 275,000 test kits to the community, free of cost, as a public safety measure.”
TCWH is also announcing a change in our COVID-19 Data Dashboard, to go into effect on Monday, April 22, 2024. Since the start of the pandemic, the COVID-19 dashboard has informed the community about disease prevalence. Our new presentation will show the trend in positive COVID-19 tests, with data points for 7-day totals of both PCR and Antigen tests. TCWH will no longer be providing hospitalization rates; hospitalization rates for both COVID-19 and Flu continue to be monitored by the NYS Department of Health.
Additional information and important precautions are in the full press release.
Whole Health Releases 5-Year Unintentional Fatal Overdose Data
(3/19/2024) Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) has published data on Unintentional Fatal Overdoses (2019-2023) in order to demonstrate trends and provide relevant demographic information about those who died from drug overdose during the last five years. Medical Examiner records identify an unintentional fatal overdose as an immediate cause of death.
“Our goal is to help the community better understand the ongoing overdose crisis, potential solutions, and opportunities for more targeted interventions,” stated Whole Health Commissioner Frank Kruppa
Additional information and statements are in the full press release.
- COVID-19 Update: Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Recommended for Older Adults, Immunocompromised
- COVID-19 Update: CDC Updates Isolation Guidance for COVID-19 Infections
- Health Alert: Radon Awareness Week (January 22-26, 2024); Test Your Home, Protect Your Health
- Current press releases (2024)
- 2023 PR Archive
Click here to see additional job opportunities at Whole Health.
Emergency Services
EMERGENCY AND CRISIS CONTACTS FOR 24-HOUR HELP if you or someone you know feels the need to speak with a mental health professional:
- For life-threatening emergencies, dial 911
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, DIAL 988 1-800-273-8255
- Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741-741.
- Ithaca’s Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service hotline, 1-607-272-1616.
- Veterans Crisis Line, for Veterans and their loved ones, DIAL 9-8-8 then Press 1, or text 838255.
Visit veteranscrisisline.net for online chat and more.
NOTICE: Tompkins County Whole Health makes every effort to post accurate and reliable information. However, it does not guarantee or warrant that the information on this website is complete, accurate, or up-to-date. Tompkins County shall not be liable under any circumstances for any claims or damages arising directly or indirectly from information presented therein. Please contact the program area by phone or the receptionist at 607-274-6600 for more information.
