Georgia PH week [May 19, 2014]

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Health Officials Monitor 2nd U.S. MERS Case


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Health officials have confirmed the second case of MERS - Middle East Respiratory Syndrome - in the U.S. The patient, a health care worker who lives and works in Saudi Arabia and traveled to Florida to visit family, is receiving treatment in isolation at an Orlando hospital.

In This Issue

In a news conference on Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) reported that the patient began feeling symptoms while

Cells infected with MERS-CoV. Image source: Jennifer L. Harcourt (CDC)

Health Officials Monitor 2nd U.S. en route from Saudi Arabia to Florida, during which the patient changed planes

MERS Case

at Atlanta's airport.

Good-to-Great Plan

Cherie Drenzek, D.V.M., state epidemiologist at the Georgia Department of Public

GSU Honors DPH's Intern Program Health (DPH), said although the latest MERS case has a connection to Georgia,

WIC Bids Farewell to Lynn Flen residents have nothing to fear.

DPH Celebrates Nurses
PHEVENTS

"We don't think it poses a risk at all to the general public," she said.

Looking for DPH events? Visit the Events Schedule
on our website.

Mega Meeting Set to Discuss Good-to-Great Plan

Next week, nearly 170 state and district leaders of the Georgia Department of

PHTRAINING
Two for Tuesdays

Public Health (DPH) will gather in Atlanta to discuss how the department can go from a good organization to a great one. The mega meeting, as organizers call it, will be the latest step in a multi-phase process of transformation for DPH.

Join the Office of Human Resources on the second Tuesday of each month from 11:30 a.m.12:45 p.m. for the learning series
Two for Tuesdays. This series provides an opportunity for

For the past two years, the executive leadership team, district health directors and other DPH leaders have been focused on transforming the organization from good to great. The goal of this meeting, said Carole Jakeway, DPH's district and county operations director, is to get more of the department's key leaders committed to the transformation.

programs to explore new ideas,

share knowledge and highlight "We can become a great organization. It's within our power. What's going to

teams and their work. On June 10, DPH staff will present on learning and collaboration technologies. To

determine our level of success is how much everyone buys into it and helps to make it work in their own setting," she said.

learn more and to register,

click here.

Access Form and Report Design Fundamentals Tues., May 20
10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

GSU Honors DPH's Intern Program
The internship program at the Georgia

Access Tables and Database Design
Tues., May 22 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
For employees not at 2 Peachtree, classes can be attended remotely; however, remote attendees must
be registered 48 hours prior to class. Register for all classes through SABA (2 Peachtree attendees register for "InstructorLed" and remote attendees register for "Virtual" classes). Contact Lisa Miller if you have
questions.

Department of Public Health (DPH) is just two years old, but it's already earning recognition for its contributions to the state. Georgia State University's School of Public Health named DPH the winner of its Practicum Site of the Year Award during the school's graduation celebration on May 9.
The award recognizes a public health organization for its commitment to graduate students in public health and its continued support of practicum opportunities for students earning their Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees. Jessica Howell, practicum and career planning coordinator at GSU's School of Public

L'laina Rash, head of DPH's intern program, accepts the Practicum Site
of the Year Award from Michael Eriksen, Sc.D., dean of GSU's School of
Public Health.

Free Online Courses Available from Lynda.com
DPH has purchased a limited number of licenses for Lynda.com, an online library of high-quality, easy-to-use instructional videos on the latest software, creative and
business skills. Licenses are available for check out on a first come, first served basis. To check out a license, simply email Lisa
Miller from your public health email account.

Health, said DPH was selected by the faculty for outstanding contributions to the community and for providing exceptional professional training for students.
"The Georgia Department of Public Health continues to be a strong partner of the school," Howell said. "The Office of Science, Research and Academic Affairs serves as a conduit for encouraging our students to seek opportunities to gain firsthand experience of 'boots on the ground' public health."

After 40 Years, WIC Bids Farewell to Lynn Flen

Submit Calendar Entries to
communications@dhr.state.ga.us What do happy memories, sad goodbyes, 40 years

and the colors purple and silver have in common?

PHNEWS

Absolutely nothing, unless they are all uniquely connected to bid farewell to Lynn Flen, an icon of

the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH)

TB hits Atlanta homeless; Ga. has and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

brush with MERS

Supplemental Nutrition program.

Raw milk outbreaks on the rise, CDC warns
Pets Can Carry Same 'Superbug' Strains as Their Owners: Study
PHRECIPE

Flen, deputy director of program operations and nutrition services for WIC, is retiring after four decades with the program. Her last day at DPH is May 23.
In a room filled with purple, silver and white decorations, DPH staff, family and friends from across the state gathered at 2 Peachtree on May 9 to congratulate Flen on her retirement and to share some of their fondest memories of working with their colleague.

DPH Celebrates Nurses Leading the Way

Chicken Waldorf Salad Serves 4
Click Here for Full Recipe
PHWEEK
Director of Communications Ryan Deal
Editor Carrie Gann
Content Coordinator Connie F. Smith
Sr. Graphic Designer Ginny Jacobs
Web Developer Jimmy Clanton, Jr.

During National Nurses Week, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) recognized more than 1,300 public health nurses in Georgia for the vital role they play in keeping Georgia healthy. Agency leaders attended a two-hour telehealth conference on May 8 to celebrate these professionals who are "leading the way," the theme for National Nurses Week.

"Our public health nurses continue to lead the way to promote a culture of health across disciplines and at every level - state, district and county," said Diane Weems, M.D., district health director of the Coastal Health District, during the celebration. "Their leadership, expertise and passion are critical to the success of achieving healthier Georgia communities."

DPH Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., joined

Carole Jakeway (right)

the celebration with a video message to the state's recognizes Laurie Ross as the

public health nurses, calling these professionals "the backbone of the public health system."

winner of the 2014 Public Health Nursing Practice Excellence
Award.

Editorial & Design Team Tammy Beasley
Turquoise Griffith Eric Jens
Nancy Nydam Sandra Roberts

Georgia Public Health Observances | May 2014

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