Atchison County Health Department offers free coats, women’s clinics, vaccines

A free coat, a women’s health appointment and a COVID shot are all on offer at the Atchison County Health Department, where officials are steering families toward services that can ease both health risks and household costs. The department said free coats are available for children and young adults in Atchison County who need them through a collaboration with Catholic Charities, while women’s clinic openings and limited vaccine supply make the next few weeks especially important for residents trying to plan ahead.

The office is at 521 Main Street in Tarkio, Missouri 64491, and is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The phone number is 660-736-4121. The department also flagged a closure date of May 25, 2026. Its homepage was last updated April 29, 2026 at 5:12 p.m., and the services page notes that staff, board members and community members attended an open house and ribbon cutting for the new building on June 26, 2025.

Women’s health clinics are scheduled for May 11, June 8 and July 13, 2026, with new time slots available and appointments encouraged. Shelbie Graham, APRN, is listed as the women’s health clinic nurse, and Julie Livengood, RD, LD, is the administrator. The department’s women’s health offerings connect to Missouri programs that help eligible women get preventive care, including Extended Women’s Health Services for uninsured women ages 18 to 55 whose household income does not exceed 201% of the federal poverty level, and Show Me Healthy Women, which covers free breast and cervical cancer screenings for women who meet age, income and insurance guidelines.

COVID vaccine availability is tighter. The department said it has limited amounts on hand and is ordering them in small quantities, but walk-ins are welcome as supplies allow. That matters in a county where U.S. Census Bureau data show 25.2% of residents were age 65 or older in 2020, and 10.5% of residents under age 65 were uninsured, making access to preventive care especially important for older adults and working families alike.

The health department’s broader services include WIC, immunizations, annual flu shots, STI testing and follow-up, communicable disease investigations, tuberculosis skin testing, family planning, pregnancy testing, affordable birth control, breast and cervical cancer control referrals, lead testing and health education. In its 2024 community profile, the department said its 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment was meant to identify local health needs, and that same local focus is clear here: keep children warm, keep preventive care within reach, and make it easier for Atchison County families to use care before small problems become expensive ones.