|
Archives |
| JUNE
30, 2004 |
 |
Diseases
and Disasters: Are We Ready? |
|
|
The Volunteer
Coordination Office |
|
|
The Red Cross
and the Health District Teamed Up |
|
|
Other News Releases
and Press Stories |
| |
|
|
|
4C’s Clinic Updates |
| |
Nurseline pilot program |
| |
4C's directors and medical directors |
| |
New 4C'S Medications |
| |
Dental clinic hired 3 new employees |
| |
|
|
|
Office of
Environmental Health Services Updates |
| |
Chamber of Commerce Banquet |
| |
San Leon Public Meeting |
| |
Air and Water Pollution Services |
| |
Animal Services Improvements |
| |
Consumer Health Services |
| |
Nuisance Abatement |
| |
|
|
|
Office of Community Health
Programs Updates |
| |
Senior Health Advisory Group |
| |
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) |
| |
Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Control
Program (TBCCCP) |
| |
The Kids Health Fest 2004 |
| |
|
|
|
Office of Emergency Medical
Services |
| |
Emergency Medical Services Calls |
| |
The need to expand EMS |
| |
Multi-patient drill on Stewart's Beach
|
| |
|
|
|
Operational Updates |
| |
Two contract renewal requests
to the TDH TB program |
| |
Renewal request to TDH Triple
0 program |
| |
Renewal request to TDH STD
EBI program |
| |
Budget amendments were completed
for Bioterrorism |
| |
Third quarter funding for
an immunization program |
| |
Grant request to VHA Health
Foundation Inc |
| |
County Indigent Health Care
Meetings |
| |
County Budget Meeting |
| |
The 4C’s Clinic’s
HRSA Performance Review |
| |
Information Technology (IT)
program received 3 servers |
| |
|
| Diseases and Disasters:
Are We Ready? |
|
|
The conference, "Diseases
and Disasters: Are We Ready?" will be on September
1, 2004, 9 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic
Center located in League City, Texas. The conference will
bring together all the players in emergency response in
this county - from city officials to county; from doctors
and nurses, to hospital infection control personnel, to
public information officers, law enforcement, military
units, volunteers and related organizations, veterinarians,
community based organizations, faith-based institutions,
and more. The conference will host forums in which community
partners can share information, resources, and develop
shared goals to help meet the health needs of citizens
impacted by disease outbreaks and other disasters, such
as hurricanes and explosions. For more information, contact
Brian Rutherford, Health District Planner, at 409-938-2275
or by email brutherford@gchd.org.
|
| The
Volunteer Coordination Office |
|
|
The Volunteer
Coordination Office at the La Marque Headquarters has
oriented nine youth workers from the WorkSource this
month. These youth workers are at the Health District
from June 14, 2004 to July 23, 2004 and are placed in
various departments throughout the organization. During
the month of June community volunteers were placed at
the Women, Infant's and Children Program (WIC) and the
Animal Shelter. For more information, contact Shirley
Carr or Gay Lane at 409.938.2297 or scarr@gchd.org or
nglane@gchd.org. |
| The Red Cross and the
Health District teamed up |
|
|
On June 15th, Preparedness
staff met with the Red Cross Disaster Committee to discuss
areas of collaboration. The Red Cross and the Health
District teamed up in the distribution of letters to
Red Cross and Senior Health Corps members asking for
their support in the event of a public health emergency.
As a result, more than twenty members of the Red Cross
and the Senior Health Corps have volunteered to assist
in an emergency. For more information, please contact
Brian Rutherford, District Planner at 409.938.2275 or
brutherford@gchd.org
|
News Releases and Press Stories
For more information on any news release or press story,
please contact Kurt Koopmann, Public Information Officer,
at 409.938.2211 or email kkoopman@gchd.org
|
|
|
·On May 26, 2004
the Galveston Daily News published an editorial congratulating
the district on having received the “Thinking
Progressively for Health” award from the Texas
Public Health Association (TPHA). The award
was presented to district representatives at the TPHA
convention held in Houston. The editorial can be viewed
at (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/05ImmAwardDNews.htm).
|
|
|
·A press conference
was held on June 8, 2004 to announce the new Community
Impact program implemented at the Galveston County Health
District. This program is partially funded with a
grant from the Mainland Communities United Way.
Those attending the press conference included Galveston
County Judge Jim Yarbrough, County Commissioner Stephen
Holmes, and Mainland Communities United Way Director John
Castaneda. Goals of the program are to establish a volunteer
corps and the publication of a comprehensive brochure
outlining services provided by the District. The Texas
City Sun covered the event with a reporter and photographer
and their story can be viewed at (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06pressUnitedWay.pdf).
The event was also covered by Guidry News Service and
their story can be found at the following link (http://www.guidrynews.com/04GCEN/GalvestonCounty/16104.htm).
|
|
|
Michele Reynolds, Animal
Services Manager, and Ronnie Schultz, Director of Environmental
Health Programs attended a meeting held in San Leon on
June 15, 2004 to discuss local concerns about
stray animals. Many residents attended the meeting
to find out what actions have already been taken by the
district to improve animal services. The Texas City Sun
covered the meeting and published a story that can be
viewed at (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06StrayAnimalsTxSun.htm).
The Galveston Daily News also published a story interviewing
community members and making notice that District representatives
were in attendance which can be read at (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06StrayAnimalsDNews.htm).
Animal services being an issue of great interest to the
community the Houston Chronicle also published a story
on the San Leon meeting (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06StrayAnimalsChronicle.htm).
|
|
|
Working with the City of
Galveston a press release was issued announcing the purchase
of a new ambulance for GAAA-EMS. This
new piece of equipment was published with funds donated
by residents on their water bills. The Galveston Daily
News published the release (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06NewAmbulance.pdf).
|
| |
On June 25,
2004 a public health advisory (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06BeachAdvice.htm)
was issued as part of the District’s participation
in the Texas Beach Watch program. Bacteria levels in
excess of the state standard were recorded at three
area beaches; Eight Mile Road, Apffel Park, and the
Bolivar Peninsula. As a result of these high bacteria
levels a “No Swimming” advisory
was issued for the before mentioned areas. This advisory
has garnered much more media attention than those issued
in the past. The advisory was picked up by the Associated
Press meaning coverage was wide. Media Coverage of the
advisory can be viewed at the following links:
http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06BeachAdviceDNews.htm
http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06BeachAdviceNews24.htm
http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06BeachAdviceHChronicle.htm
The widespread coverage resulted in a high volume of
calls since information in the statewide AP wire version
of the story contained inaccuracies. To counter some
of the misinformation an Advisory Update was issued
on June 28, 2004. There were many calls from radio stations
and newspapers around the state. On the morning of June
29th the lab reported that all waters had tested safe
with normal bacteria levels and the advisory was lifted.
A notice was prepared and widely distributed to the
media (http://www.gchd.org/press/2004/06BeachAdviceUpdt2.htm).
|
| 4C’s Clinic
Updates |
|
|
A Nurseline pilot
program was initiated Tuesday, June 22, 2004
in an effort to provide immediate access to a Registered
Nurse for 4C's patients as well as other members of
the general public. This "hotline" will be
staffed from 8 am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, with
the goal of providing enhanced patient care and/or reducing
unnecessary trips to the clinic or emergency room. For
more information contact Mike Carr, 4C's Clinic Business
Manager at 409. 949.3406 or mcarr@gchd.org.
|
|
|
Dr. Guidry and Dr. Thompson
arranged for a meeting between 4C's directors
and medical directors of the UTMB clinics. The
group discussed ways to improve collaboration, referrals,
and receipt of specialty medical records regarding 4C's
patients referred to UTMB. The group agreed to improve
provider-to-provider communications and mutually exchanged
contact information to help 4C's providers and UTMB medical
directors to directly confer on patient referral issues.
For more information, please contact Abdul-Aziz Alhassan,
MD, 4C’s Medical Director at 409.949.3406 or aalhassan@gchd.org
|
|
|
New 4C'S Medications
- The Clinic Leadership Team has approved 4 new drugs
to be added to the 4C's Pharmacy through the Share the
Care Program. These drugs are Celebrex, Zithromax, Bextra
and Detrol LA. The Share the Care Program is through Pfizer
drug company which provides these drugs at no cost to
patients who qualify for the program. For more information,
please contact Mike Carr, 4C’s Business Manager
at 409.949.3406 or mcarr@gchd.org
|
|
|
Dental Clinic - ·
During the month of June 2004, the Dental clinic
hired 3 new employees (2 receptionists and 1
dental assistant) and one student from the Work Source
that will be helping with sterilization in Texas City.
For more information, please contact Beverly Foster, DDS,
Dental Director, at 409.949.3445 or email bfoster@gchd.org
|
| Office
of Environmental Health Services Updates |
|
|
Chamber of Commerce
Banquet - Ronnie Schultz was the guest speaker
at the 52nd annual San Leon, Bacliff, Bayview Chamber
of Commerce banquet, June 18, 2004 at the Enchanted
Gardens Hall, Bacliff. The audience of approximately
50 attendees listened to a presentation on the various
services provided by the Office of Environmental Health
Programs, including animal services, air and water pollution,
consumer health, nuisance abatement and public health
lab. Emerging issues in the field of environmental health
were introduced and briefly discussed. Priority 1, goal
II of the Health District’s Strategic Health Plan
addresses the need to increase public awareness about
all services provided by the District. For more information,
contact Ronnie Schultz at 409.938.2314 or rschultz@gchd.org |
|
|
San Leon Public
Meeting – Michele Reynolds, Animal Services
Manager and Ronnie Schultz participated in a town hall
meeting in San Leon on June 15 with approximately 55 residents
who in general are concerned about stray dogs and cats.
Other agencies were also represented at the meeting. Following
a brief presentation about the current services provided
by the Health District, the meeting focused on public
comment. Residents expressed concerns over their safety
while walking the streets and being threatened by aggressive
dogs. Information gathered at this meeting is currently
under review and a plan of action to reduce the stray
animal population in this area will be drafted and presented
to the community at a later date. For more information,
contact Ronnie Schultz at 409.938.2314 or rschultz@gchd.org |
|
|
Air and Water Pollution
Services - The Water Pollution Services Division
sponsored the annual water pollution services oversight
meeting with seven (7) cities and one (1) water utility
district which contractually provide water pollution control
and abatement activities, such as citizen complaint response,
inspections at wastewater treatment plants and water monitoring.
The Division sponsors an annual meeting to discuss the
merits of the program, review the content of the annual
water pollution reports and discuss the next fiscal year
contract. The feedback received from our contracted entities
was very favorable regarding response to their citizens,
professionalism, and the content of the annual report
distributed to their councils. One area of concern addressed
the need for additional communication from staff on the
results of the wastewater treatment plant inspections
beyond the written report. For more information, contact
Ronnie Schultz at 409.938.2314 or rschultz@gchd.org
|
|
|
Animal Services Improvements
– (1) A new phone system and number (409.948.2485)
has been installed to improve the ability of our customers
to communicate with us. (2) A brochure highlighting Animal
Services and the current animal regulations is being drafted
by one of our volunteers for distribution following approval.
(3) Two potential volunteers successfully completed the
necessary paperwork with the newly created office of Volunteer
Services at the District. (4) Friends of the Galveston
County Shelter has been established and currently assists
in communicating the needs of the shelter to other animal
rescue groups, maintains pictures and information on adoptable
pets on the petfinder website (www.gcas.petfinder.org),
and volunteers in the shelter to clean, enter vital animal
intake data, answer phones, or whatever may need to completed.
(5) A pet socialization room has been created in response
to recommendations received during the Animal Summit.
(6) The first ever Animal Shower provided the shelter
with approximately $400.00 dollars of needed merchandise.
For more information, please contact Michele Reynolds,
Animal Services Manager at 409.948.2485 or
mreynolds@gchd.org |
|
|
Consumer Health
Services - The unincorporated area of High Island
on the east end of Bolivar peninsula continues to experience
sewage disposal problems. Many of the homes continue to
discharge domestic wastewater improperly. Many reasons
including the high cost of repairs and no local wastewater
agency being available or willing to procure funding for
a correction to the problem has enhanced the problem.
The High Island ISD has an approved and permitted constructed
wetland that it operates for disposal of school district
sewage. That wetland is designed to treat the sewage generated
from residences on several streets in the community rather
than just school district property. The Bolivar Special
Utility District has recently shown an interest in taking
over operation of the wetland system. Such a move would
provide a corrective measure for the community at a reduced
cost of repairing failing septic systems or creating their
own utility district. For more information, please contact
Marty Entringer, Chief Sanitarian at 409.938.2458 or mentringer@gchd.org |
|
|
Nuisance Abatement
– The Nuisance Abatement program received approval
from the Galveston County Commissioner’s Court
to demolish six (6) structures in Galveston County in
accordance with the county nuisance abatement rules.
Two (2) structures were demolished in the San Leon area
and four (4) structures on Bolivar Peninsula. For more
information, contact Garret Foskit, Nuisance Abatement
Officer, at 409.938.2411 or by email gfoskit@gchd.org |
| Office of Community
Health Programs Updates |
|
|
Senior Health
Advisory Group. The first meeting of the Senior
Health Advisory Group was held on June 8, 2004. Fourteen
(14) people attended this meeting. The purpose of this
meeting was for members to meet one another and to discuss
future plans. This group is charged with developing
a senior volunteer program that will help seniors help
other seniors, conduct senior forums throughout the
county, and to complete a community assessment to identify
the social and health needs of Galveston County seniors.
They will also assist in the development of a brochure
that describes Health District programs. For more information,
contact Susan Studebaker, Director, Community Health
Programs, at 409.938.2457or by email sstudebaker@gchd.org
|
|
|
Women, Infants,
and Children (WIC). WIC Site Visits were conducted
on May 24 - 25, 2004. Improvements were noted at all clinic
locations. Training needs that were identified at these
site visits have been completed. Marianne Franz, RD, LD,
was hired as the WIC Dietician Consultant, effective May
10; she will be able to approve special formulas and provide
nutrition education for a wider variety of health conditions.
For more information, call Tiffany Rice at (409) 949- 3493
or trice@gchd.org |
| |
Texas Breast and
Cervical Cancer Control Program (TBCCCP). GCHD
received notification of a $55,000 award to provide screening
and case management services to 350 women. This is an
increase from last year’s award of $43,000. For
more information, Antoinette Jensen at (409) 763-7202
or ajensen@gchd.org. |
| |
The Kids Health
Fest 2004 is planned for July 26- August 17,
2004. Immunization Clinics in Texas City and Dickinson
will be relocated to the La Marque site for those days.
The clinic hours will be 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Galveston
island clinic will be open regular hours. For more information,
call June Gonzales at (409) 938-2244 or jgonzales@gchd.org.
|
| Office of Emergency
Medical Services |
|
|
Emergency Medical
Services Calls - May's emergency requests for
service were just three short of last year’s record
of 923. June is on a record pace and should pass the 900
mark (June has never seen a 900+ call volume). With transfers
the total responses for May were 1,138. Response times
over 8 minutes hit 22% in May (the national recommendation
is 10%). Response times reach these high levels when emergency
calls exceed a rate of 900 per month. For more information,
please contact Greg Kunkel, Chief of Operations, at (409)
621-3141or by email gkunkel@gchd.org
|
| |
Chief Kunkel and Asst. Chief
Leigh met with Jamaica Beach's City Manager and Councilman
Spicer to discuss the need to expand EMS.
The meeting went well. EMS will present the needs assessment
to Galveston's City Council on June 24th. For more information,
please contact Greg Kunkel, Chief of Operations, at (409)
621-3141or by email gkunkel@gchd.org |
| |
EMS participated in a
multi-patient drill on Stewart's Beach in conjunction
with the County's Beach Patrol on May 27th. The drill
gave EMS further experience with the lifeguards, the
fire department, and the area's newest aero-medical
service, Skymed, Inc. For more information, please contact
Greg Kunkel, Chief of Operations, at (409) 621-3141or
by email gkunkel@gchd.org
|
| Operational
Updates |
|
|
The District submitted
two contract renewal requests to the TDH TB
program this month for $47,548 and $64,351.
These contracts fund the TB Prevention and Outreach
programs. For more information, please contact Susan
Studebaker, Director, Community Health Programs at 409.938.2457 sstudebaker@gchd.org
or Syed Haidry, TB Manager at 409.938.2217 or Syed Haidry@gchd.org.
|
|
|
The District submitted the
renewal request to TDH Triple 0 program this
month for $344,971. This contract funds positions in the
Immunization, Consumer Health, Public Health Lab and Epidemiology
programs. For more information, please contact Jay Holland,
III, Chief Operating Officer at 409-938-2401 or jholland@gchd.org
or Susan Studebaker, Director of Community Health Programs
at 409.938.2247 or sstudebaker@gchd.org
|
|
|
The District submitted the
renewal request to TDH STD EBI program
this month for $218,017. This contract funds positions
in the STD program who work with the Evidenced Based Intervention
Program. For more information, please contact Susan Studebaker,
Director of Community Health Programs at 409.938.2276
or at sstudebaker@gchd.org
or Jim Hilton, STD/HIV Manager at 409.765.2520 or jhilton@gchd.org
|
|
|
Budget
amendments were completed for Bioterrorism,
which reprogrammed unexpended funds from various categories
into the equipment category. Most of these funds are
to be used to purchase IT equipment designed to update
the Districts IT infrastructure. For information please
contact Brian Rutherford, District Planner at 409.938.2275
or brutherford@gchd.org.
|
|
|
Another budget
amendment included third quarter funding for an
immunization program. TDH has not received all
of their Federal allocation for immunizations and are
amending contracts on a quarterly basis as funds become
available. For more information, please contact Susan
Studebaker, Director of Community Health Program at 409.938.2457
or sstudebaker@gchd.org
or June Gonzales, Immunization Manager at 409.938.2244
or jgonzales@gchd.org. |
|
|
The District
and Coastal AHEC submitted a grant request to
VHA Health Foundation Inc. to fund an oral health
project called The Tooth Fairy & Friends Program.
This grant, for $182,671, proposes to purchase portable
dental equipment, hire part time dentist/hygienist and
support the Tooth Fairy Program in an effort to impact
young children in the school system. For additional information,
please contact Beverly Foster, DDS, Dental Director at
409.949.3445 or at bfoster@gchd.org
or Jay Holland, III, Chief Operating Officer at 409-938-2401
or jholland@gchd.org.
|
|
|
County
Indigent Health Care Meetings - Dr. Guidry, Jay
Holland, Kathy Barroso and Mike Carr met with the County
Judge, Curtis Brown and representatives from HAS to review
the County Indigent Health Care Program. This review covered
the reports HAS is able to produce regarding claims receipt
and payment for indigent health. Also discussed was the
outstanding billing for FY 03, the billings and budget
deficits for FY04 and the projected budget for FY 05.
Two weeks later this same group met with Commissioners
Court in a workshop session to review these same issues.
For more information, please contact Jay Holland, III,
Chief Operating Officer at 409-938-2401 or jholland@gchd.org
or Kathy Barroso, Chief Financial Officer at 409.938.2257
or kbarroso@gchd.org
|
|
|
County
Budget Meeting - Dr. Guidry, Jay Holland, Kathy
Barroso, Mike Carr and Ronnie Schultz met with Commissioners
Court in a budget workshop to discuss issues related to
the upcoming FY05 county budget. The discussion centered
around renovation of the buildings in La Marque ($701,000)
the Animal Shelter ($41,000), the Animal Services program
($171,000), primary care in the 4C’s clinic ($500,000)
and indigent health care ($100,000,000). For more information,
please contact Jay Holland, III, Chief Operating Officer
at 409-938-2401 or jholland@gchd.org
or Kathy Barroso, Chief Financial Officer at 409.938.2257
or kbarroso@gchd.org |
|
|
The
4C’s Clinic’s HRSA Performance Review
- The review is scheduled for September 21–23, 2004.
The new process will focus on measuring the Clinics program
performance, analyzing the factors impacting performance,
and identifying effective strategies and partnerships
to improve program performance, with a particular focus
on outcomes. For more information, please contact Jay
Holland, III, Chief Operating Officer at 409-938-2401
or jholland@gchd.org
|
|
|
After TDH
approval to use Bioterrorism funding, the Information
Technology (IT) program received 3 servers (the
tape library, the Veritas backup software and the Exchange
backup software) the week of June 21st. IT worked over
the weekend to configure the servers. The focus was to
build the Primary Domain Controller for the District domain,
the reorganization of the (Domain Naming System) DNS,
the reorganization of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP) and the restructuring of the Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ). Also over the weekend, the AS/400 Mainframe was
upgraded. The estimated timeframe for completion of the
conversion is a four-month timeframe starting in June
2004. For more information, please contact Jamie Older,
IT Manager at 409.938.2298 or Kathy Barroso, Chief Financial Officer, at 409.938.2257
or kbarroso@gchd.org |
