Dubois County Health Department launches free women’s summer health series

Women in Dubois County looking for practical help with mental health, movement, nutrition, hormones, pelvic health and primary care will get six free Wednesday sessions this summer at the Dubois County Health Department in Jasper.

The county’s Women’s Summer Series runs from June 3 through July 8, 2026, at 6 p.m., and organizers say it is meant for women at different stages of life who want local health education without leaving Dubois County. The program is being built around BLOOM Maternal Health in partnership with LifeSpring Health Systems and Jasper Obstetrics and Gynecology, giving the series a local mix of maternal-health, mental-health and primary-care expertise.

Each session is free, and women may attend one or several, a flexibility that matters for those balancing work, family and caregiving. Separate registration is required for each session, and the county is directing residents to the Dubois County Health Department’s Facebook page and News and Events page for sign-up details. Questions can also be directed to the department by phone at (812) 481-7050.

Katie Schnaus, a nurse with the BLOOM Maternal Health program, said the series is intended to help women learn more about their health and connect with local experts, with an emphasis on practical tools they can use in everyday life. The county’s health-education team says that approach fits its broader model of using partnerships to identify health problems and work together to solve them.

Dubois County says its maternal-health mission is to support safe pregnancies and childbirth, eliminate pregnancy-related health disparities and improve outcomes for parents and infants. BLOOM, the county’s home-visiting program, supports families during pregnancy and continues until the baby is 3 years old, making the women’s series part of a larger support system rather than a stand-alone event.

The timing also reflects a wider public-health concern. Indiana’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee examines 2018-2022 data to recommend interventions that could reduce maternal deaths, and CDC state data show Indiana’s maternal mortality rate for that period was 22.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, slightly above the national rate of 22.3. County leaders have framed local education as one way to lower barriers to care and keep support close to home.

The Dubois County Health Department has operated as a full-time department since 1965 and now lists health education among its core services at 1187 S St. Charles Street in Jasper. Its Board of Health is chaired by Jennifer Richardson, M.D., underscoring the county’s long-term investment in public-health outreach that now extends to women’s education, prevention and family well-being.