Orange County HCA Public Health Week 2022

PUBLIC

Health WEEK April 4-10, 2022

Public Health is Where You Are National Public Health Week April 4-10, 2022 The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) strives to exemplify our mission and vision throughout Orange County (OC) and would like to recognize and applaud the dedication, compassion, perseverance, and optimism of the Public Health Services (PHS) team in its steadfast commitment to serve the residents, businesses, and visitors of our community.

In celebrating National Public Health Week, we as an Agency embrace this year’s theme “PUBLIC HEALTH IS WHERE YOU ARE.” Our PHS teams provide effective, inventive, and essential education, resources, and services in our community where we play, where we learn, where we eat, and where we live!

Addressing health equity gaps, harnessing the power of community collaboration and resilience, capitalizing on the strength and expertise of the public health workforce, and engaging the residents of Orange County in impactful ways in order to support informed choices toward personal wellness and optimal health, as well as contributing to the protection and health of our community and our planet, are paramount to the mission of PHS. PHS has a robust and diverse workforce that supports strong programs that protect our community and help people get and stay healthy physically and mentally. Our skilled and motivated PHS teams also engage the support and involvement of the communities we serve in order to build public trust and confidence which is critical to building healthy communities. Community encompasses every aspect of our lives — it’s where we live, work, learn and play and public health is meeting people where they are to achieve improved health outcomes for people of all identities. We strive to thoughtfully and meaningfully engage individuals through action, education, empowerment and collaboration.

We are grateful and inspired by the efforts and endurance of this vital group of committed individuals who proudly and boldly serve the residents of Orange County.

Clinical Services Division Afghan Refugee Assessment Project: What we do: Ensure complete Health Assessments for refugees within 90 days of arrival to OC, our Clinical Services Division worked collaboratively with community organizations including Uplift Charity and the Coalition of Orange County Community Health Centers (with 26 member organizations and 68 sites across OC). Focused on health screenings for and prevention of communicable diseases; early identification and diagnosis of chronic disease; assessment of immunization status for children and adults; mental health screening; and referral to health providers for further medical evaluation, treatment, and follow-up; the refugee families were also assisted with school registration for children, vaccine clinics, vision exams and eyeglasses, assistance with temporary and permanent housing, job placement and more.

Who we serve: Afghan refugee population in OC. Currently 228 refugees have been placed in OC.

Where/how we serve: In addition to services available in the clinics and at the Community Health Centers across OC, Clinical Services and our community partners hosted two, one-day events to bring services to the refugees.

Providing transportation to the refugees and having an abundance of services all in one place at the same time not only streamlined the effectiveness of the efforts of this program, but also ensured that the participants felt supported and assisted during a time of difficult transition.

OC Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District; Supervisor Andrew Do, First District; and Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District, each stopped by an event to lend support and welcome the refugees into our community.

Clinical Services Division HIV is a Human Thing What we do: Our 17th Street Testing and Treatment Clinic (TTC) offers testing and treatment for STDs and HIV. To eliminate stigma about HIV, the TTC offers education on prevention and safe sex practices.

To promote prevention, the TTC provides effective medications for uninsured and insured patients aimed at pre-exposure and post-exposure. The TTC then continues the journey with patients and offers HIV Partner Services to those who need assistance telling their partners. HIV Partner Services offers a variety of supports to patients including coaching to tell their partner themselves, having a trained counselor present during the conversation with their partner, and to arranging for the HCA to notify the individual’s partner for them anonymously.

Who we serve: Under authority provided by the Ryan White Act, the HCA arranges for the delivery of services to individuals in our community affected by/living with HIV/AIDS of which many are living at or near the federal poverty level, persons with low incomes and persons who are ineligible for other housing programs. Services are provided throughout the county.

Learn more: As of December 31, 2021, there were 6,772 individuals living with HIV in OC. Using methodology from the CDC, it’s estimated there are an additional 950 individuals who are unaware that they are living with HIV. Therefore, the total estimated number of people living with HIV in OC is 7,722. On average, approximately 275 new cases of HIV are reported each year in OC.

From 2011 to 2020, rates of HIV transmission among people living with HIV decreased by 45.9%, falling from 7.4 to 4.0 per 100 over that period (OCHCA, 2021).

Get involved:

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AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Provides drugs to HIV individuals who cannot afford them. (714) 834-8456

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STD/HIV Partner Services Provides help letting your partner know they may have been exposed to an STD or HIV. (714) 834-PS4U (714) 834-7748

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HIV/AIDS Planning Council (HPC) Helps develop and guide HIV planning activities in Orange County. (714) 834-8711

FREE, CONFIDENTIAL, PRIVATE

We help let partners know they may have been exposed to HIV or an STD.

I needed help figuring out what to say.

My ex needed to know, but I was afraid to tell him myself.

I CALLED PARTNER

SERVICES

BECAUSE

I wish someone had told me.

My partners can get tested and treated.

My past partners could be infecting others and not even know it.

We’re Here to Help

714.834.7748 www.ochealthinfo.com/STDHIV 08/16/18

Disease Control and Epidemiology 1725 W. 17th Street | Santa Ana, CA 92706 | (714) 834-7991 | ochealthinfo.com

Health Promotion and Community Planning Nutrition Services What we do: Since 8.3% of the OC population suffers from nutrition insecurity, our Nutrition Services team focuses on providing resources, assistance, education and referrals to OC residents of every age. One program is Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supports mothers in need who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have children 5 years or younger. WIC provides education, resources, and financial assistance for healthy foods at no charge to families. WIC offers nutrition and health information like breastfeeding counseling, education for fathers and other family members, cooking demos and recipes, and baby behavior education to reduce overfeeding as well as assistance/connection to CalFresh resources as needed. A reading campaign with “Potter the Otter” books is offered to WIC mothers for free. Written in English and Spanish, the books cover topics like learning about different fruits and vegetables, oral care, staying active and strong, and include fun activities for children and parents.

Our programs and services don’t stop there. Our staff skillfully implements a variety of programs for every age group to promote empowerment and healthy living.

Who we serve:

Infants, Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, Pregnancy.

Where/how we serve: WIC has 7 locations throughout OC, and a variety of Nutrition Services programs are also out in the community to reach people where they are.

Park: Host nutrition education and physical activity booths in parks.

Food Pantries: Provide engaging nutrition education to adults and college students and assist pantries to achieve “Healthy Pantry” certification through the Nutrition Pantry Program.

Retail Markets: Conduct interactive store Early Childcare sites: Provide fun, virtual tours to help families make healthier nutrition education to preschoolers, choices. displays for Rethink Your Drink campaign How to connect/learn more: View and create space for active play. our Nutrition Services programs that are School: Assist in garden-based learning activity to enhance children’s experience in growing and liking produce also hosts nutrition education booths.

committed to ending nutrition insecurity and to promote healthy living for optimal wellness. www.ochealthinfo.com/WIC

Stop Smoking/Vaping What we do: The HCA’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program (TUPP) team has contracted with community-based organizations since 2001 to provide programs that prevent initiation of tobacco use and/or offer free cessation services for tobacco users who wish to quit. Five years ago, TUPP expanded to include vaping services.

Who we serve: Orange County teens and adults.

Where/how we serve: School districts, individual schools, parents and community-based organizations.

Learn more: Rates of cigarette smoking among OC adults have fallen to historic lows, decreasing by 57.4% since 2011 down to 5.5% in (CHIS, 2021).

Since 2011-13 cigarette smoking among OC 11th graders has fallen over 80.8% from 10.4% to 2.0% in 2017-19. (CHKS, 2020).

Want to quit/need help: Click Here to view the Tobacco Cessation Toolkit.

Community and Nursing Services Division Comprehensive Health Assessment Team – Homeless (CHAT-H) What we do: Our Community and Nursing Services (CNS) division, with a staff of 120 individuals supporting programs and services, is dedicated to reaching our residents wherever they are. Our reach extends to every age and every neighborhood of OC, providing community and in-home health assessments, health education, case management, health access support and leadership in the development of community resources and partnerships to promote optimal health across the life span.

CHAT-H highlights the dedication and mobility of our services. Our CHAT-H group helps connect homeless clients to the health services they need. Our nursing staff provides evaluations, linkage to health insurance and medical care, assistance in applying for Medi-Cal and CalFresh, education about medical conditions and medications, health advocacy, assistance arranging transportation to medical appointments, and referrals to mental health programs and services, as well as agencies for housing and basic needs.

Who we serve: Individuals throughout OC experiencing homelessness.

Where/how we serve: Our teams visit shelters, parks, hotels, among other locations, to outreach and connect with individuals experiencing homelessness and bring public health to where they are. The attention to this population in such a caring and comprehensive manner is just one example of our stellar CNS teams.

Learn more about the efforts by CHAT-H team, click HERE. To learn more about how HCA is addressing the health equity gaps for those experiencing homelessness, visit the Office of Care Coordination and Equity in OC.

Communicable Disease Control Division What we do: Our Communicable Disease Control Division (CDCD) has been critical to our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. But did you know that CDCD does so much more?

The CDCD is responsible for monitoring the incidence of over 80 reportable communicable diseases and conditions in the community; preventing communicable diseases and promoting disease prevention; and assuring access to treatment of communicable diseases.

In addition, the CDCD has responsibility for registering births and deaths in OC and issuing associated certificates and permits thru the Office of Vital Records.

Who we serve: All residents of Orange County.

Where/how we serve: As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, our CDCD team does whatever it takes to get the job done and they go everywhere in the county to do the job: clinics, schools, long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, mobile centers, super PODs (point of dispensing sites), churches, communitybased organizations. Thanks to the persistent and innovative efforts by our CDCD, more than 1.3 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in OC through public and private partnerships while investigations have been done on more than 400,000 and approximately 600 outbreaks in long-term care facilities, 90 outbreaks in homeless shelters, 1,700 outbreaks in Orange County businesses and 400 outbreaks in schools.

Orange County Public Health Laboratory What we do: The OC Public Health Laboratory (OCPHL) performs

more than 145,000 tests annually and is comprised of 50 staff members which includes support, lab assistants and 33 certified Public Health Microbiologists (PHM). PHM’s are professional laboratorians who specialize in detecting, isolating, and identifying the microorganisms that are associated with infectious and communicable diseases. The OCPHL is the only laboratory in OC that can confirm measles infection, test animals for rabies and confirm bioterrorism agents such as anthrax.

Who we serve: Orange County residents and OCPHL supports all PHM training in California.

Where/how we serve: In a public health laboratory, PHM’s perform analyses on specimens from humans, as well as from water supplies, food and the environment and provide support for the surveillance, control and prevention of communicable diseases and other health hazards in the community. The OCPHL is approved by the California Department of Public Health as a training laboratory and trains PHMs throughout the year. Additionally, our staff members present several lecture topics to PHM trainees around the state.

Lydia Mikhail, Laboratory Manager

Fun Fact: Our Laboratory Manager, Lydia Mikhail, is the proud recip-

ient of the LabAspire Laboratory Director Fellowship grant. Lydia is receiving support through the fellowship to earn her Doctor of Public Health at the Public Health and Clinical Laboratory Science and Practice Program from the University of South Florida. Lydia is in the process of evaluating whole genome sequencing to aid in surveillance and tracking of outbreaks in health care facilities. She is also collaborating in a study with the University of California, Irvine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to examine the recontamination of surfaces in health care facilities patient rooms. Her findings are enhancing the OCPHL’s overall capabilities and core functions. Employees like Lydia are vital to the future of public health in OC, and we wish her continued success as she pursues her doctoral goals.

Learn more about OCPHL, click HERE and LabAspire Fellowship Program, click HERE.

Environmental Health What we do: Our Environmental Health (EH) team, with 185 staff positions, provides a huge array of services to protect our community including: retail and wholesale food protection, food borne illness investigations, public pool inspections, childhood lead exposure prevention, water quality, ocean water protection, solid waste facility oversight, hazardous materials surveillance and mitigation oversight, underground and aboveground storage tank oversight, body art facility and practitioner oversight, medical waste management inspections, and a used oil recycling education program.

One highlight of the important work EH does is testing the coastal ocean, bay and harbor waters in Orange County for bacteria that indicate the possible presence of disease-causing organisms.

Polluted runoff or untreated sewage that’s released into the environment, may reach ocean, bay or harbor waters, and result in human exposure to pathogenic bacteria, viruses and/or protozoans. Some symptoms that may develop from contact with polluted water include gastroenteritis, diarrhea, fever, and/or respiratory infections. Our dedicated teams test the waters multiple times a week to ensure safety, and they also are a huge part of any emergency efforts related to spills or contamination.

Water Health and Safety The health of our planet also connects to our personal health & safety...

Who we serve: Orange County residents, businesses and visitors.

Where we serve: EH serves at beaches, restaurants, food trucks, community pools, playgrounds, body art facilities, dry cleaners, gas stations, and landfills.

Learn more: For information about water quality visit: www.ocbeachinfo.com. To check the inspection report of your favorite restaurant or to learn more about food safety visit: www.ocfoodinfo.com.

Get involved: Some easy things we can do to help improve water quality include using a broom rather than a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks, don’t litter along highways and sidewalks, pick up all your trash and help out by picking up litter at beaches, and if you change your own car motor oil, be sure to drain your oil into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid and recycle it.

You can take your used oil to one of the many CalRecycle Certified Used Oil Collection Centers throughout OC. Certified Centers will accept uncontaminated used oil and used oil filters from the public absolutely FREE during normal business hours. To find your closest center, please click HERE.

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Orange County Used Oil Recycling Video below.

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Want to get more involved, host a beach cleanup on Earth Day, April 22nd.

Environmental Health YouTube video below.

“ You need to be aware of what others are doing,

applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.”

– Jim Stovall

This week we celebrate and honor all the courageous, hard-working, dedicated, compassionate, excellent team members of our Public Health Services Division.

The work you do changes lives, lifts communities, and helps to make Orange County a healthier place to live, work and play.

THANK YOU!!

Clinical Services

Community and Nursing Services

Environmental Health

Health Promotion and Community Planning

Communicable Diseae Control

Public Health Laboratory