Dallas County Health and Human Services Safe families, healthy lives.

PREPAREDNESS UPDATEDecember- January 2017Volume 12, Issue 11

Zachary Thompson, Director

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A Glimpse Into the Rigourous PHAB Process

2017 Zika and West Nile Planning Webinar

Annual Feast of Sharing

Flu Education Continues

MRC Radiological Training

STD, HIV and Public Health Team Promote World AIDS Day

www.dallascounty.org/hhs

Dallas County Health and Human Services Awarded National Accreditation

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PUBLIC HEALTH

After undergoing an extensive four year assessment, Dallas County Health and Human Ser-vices (DCHHS) was awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accredita-tion Board (PHAB) on Nov. 15, 2016. The PHAB organization was jointly funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to serve as a national public health ac-crediting body. The board serves as a nonprof-it organization that works to

improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of the nation’s health departments. The accreditation program promotes high performance, continuous quality improve-ment, illustrates health depart-ment accountability to the pub-lic and policy makers, clarifies the public’s expectations of health departments and in-creases the visibility and pub-lic awareness of governmental public health. “DCHHS employees have

worked diligently for the com-munity and it is an honor for DCHHS to receive national accreditation through PHAB,” said Dallas County Commis-sioner John Wiley Price, chair of the Dallas County Public Health Advisory Board. “With this accreditation, resi-dents can be confident that the DCHHS public health system will continue to grow in qual-ity, remain competitive and be transparent in day to day prac-tices.” Although PHAB is a nation-ally recognized organization,

accreditation through PHAB remains a voluntary process that health departments across the nation choose to undergo. “The choice for DCHHS to voluntarily undergo the ac-creditation process was consid-ered obligatory,” said Director Zachary Thompson. “Standing as the second larg-est county in Texas and the ninth largest county in the US, DCHHS is committed to en-sure Dallas County residents can be confident about DCHHS processes.”

Front: DCHHS Director Zachary Thompson, Assistant Director Finance, Budget, Contracts Ganesh Shivaramaiyer, Assistant Director Dianne Rucker, Asst. Director Public Health Communicable Disease Tammara Scroggins, Public Health Educators Britni Williams and La Shonda Worthey, Contracts Manager Doris Bass and DCHHS Medical Director/Health Authority Dr. Christopher Perkins. Back: Admin Secretary Sally Viera, STD/HIV Program Manager Felicia Barnett, TB Manager Laura Gomez, RN, Clinic Supervisor Sabrina Moats, Assistant Director Lab Services Dr. Edward Bannister, DCHHS Well Child Immunization Program Supervisor Barbara Davis, RN, Human Resources Technician II Camellia Lewis, Nurse Pract/Physician Asst. Modesta Onyia.

PREPAREDNESS UPDATEDecember-January 2017 | Dallas County Health and Human Services | www.dallascounty.org/hhs

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Quality Improvement and Performance Management Lands This Team National Recognition:

A Glimpse Into the Rigourous PHAB National Accreditation Process

As DCHHS Director Zach-ary Thompson met with his staff during an early Mon-day meeting, his phone vi-brated rapidly across the conference table where several employees sur-rounded. After anxiously awaiting four years for this announcement, he cleared his throat and swiped his finger across his iPhone-touch screen cell phone to check his email. Begin-ning with a few head nods, Director Thompson contin-ued to scroll through his messages, and then placed his phone back on the table. Looking around the room with a smile of excitement, Director Thompson advises the DCHHS Assistant Direc-tors “Whatever problem we have, put it off until later to-

day.....We got it!”

In the year of 2012 DCHHS pledged to challenge the DCHHS organizational struc-ture by pursuing national accreditation through PHAB. Understanding the in depth process, DCHHS Director Zachary Thompson fol-lowed PHAB recommendations to appoint an accreditation team to focus efforts on the accreditation process. The front line accreditation team consisted

of Assistant Director Dianne Rucker, Asst. Director Public Health Communicable Dis-ease Health Tammara Scroggins, Public Health Educators La Shonda Worthey, Brit-ni Williams and Janiecia Holley, Assistant Director Finance, Budget, Contracts Ga-nesh Shivaramaiyer and DCHHS Medical Director/Health Authority Dr. Christopher Perkins. Each team member demonstrated great

ability to conduct intensive and prolonged evaluation. Through this groups diligence, DCHHS was able to demonstrate it’s con-formity with PHAB standards and measures. In support, the entire DCHHS Health Ser-vices Division played a key role in obtaining national accreditation.

“The application was a rigorous process that challenged us to take existing processes and expand upon those operations and services. The entire accreditation procedure from beginning to the end, cultivated best practices and promising practices. --- Asst. Director Public Health Communicable Disease Health Tammara Scroggins

“Document submission was a very detailed and rigorous process. There were a number of different measures spread over required standards that had to be addressed. Through this process, DCHHS was able to present transparency and show our commitment to deliver the ten essential functions of public health services” ---Asst. Director. Finance, Budget, Contracts Ganesh Shivaramaiyer

“During the site visit, DCHHS leadership was tested on a wide variety of topics to ensure that requirements of each measure was addressed. After an intense three daysite visit, I was confident we were headed in the right direction.” ---DCHHS Medical Director/Health Authority Dr. Christopher Perkins

“Whenever you see our seal of accreditation, you will know that DCHHS has been rigor-ously examined and meets or exceeds national standards that promote continuous quality improvement for public health.” ---DCHHS Director Zachary Thompson

Asst. Director Public Health Communicable Disease Tammara Scroggins, Public Health Educators La Shonda Worthey, Britni Williams and Janiecia Holley, Asst. Director Dianne Rucker, Asst. Director Budget, Finance, Contracts Ganesh Shivaramaiyer, DCHHS Director Zachary Thompson.

PREPAREDNESS UPDATEDecember-January 2017 | Dallas County Health and Human Services | www.dallascounty.org/hhs

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On Saturday, Dec. 3, DCHHS Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers, both medical and non-medical, were trained on best practices during a radiological incident. Volunteers learned how to use handheld radiological detection equipment to conduct radiological monitoring and decontamination operations for potentially contami-nated populations.

MRC Volunteers Receive Radiological Incident Training

DCHHS Continues to Provide Flu Education DCHHS continues the conversation on flu prevention. Public Health Educator Marisa Gonzalez lead flu prevention presentations at Brady Senior Center, Mexican Consulate of Dallas, UME Acad-emy of Duncanville, West Dallas Family Care Connections and the Mexican Consulate Ventanilla de Salud. Currently, Dallas County has not seen an uptick in flu cases as in-fluenza activity remains low with 1.6 percent of tests returning posi-tive. Through education, DCHHS will continue to advise residents to receive the influenza vaccine To date, Dallas County has seen a total of 29 hospitalizations related to the flu, a close number to last years CDC week 49 in 2015.

2017 Zika and West Nile Planning Webinar

DCHHS Supports Initiatives in the Annual Feast of Sharing

On Thursday, Nov. 10, the Pub-lic Health Preparedness Division and Dallas County Medical Re-serve Corps (MRC) participated in the Central Market Feast of Sharing event held at the Centen-nial Building at Fair Park. The annual event provides health services along with hot holiday meals to serve the general pub-lic including homeless and dis-placed populations within North Texas. “The Feast of Sharing was a wonderful opportunity to serve

the members of our community,” said MRC Volunteer Lesley La-nig. “It showcased programs to empower and enrich families in addition to providing a nutritious meal in a fun filled environment.” At the event, public health pre-paredness (PHP) staff and MRC volunteers distributed specialized emergency document bags that included a list of all Dallas Coun-ty shelters with brief descriptions of requirements and services pro-vided.

DCHHS staff and MRC volunteers distributing handouts and document bags at the Annual Feast of Sharing.

Beginning Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, DCHHS will be kicking off a two part series discussing 2017 Zika and West Nile planning objectives, which will be open to Dallas County cities, com-munity leaders, businesses, organizations and the general public. The first part of the series will take place in webinar format, explaining the current challenges of Zika and West Nile, along with planning for a confirmed local transmission Zika case in Dallas County. Through the webinar, DCHHS plans to give an overview of the mosquito surveillance, Zika clinical update and hypothetical sce-nario. The presenation will provide an outline of vector control needs and be used as a tool to communicate and understand the scope of the Dallas County geographic reponse. Following the webinar, the second part series will be an in per-son table top meeting on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 set to discuss the needs and capabilities in detail. For more information on this event, or for invites email renae.crutchfield@dallascounty.org

DCHHS Director meets with Medical Director/Health Authority, Asst.Director Public Health Communicable Disease, Asst. Director Environmental Health, Asst. Director Lab Services, Public Information Officer,Vector Control and Labortory Services Supervisors.

Left to Right: Denton County volunteer, VA Radiation Safety Officer John White, City of Carrollton Emergency Mgmt Coordinator Elliott Reep.

Public Health Preparedness Division2377 North Stemmons FreewayDallas, TX 75207214-819-2000www.dallascounty.org/hhs Zachary Thompson, Director Dr. Christopher Perkins, Medical Director/Health Authority

PREPAREDNESS UPDATEDecember-January 2017| Dallas County Health and Human Services | www.dallascounty.org/hhs

About This Newsletter Public Health Preparedness Update is published monthly by Dallas County Health & Human Services. For information about this newslet-ter, contact DCHHS Public Information Officer Renae Crutchfield at 214-819-6329 or renae.crutchfield@dallascounty.org

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STD, HIV and Public Health Team Promote World AIDS Day

In recognition of World Aids Day, DCHHS teamed up with Aids Interfaith Network to raise awareness and improve HIVeducation by offering free testing for sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV at the General Consul-ate of Mexico Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. Launching the activities for World Aids Day, an inaugu-ral ceremony was held to raise awareness, promote civil rights and to access the needs of the LGBT Hispanic community. Through this initiative, DCHHS provided free testing to 87 Dal-

las County residents and provided education materials in addition to counseling guides.

For more information on DCHHS testing call 214 819 1819 or visit http://www.dallascounty.org/

Director Zachary Thompson joined “Ventanilla de Salud” of AIDS Interfaith Network and the General Consulate of Mexico.

DCHHS staff out-side the mobile medical unit.