Photo shared with permission from Buena Vista Regional Medical Center's 2023 Sun-Safety Community Project at area pools.In an effort to promote sun-safety and reduce the risk of skin cancer, the Iowa Cancer Consortium, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the University of Iowa Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center will distribute approximately 90 gallons of SPF30 sunscreen across Iowa this summer! Along with sunscreen, awarded projects will educate the community about the risks of UV exposure and ways they can prevent skin cancer.

On February 20, 2026, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) became aware that a file containing limited Medicaid subscriber information had been inadvertently posted to the Department’s website on February 16, 2026.

                                             Sunday, May 31st, 2026—SAVE THE DATE!!   That is the date for the Benton County Relay For Life at 7:30 PM at the Benton Community MS/HS track in Van Horne.

Pictured: Members of the Benton County Opioid Committee, University of Iowa Addiction and Recovery Collaborative (UI ARC) Mobile MAT Clinic team, and Virginia Gay Hospital staff gathered during a recent visit focused on expanding access to substance use treatment and community-based care in Benton County.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) is launching an additional funding opportunity to help communities across the state respond to the opioid crisis.

Hawkeye Community College provided free dental care to nearly 50 kids during its first ever Give Kids a Smile ® event held Friday, April 3, in the Dental Clinic on Hawkeye’s Main Campus.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, support survivors, and reaffirm our commitment to building safer communities across Iowa.

On Denim Day, Iowans are encouraged to wear denim as a visible show of support for survivors of sexual violence. The day traces back to a 1990s court case in Italy, where a conviction was overturned based on the assumption that the victim’s tight jeans implied consent, sparking global outrage and a movement to stand with survivors and challenge harmful myths.

Multiple workshops planned for Iowans who own private wellsOwners of private wells can connect with local experts and access funding to test their wells by attending one of several workshops being held across the state in March and April.

By  Brooklyn DraiseyResearchers and public health experts are urging lawmakers to turn knowledge of Iowa’s cancer crisis into action, with a new report detailing Iowans’ risks of exposure to different carcinogens and offering first and future steps to mitigating dangers.