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Public Health

August is National Immunization Awareness Month -- Are your child's vaccines up to date?

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Back-to-School season is here! It’s time for parents to gather school supplies and backpacks. Whether it’s a baby starting at a new daycare, a toddler heading to preschool, a student going back to elementary, middle or high school – or even a college freshman – parents should also check their child’s vaccine records. 

“These settings are highly susceptible to outbreaks of infectious diseases,” said Dr. Gregory Collins, Wyoming County Health commissioner. “Children can easily transmit illnesses to one another due to poor hand washing, uncovered coughs, dense populations and other factors.”

To emphasize the importance of immunizations for people of all ages – and make sure children are protected with all the vaccines they need – the Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming county health departments are joining partners nationwide in recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month. 

“Getting children all of the vaccines recommended by CDC’s immunization schedule is one of the most important things parents can do to ensure a healthy future for their children,” said Paul Pettit, Genesee & Orleans Public Health director. "If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to check with your doctor to find out what vaccines your child needs.”

Vaccines protect against a number of serious and potentially life-threatening diseases.  When children are not vaccinated, they are at increased risk for diseases and can also spread diseases to others in their classrooms and community – including babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated, and people with weakened immune systems due to cancer or other health conditions.

Talk to your child’s doctor to find out which vaccines are recommended for them before going back to school.

For more information about the recommended vaccines for each age group visit: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

Information on NYS Immunization Requirements for School Entrance/Attendance:

https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization/schools/updated_school_imm_requirements.htm

For more information about Health Department services, use the contact information below.

The Dos and Don'ts of disposing of 'sharps'

By Billie Owens

Press release from Genesee – Orleans Public Health Education Team of Kristine Voos, CHES, Nola Goodrich-Kresse, MCHES:

The Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming County Health departments are encouraging county residents to “Think Health.” Taking time to think about your health and taking positive health steps will lead to healthier outcomes. Learning something new every day is one way to think health.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are about 9 million Americans who use needles or other sharps to manage their medical conditions.  “Sharps” are a medical term for devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin. For example, people with diabetes use needles to inject insulin and use lancets to test their blood glucose. In addition, injection drug users use needles. Heroin and other inject-able street drugs are dangerous and may be injected.

The popularity of injecting illicit drugs has increased dramatically in recent years. Recent intelligence has been received that heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs are also being sold with deadly additives.

Safe disposal of sharps is critically important to optimize health, safety, and protection of the environment. The best way to ensure that people are protected from potential injury and spread of infections due to needle sticks is to dispose of them properly. The most common infections are Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Safe sharps disposal is important whether you are at home, at work, at school, traveling, or in other public places such as hotels, parks, and restaurants. If you see sharps on the ground do not pick them up. Contact your local law enforcement agency for further instructions. 

The following are DOs and DON’Ts of proper sharps disposal:

DO:

  • Immediately place used needles/other sharps in a FDA-cleared sharps disposal container to reduce the risk of needle sticks, cuts or punctures from loose sharps.  If one isn’t available, use a heavy-duty plastic household container, such as a laundry detergent container, as an alternative. All sharps containers need to be of a heavy-duty plastic, able to close with a tight-fitting/puncture proof lid, upright and stable during use, leak-resistant and properly labeled;
  • Be prepared – Carry a portable sharps disposal container for travel;
  • Ask your health care provider, local hospital, pharmacist or veterinarian where you can obtain low-cost FDA-cleared sharps disposal containers;
  • Keep all needles and other sharps, as well as disposal containers out of reach of children and pets;
  • Dispose of all contents of disposal containers at drop-off locations in your county.

DON’T:

  • Do not throw needles and other sharps into the trash;
  • Do not flush needles and other sharps down the toilet;
  • Do not put needles and other sharps in your recycling bin – they are not recyclable;
  • Do not try to remove, bend, break or recap needles used by another person.  This can lead to accidental needle sticks, which may cause serious infections;
  • Do not attempt to remove the needle without a needle clipper device because the needles could fall, fly off, or get lost and injure someone. Needle clippers make syringes unusable by clipping off the needle. These clippers may be used for needle disposal of small syringes (such as those used for insulin), but not clipping lancets. After the needle clipper clips off the needle from the syringe, the needle is automatically and safely retained within the clipper.

In New York State (NYS) there is a Safe Sharps Collection Program. All hospitals and nursing homes in NYS are mandated by law to accept home-generated sharps as free community service through their sharps collection programs. In addition, pharmacies, health clinics, community-based organizations/ mobile van programs, public transportation facilities, housing projects, police stations, waste transfer stations and other venues have become settings for safe sharps disposal. Below are drop-off locations in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. *Before visiting, contact the site you are interested in to confirm service and drop-off details.

Genesee:

  1. Batavia Health Care Center, 585-343-1300
  2. Genesee County Nursing Home, 585-344-0584, ext. 2146
  3. United Memorial Medical Center, 585-344-5370
  4. NYS Veterans Home, 585-345-2076
  5. Le Roy Village Green, 585-768-2561

Orleans:

  1. Orleans Community Health, 585-798-2000
  2. The Villages of Orleans Health & Rehabilitation Center, 585-589-5637

Wyoming:

  1. Wyoming County Community Hospital, 585-786-8940 x4528
  2. East Side Nursing Home, 585-786-8151

For more information on proper sharps disposal and a print-friendly guide visit: http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/ucm263274.htm

NYS Safe Sharps Collection Program:

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/ucm263274.htm

For more information about Health Department services, use the contact information below.

Insource Urgent Care approved as treatment option for rabies patients

By Howard B. Owens

Residents who have a run in with a potentially or known rabid animal will have another option for treatment starting June 1.

On Monday, the Human Services Committee approved a contract with Insource Urgent Care that would allow the County Public Health Department to refer clients to Insource.

The contract isn't exclusive. Patients would still be able to go to the emergency room at UMMC or the urgent care clinic at St. Jerome's if they wished.

"Insource offers a lower rate and the feedback we've been getting is it's a better experience," said David Whitcroft, environmental health director. "It's a faster in and out for the patients."

Whitcroft said Insource had sought out the contract and this was an opportunity "to enter into a contract more favorable to us.

The county pays for the initial exam and the first round of treatment, but booster shots are provided by the health department at County Building #2.

"St. Jerome's has worked out really well for us and we have a good relationship, but this is one more option," Whitcroft said.

The full County Legislature will be asked to approve the arrangement at its next meeting.

Genesee and Orleans counties get grant to pursue integration of public health services

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Lake Plains Community Care Network, Inc., (LPCCN) is pleased to announce the receipt of a two-year Shared Services Learning Community grant from the Center for Sharing Public Health Services. This is a national initiative managed by the Kansas Health Institute with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“When it comes to the health of our communities, we rely on strong public health systems,” said Patrick Libbey, the Center for Sharing Public Health Services co-director. “In recent years, cross-jurisdictional sharing has shown promise as a strategy that can help health departments carry out their mission, and maximize the impact and reach of limited resources.”

The purpose of this grant is to assist Genesee and Orleans county health departments in their efforts to pursue partial or full integration of their current public health services and explore the potential for either independent or joint accreditation.

Lake Plains, the lead agency, was chosen as a neutral and non-governmental resource along with the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions to provide technical and policy advice.

A Cross Jurisdictional Sharing (CJS) is a relationship with the intention of efficiently providing residents of both counties with essential public health services with a shared-leadership model.  It is believed this model will allow both counties to experience financial savings while enhancing service delivery.

“It is also hoped this process will provide the departments with a platform to share local findings and experiences with national, state and municipal public health agencies who also aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services amidst financial constraints,” said Kenneth Oakley, CEO of LPCCN.

The Cross-Jurisdictional Sharing Core Team will include Oakley, Paul Pettit, director of Genesee and Orleans county health departments, David Whitcroft, deputy director of Genesee and Orleans county health departments, and Donald Rowe, public health liaison and director of the Office of Public Health Practice at the University at Buffalo.

The Extended Team will also include Charles Nesbitt, Orleans County chief administrative officer, Jay Gsell, Genesee County manager, and up to two county Board of Health members from each county with others as appropriate.

“Our desires are clearly to maintain and where possible improve access to services while at the same time generating cost savings for both counties,” stated Mary Pat Hancock, chair, Genesee County Legislature.

The first year of the project will be a comprehensive assessment and feasibility analysis in order to determine the level of integration that would maximize the CJS relationship.

The final year of the project period would be dedicated to the implementation of the shared-leadership model based on assessment findings.

“We recognize that achieving the standards of the Public Health Accreditation Board would be the ideal way to be accountable to our residents, while improving effectiveness and performance. Therefore, we also aim to examine the feasibility of initiating the accreditation process,” said David Callard, chair, Orleans County Legislature.

Both health departments are looking forward to this opportunity that will be highly beneficial to residents.

“We look forward to sharing the lessons learned through our CJS relationship, as public health agencies across the country work to develop ways to structure high-quality service delivery in strained fiscal environments,” stated Pettit, director of Orleans and Genesee County Health Departments.

For information about the services provided by the Orleans County Health Department call 589-3278 or check out our Web site at: www.orleansny.com/publichealth. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. Our user name for both is OrleansCoHealth.

For the Genesee County Health Department call 344-2580, ext. 5000, or visit their Web site at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/health/index.html. Genesee County Health Department is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GeneseeCoHealthNY.

 

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