Summer Scrubs: MCHD gives high school students real look at careers in public health



High school students from across the Alabama Gulf Coast have been taking part

in the Summer Scrubs internship program for 11 years. Mobile County Health Officer

Dr. Bernard Eichold meets two MCHD participants on July 28, 2014.

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Mobile County Health Department is among the agencies taking part in Summer Scrubs, a week-long internship program for high school students that give the teens a chance to get an up-close look at a variety of healthcare professions.

About 140 Mobile and Baldwin County students have spent the week of July 28 through July 31, 2014, exploring their top career choices at area hospitals and community health centers. The 11th annual event is led by the Bay Area Healthcare Coalition and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Most Summer Scrubs participants have a pretty good idea about the career they want to pursue," said Carol Statter, with Infirmary Health System and chair of the Bay Area Healthcare Coalition. "Host sites, in return, make it possible for students to observe their work, helping them reinforce their decisions and exposing them to other career choices. That way, if they change their mind, it’s before they invest valuable time and money in post-secondary education.”

Statter says the initiative began to help the area avoid anticipated drastic industry shortages seen in other communities as the population ages. Students rotate locations each morning, learning about a range of fields and potential salaries. At the conclusion of this year’s initiative, nearly 1,600 students will have participated in the program since its inception.

 Students applied to participate in this behind-the-scene look into the industry and were selected on merit.

Source: Information for this post was provided by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.
 

Blood drive success: 75 Mobile County Health Department employees donated in July

MOBILE, Ala. -- A total of 75 Mobile County Health Department staff members successfully donated blood during a drive held with LIFESouth Community Blood Center during July, organizers said.

The agency employs approximately 500 staff members at sites across Mobile County.

Mobile County Health Department leaders have asked employees to take part in such events for years, encouraging everyone to consider donating a lifesaving unit of blood, said Dr. Bernard Eichold, Health Officer.

"It takes just a small amount of your time," Eichold said, "but in return, you will receive the gratification of knowing that your donation is helping someone in our area."

Summertime is typically when area blood supplies are at their lowest, health officials said.
"Sponsoring a blood drive is one way we can serve our community," Eichold said.

"The Mobile County Health Department cares enough to make a difference that it provides
company time for you to make your donation."

Back-to-school immunization clinics planned at Mobile public school campuses July 29 and 31

Family Health, a division of the Mobile County Health Department, is offering

several vaccine clinics during community outreach events during the last week

 in July at area public school campuses in Mobile, Alabama. Check out the story

below for all the dates and details.

MOBILE, Ala. – The Mobile County Health Department and its Family Health primary care division are offering several opportunities for students to get needed vaccinations before public schools resume classes Thursday, August 7, 2014.

Upcoming immunization clinics from Family Health will be offered at area Mobile

County public schools through July 31, 2014. There will be no cost associated with the
immunizations for Medicaid patients and the uninsured.

Schedule for upcoming immunization clinics

Tuesday, July 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Griggs Elementary, 6001 Three Notch Road
Thursday, July 31, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Chastang Middle School, 2800 Berkley Ave.
Thursday, July 31, noon to 2 p.m., Grant Elementary, 535 Easterling St., Prichard

Immunizations for children

By law, all students must have a current Immunization Certificate in order to register for
the 2014-2015 school year. Students who are not changing schools this year should
already have their Immunization Certificates on file at the school. According to
Alabama’s immunization schedule, Immunization Certificates expire when children reach
4 and 11 years of age. New Immunization Certificates are issued when appropriate
immunizations are received.

What to bring to get immunizations

· Parent’s or caregiver’s photo ID
· Child’s Social Security number
· Child’s immunization record
· Child’s insurance card

Thousands of dogs, cats, ferrets vaccinated at MCHD weekend rabies clinics in Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. -- Every month, the Mobile County Health Department’s veterinarian provides hundreds of residents with low-cost vaccines for their dogs, cats and ferrets at a variety of locations.

Between July 2013 and June 2014, the MCHD Rabies Officer provided 2,292 rabies vaccines to domesticated pets, health records show. The state of Alabama tasks local Health Department’s with providing rabies vaccinations to pet owners for a variety of reasons.

Rabies is a virus that attacks the central nervous system. It is transmitted from infected mammals to man and is fatal once symptoms appear. Symptoms of rabies include unusual behavior, irritability, headache, fever, inability to eat or drink, balance problems, circling, seizures, coma, and, finally, death. All warm-blooded mammals, including humans, are susceptible to rabies.

Exposure to rabies may be minimized by eliminating all stray cats and dogs; having pet dogs, cats and ferrets vaccinated; staying away from wild animals, especially those acting abnormally; and not keeping exotic or wild animals as pets, health officials said.

Here’s a list of the weekend rabies clinics have been planned for cats, dogs and ferrets on Saturdays during the month of August in Mobile County:

·         12:30 - 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2, Mobile Animal Shelter, 855 Owens St.

·         1:30 - 4 p.m., August 9, Pet Supplies Plus, 803 Hillcrest Road

·         10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Aug. 16, Prichard Animal Shelter, 2402 Rebel Road 

The cost of the rabies vaccine is $10 per pet, except at Pet Supplies Plus, where the cost is $8. Only cash is accepted at the Saturday rabies clinics, health officials said.

 

 

 

 

Keeping children safe: TEEN Center receives $50,000 in grants for abuse prevention efforts

 

The TEEN Center was recently awarded two grants totaling $50,000 by the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention program, also known as the Children’s Trust Fund, to help make young children safer in our community.

 The trust fund secures resources to fund evidence-based community programs committed to the prevention of child maltreatment, said Felecia H. Allen, TEEN Center director.

The Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention program funds primary and secondary child abuse and neglect prevention programs. Primary Prevention in child abuse refers to efforts aimed at positively influencing parents, guardians and caregivers, and/or children before abuse or neglect occurs. Examples of primary prevention programs include educational programs, and/or hospital-based programs.

Secondary Prevention of child abuse and neglect refers to those supportive services targeted toward populations who are considered to be “at risk” because of their life situation. Example of secondary prevention programs includes support programs for teenage parents, programs for families, youth or children with identifiable stresses.

The TEEN Center was awarded two grants associated with the secondary prevention of child maltreatment. Both grants are for one year, Allen said. Here’s more information about the grants:

The Home Visitation program received a $35,000 grant which provides parenting classes for the parent and child in the home of the participant or group setting. Education on Shaken Baby (abusive Head Trauma) prevention and Safe Sleeping environments are some of the topics covered during home visitation and group meetings. The programs also link participants to community resources and other social service organizations. The ultimate goal of the program is child abuse and neglect prevention.

Parenting Education and Support Programs received $15,000 for the new initiative. The program is designed to increase the knowledge level of pregnant or parenting teens, adults, and teen fathers in child rearing, behavior management, child development, and communication skills. Also offer social support, information and referrals to assist parents and caregivers. The delivery of the program will be completed in group settings or individual sessions (by request). Like the Home Visitation program, the main goal is child abuse and neglect prevention.

 

WIC takes team trophy as health department recognizes outstanding employees

 

Members of the WIC staff at the Mobile County Health Department show off

the traveling trophy they recieved July 18, 2014, after being recognized for

their outstanding efforts to serve the public while they transitioned to a new

computer system.

MOBILE, Ala. -- In January, a new employee recognition program known as GEM – Going the Extra Mile -- was announced at the Mobile County Health Department. Three months later, several departments across the 504-employee agency were recognized with team GEM awards at a bling-inspired training event and celebration.

Now, MCHD's first individual GEM winners have been selected by nominations from their peers and supervisors. All six have Gone the Extra Mile in their professional duties. They may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but every single one of them, in their own way, are helping to transform MCHD and Family Health into the agency of choice in Mobile County. That makes them real life super heroes.

The individual GEM winners are:  Amy Rosson, Finance; Dr. Kent Daum, Optometry; Margaret McCullouch, Nutrition Services; Meredith Gardner, WIC; Natalie Briceno, Pediatrics and Wendy Hale, Housekeeping.

In March, the first winner of the traveling trophy was given to the Finance Department. Now, the silver cup will have a new home as it leaves Finance and makes its way to WIC, the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program led by Elizabeth W. Smith. Smith and her staff has been hard at work implementing a new computer system known as Crossroads.

Other teams who were recognized for their hard work during the most recent quarter were the staff at the North Mobile Health Center and the Maintenance Department.  

 

Back-to-school immunizations offered at some public schools in Mobile through end of July



Family Health's mobile medical unit was stationed at Grigg's Elementary School

in Tillman's Corner on July 17, 2014, offering back-to-school vaccines to students.

More off site immunization events are planned throughout July at school campuses

across Mobile County. 

MOBILE, Ala. – Family Health staff members gave 58 vaccines to 16 children Thursday, July 17, 2014, during a two-hour special immunization clinic at Griggs Elementary School in Tillman’s Corner. WKRG TV-5 covered the community outreach where information was provided on how to get vaccines before school starts, the new MCHD website and other health information.

The mobile medical unit was stationed alongside the Mobile County Public School System Food Express at two campuses the week of July 18 offering immunizations to students age 4 and older. Family Health is the primary care division of the Mobile County Health Department.

Christina Weaver brought her son, Zakary Primm, age 11, to the community outreach event. Zakary is entering sixth grade at Semmes Middle School this year. Ms. Weaver said there was no wait to receive the vaccines. They were in and out in less than 15 minutes.

Upcoming immunization clinics from the mobile medical unit will be offered alongside the school system’s food express on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the remainder of July, health officials said. There will be no cost associated with the immunizations for Medicaid patients and the uninsured, health officials said.

Immunizations for children

By law, all students must have a current Immunization Certificate in order to register for the 2014-2015 school year. Students who are not changing schools this year should already have their Immunization Certificates on file at the school.

According to Alabama’s immunization schedule, Immunization Certificates expire when children reach 4 and 11 years of age. New Immunization Certificates are issued when appropriate immunizations are received.

What to bring

• Parent’s or caregiver’s photo ID
• Child’s Social Security number
• Child’s immunization record
• Insurance card.

The Mobile County Public School System announced that healthy meals would be delivered to children ages 18 an under on Mondays through Thursdays, through July 31, earlier this year. The routes are available on mcpss.com and the Mobile County Public Schools’ Facebook page.