Dallas County Health and Human Services
P UBLIC H EALTH
Preparedness Update
Volume 5, Issue 5
May/June 2009
1
st
2006 Winner—In-house Newsletter
DCHHS Responds to H1N1 Swine Flu Outbreak in Dallas County
Dallas County Health and Human
Services (DCHHS) has been working
with Dallas County’s community partners including school districts, municipalities, Dallas County Medical Society,
hospitals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Texas Department of State Health Services and
North Texas Rescue in responding to
the H1N1 outbreak in Dallas County.
According to the CDC, swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease
of pigs caused by type A influenza that
regularly causes outbreaks of influenza
among pigs. Strains of swine flu virus
can also occasionally be directly transmissible to humans. Most human infections have occurred following direct
contact with infected pigs. While the
vast majority of human infections with
animal influenza viruses do not result
in human-to-human transmission, each
case should be fully investigated to be
DCHHS Public Health Medical Operations Center
sure that such viruses are not spreading
among humans and to limit further exposure of humans to infected animals,
if infected animals are identified.
If you are experiencing flu-like
symptoms, you should visit your
healthcare provider for treatment. Currently, DCHHS has a total of 15 confirmed cases and 51 probable cases.
Symptoms of swine flu in people are
similar to those of regular or seasonal
flu, which include fever, lethargy, lack
of appetite, aching pains and coughing.
Some individuals with the swine flu
have also reported runny nose, sore
throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Health officials say the public should
follow standard precautions to reduce
the spread of any respiratory illness.
• Stay home when you are sick to
avoid spreading illness to others
• Cough or sneeze into the crook
of your elbow or a tissue and
properly dispose of used tissues
• Wash hands frequently and
thoroughly with soap and warm
water or use an alcohol-based
hand sanitizer
For more information on this ongoing
investigation, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/
swine/index.htm
DCHHS Receives Award for Influenza Investigation
break, as well as exceptional
At a recent Public Health
health education materials tarAdvisory Committee meeting,
geting the at-risk populations.”
Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) re“DCHHS is honored to have
ceived an award from Southreceived this award that recogern Methodist University recnizes the hard work and dediognizing its response to an
cation of our staff,” said Zachinfluenza outbreak on the
ary Thompson, DCHHS Direccampus. In January, DCHHS
tor. “It is gratifying to be recwas called upon to respond to
ognized for our response to
a localized flu outbreak on the
disease outbreaks. Serving the
SMU campus. DCHHS de- Shown left to right: Rick Shafer, SMU Police Chief; Lisa Morris, SMU Emergency Man- residents of Dallas County,
Lee Arning, SMU Director of Emergency Management; June Tehan, Director of
ployed a medical team which agement;
our communities
Nurses; Anita Ingram, SMU Executive Director of Risk Management; Zachary Thomp- making
included Dr. Wendy Chung, son, DCHHS Director; Dr. John Carlo, DCHHS Medical Director; Dr. Nancy B. Merrill, healthier and safer, are the corSMU Health Center Medical Director; Megan Knapp, Health Educator; Dr. Wendy
DCHHS Chief Epidemiologist, Chung, DCHHS Chief Epidemiologist.
nerstones of what we do,”
members of the Public Health
Thompson continued.
Preparedness staff and Preventive on the SMU campus. Our doctors and
Health nurses to administer flu vacci- nurses were handling patients at record
Inside This Issue
nations to students and faculty on the levels, which meant they counted on
Provides HIV/AIDS Testing in the Fight
2
campus. DCHHS was able to adminis- Dallas County epidemiologists to help DCHHS
Against Prostitution
ter nearly 2,000 flu shots on campus.
characterize the types of flu we were
2
Staff Present Findings of Vaccine Research
In presenting the award, Lee Arning, seeing, the severity and frequency of DCHHS
Projects During National Immunization Conference
SMU’s Director of Emergency Prepar- the differing strains, as well as provid- Childhood Immunization Requirements Change for 3
edness and Business Continuity, stated ing quick laboratory test results. Dallas 2009-2010 School Year / Make Sure Your Kids are
“SMU celebrates the excellence in gov- County also provided exceptional pre- Up-to-Date Now
ernment demonstrated by Dallas vention efforts by providing three flu- Jackson-Stanfield Employee Health Offering Nutrition
3
County Health and Human Services shot clinics which were conducted on and Wellness Classes
DCHHS
Partners
with
Local
Group
to
Weatherize
Homes
4
campus
during
the
height
of
the
outduring their 2009 influenza response
Volume 5, Issue 5
Page 2
DCHHS Provides HIV/AIDS Testing in the Fight
Against Prostitution
Dallas County Health and Human
Services (DCHHS) has joined forces
with the Dallas Police Department
(DPD) in the fight against prostitution.
The formal intervention and outreach
initiative, called New Life Opportunities, targets “truck stop” prostitutes. The
goal is to offer these women and men
an opportunity to gain education, information, and access to various social
services as an alternative to continued
involvement in the criminal justice system.
DCHHS’ role is to educate, examine,
test, and treat individuals for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. HIV/
AIDS testing is also offered. DCHHS has
been working with the DPD since the
Spring of 2007, when the Dallas Police
Department came to a group of social
service agencies asking for help to address the ongoing issue of prostitution
at truck stops.
Once a month, the DPD makes prostitution arrests and transports those
arrested to a staging
area where DCHHS and
other agencies are ready
to provide information,
counseling and other
services for those choosing to break the cycle of
criminal activity. They
are able to meet with
professionals representing healthcare, housing,
mental health, identification, Community
Voice Mail, and additional services. The
terms of their treatment
program are negotiated Shown left to right: Chris B. Davis, Executive Assistant with Dallas County CommisMaurine Dickey's office; Zachary Thompson, DCHHS Director; Dallas Police
and those choosing to sioner
Officer, Sergeant of Police, Louis C. Felini with South Central Deployment; LaShonda
DCHHS Program Manager; Marisa Gonzales, DCHHS STD Operations Manparticipate are offered Worthey,
ager
probation for their participation in the program.
ency, mental illness, or they've suffered
“The DCHHS Mobil Medical Clinic from some type of mental or physical
has been a part of this project since the abuse. To be able to test and treat this
planning phase,” said Zachary Thomp- population allows us to curb the spread
son, DCHHS Director. “"Most of these of STDs in the community.”
people have some type of drug depend-
DCHHS Staff Present Findings of Vaccine Research Projects
During National Immunization Conference
The 43rd National Immunization
Conference was held in Dallas the week
of March 31, 2009. Thousands of professionals from around the country
gathered to examine the latest developments in vaccine science, policy, education, technology, and planning issues
related to immunization in general and
vaccine preventable disease. Topics
included the impact of new vaccines on
health, addressing vaccine hesitancy,
monitoring vaccine safety, effect of
state laws on uptake of recommended
vaccines and other important topics.
During the conference, the State of
Texas received an Immunizations
Award as the most improved state in
childhood immunizations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Aggressive efforts by local and state
health departments around the State of
Texas contributed to this success,” said
Zachary Thompson, Director for Dallas
County Health and Human Services
(DCHHS) about the award. “We wish
to thank all of the immunization providers in this area who helped to improve our immunization rates in this
community.”
Sharon Brummitt, School of Public Health student, shown
with DCHHS Varicella Immunizations Poster.
Several DCHHS staffers made presentations about research being done on
the local level. Dr. John Carlo, DCHHS
Medical Director/Health Authority,
presented the results of a study which
looked at the resource requirements for
investigating Pertussis (Whooping
Cough) cases by health departments.
“Pertussis is a vaccine preventable illness which not only can cause severe
health consequences; an illness can
represent a significant cost for families
in both medical care and costs associated with missed work and school
days,” Dr. Carlo commented. However,
an additional cost to be recognized
which the community bears is the cost
incurred by health departments when
investigating reported cases.
These
costs must also be considered as part of
the continued justification for vaccination.”
Dr. Wendy Chung, Chief Epidemiologist for Dallas County Health and
Human Services also presented a poster
highlighting the importance of
Varicella immunization. “During a
recent outbreak of chickenpox in a local elementary school, we found that
having only a single dose of vaccine for
varicella was not protective against the
chickenpox.” Dr. Chung added,
“Having 2 doses of varicella vaccine is
an important recommendation, but our
study demonstrated that parental
awareness of this new requirement is
low.”
Both research projects were completed through the contributions from
many Dallas County Health and Human
Services staff members in the Communicable Disease and Epidemiology Divisions.
Volume 5, Issue 5
Page 3
Childhood Immunization Requirements Change for 2009-2010
School Year / Make Sure Your Kids Are Up-to-Date Now
The State of Texas has adopted
new immunization requirements for
students in Texas elementary and secondary schools. Beginning with the
2009-2010 school year, all kindergarten students will be required to
have two doses of Varicella vaccine,
two doses of MMR vaccine, and two
doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine prior
to enrollment. Also students entering
the seventh grade in the 2009-2010
school year are now required to have
the Meningococcal vaccine, two
doses of the Varicella vaccine, and a
booster dose of the Tdap vaccine
prior to enrollment.
“This new law greatly impacts all
children entering kindergarten and 7th
grade across the state,” states Zachary
Thompson, DCHHS Director. “We encourage parents to bring their children
in now to ensure that their children’s
immunizations are current and up-todate prior to the start of the new school
year,” Thompson continued.
Varicella or Chickenpox vaccine is
the best way to prevent chickenpox.
Vaccination not only protects vaccinated persons, it also reduces the risk
for exposure in the community for persons unable to be vaccinated because of
illness or other conditions, including
those who may be at greater risk for
severe disease. While no vaccine is
100% effective in preventing disease,
the chickenpox vaccine is very effective: about 8 to 9 of every 10 people
who are vaccinated are completely
protected from chickenpox. In addition, the vaccine almost always prevents against severe disease. If a vacci-
nated person does get chickenpox, it is
usually a very mild case lasting only a
few days and involving fewer skin lesions (usually less than 50), mild or no
fever, and few other symptoms.
Measles is the most deadly of all
childhood rash/fever illnesses. The disease spreads very easily, so it is important to protect against infection. To
prevent measles, children (and some
adults) should be vaccinated with the
measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
vaccine. Two doses of this vaccine are
needed for complete protection.
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused
by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A can affect anyone. Vaccines are
available for long-term prevention of
HAV infection in persons 1 year of age
and older. Good personal hygiene and
proper sanitation can also help prevent
the spread of Hepatitis A.
Meningococcal vaccines protect
against most types of meningococcal
disease, although they do not prevent
all cases.
Tetanus (lockjaw) is a serious disease that causes painful tightening of
the muscles, usually all over the body.
It can lead to "locking" of the jaw so
the victim cannot open his mouth or
swallow. Tetanus leads to death in
about 1 in 10 cases. Diphtheria
causes a thick covering in the back of
the throat. It can lead to breathing
problems, paralysis, heart failure, and
even death. Whooping cough —
known medically as pertussis — is a
highly contagious respiratory tract
infection. Although it initially resembles an ordinary cold, whooping cough
may eventually turn more serious, particularly in infants. Whooping cough is
most contagious before the coughing
starts. The best way to prevent it is
through vaccinations. The childhood
vaccine is called DTaP. The whooping
cough booster vaccine for adolescents
and adults is called Tdap. Both protect
against whooping cough, tetanus, and
diphtheria.
DCHHS offers childhood immunizations from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, on the
first floor of the DCHHS building, 2377
N. Stemmons Freeway. The clinic is open
Wednesdays from 8 a.m.—6 p.m. While
the cost is $10 for children on their first
visit and $5 for children who have previously visited the clinic, no one will be
refused service due to their inability to
pay. Parents are asked to bring their
child’s vaccination records. For more
information, call (214) 819-2163 or
visit www.dallascounty.org
Jackson-Stanfield Health Center Offering Nutrition
and Wellness Classes
The Jackson-Stanfield Health Center
is launching a new initiative to address
the issue of obesity. The goal is to
educate Dallas County employees who
are interested in nutrition and weight
management, by providing tools for a
healthy lifestyle. In doing so, the employees will be able to increase their
knowledge, thereby changing attitudes
about healthy living and improving
absenteeism among Dallas County employees.
The twelve week nutrition and
wellness classes will be offered
through Jackson-Stanfield Health Center and will be presented primarily by
Dr. Jack Shelton, Medical Director for
the Center.
According to the CDC, as of June
2006 two thirds (65%) of U.S. adults
20 years of age or older are overweight
or obese. In Texas 64% of adults are
overweight or obese. Texas was ranked
sixth among the 50 states for largest
single year increase in the rate of obesity in 2005. Studies show that many
common health issues are related to
obesity. Three of the five leading causes
of death in Texas; heart disease, stroke
and cancer, are related to obesity.
Page 4
Volume 5, Issue 5
DCHHS Partners with Local Group to Weatherize Homes
Dallas County Health and Human
Services (DCHHS) has partnered with
the Cornerstone Baptist Church of Dallas to assign 50 energy efficiency kits
through the “Keeping the Warmth”
program. During Spring Break, the
church hosted a service project to provide routine maintenance for elderly
and low-income households in the
South Dallas/Fair Park community.
College students from across the country participated in the weeklong project.
“It is gratifying to be able to support
these types of grassroots efforts to improve the quality of life for senior citizens and low-income families,” said
Zachary Thompson, DCHHS Director.
“I want to commend the Cornerstone
Baptist Church and their pastor, Rev.
Chris L. Simmons, for the work they are
doing to reclaim and revitalize this
community.”
The energy efficiency kits were provided by Atmos Energy through the
“Keeping the Warmth” Program. Each
Shown left to right: Zachary Thompson, DCHHS Director;
Daniel Araiza, DCHHS Weatherization Program Coordinator;
and the Rev. Chris L. Simmons, Pastor, Cornerstone Baptist
Church of Dallas
kit contains:
•2 Low Flow Aerator (1.5 GPM)
•1 Low Flow Showerhead (1.5 GPM)
•2 Shrink Fit Window Kit
•12 Draft Stoppers
•2 Foam Weather-strips
•1 Energy Wheel
Public Health Preparedness Update is published monthly by:
Dallas County Health and Human Services
2377 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 819-2100
www.dallascounty.org
Dallas County Health and Human Services
Public Health Preparedness and Response Division
2377 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas County Judge
Hon. Jim Foster
Dallas County Commissioners:
Hon. Maurine Dickey
Dallas County Commissioner
District 1
Hon. Mike Cantrell
Dallas County Commissioner
District 2
Hon. John Wiley Price
Dallas County Commissioner
District 3
Hon. Kenneth Mayfield
Dallas County Commissioner
District 4
•1 Caulking Gun
•1 Caulking Tube
Installation of the materials in each
kit went into the homes of eligible clients who are Atmos Energy customers
and either qualify for the heating bill
assistance through Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), or
who are at least 65 years of age.
The Dallas County Weatherization
Assistance Program (WAP) provides
assistance to an average of 350 income
eligible households by weatherizing
their homes to promote energy conservation and reduce the impact of high
utility cost. The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) offers clients a
review of their home’s energy efficiency
by identifying possible air leaks and/or
inefficient appliances and by installing
weatherization measures to increase
energy efficiency in the home. For more
information or for an application,
please call (214) 819-1909 or visit
www.dallascounty.org
Zachary S. Thompson, M.A., Director
John T. Carlo, M.D., M.S.E., Medical Director/Health Authority