PHWEEK 5-6-2013: Commissioner Applauds DPH Accomplishments Follow Us! Commissioner Applauds DPH Accomplishments, Recognizes Public Service Submit your story suggestions, ideas, comments or a story of your own! In This Issue Commissioner Applauds DPH Public Health Information Gage Ochsner, M.D. This week, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) joins governments and agencies across the nation in celebration of Public Service Recognition Week, a time set aside to honor the men and women who serve as federal, state, county and local government employees. In a letter to employees, DPH Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., expressed her appreciation for their hard work. Residents Learn Road Safety "When we became Georgia's new Georgia SHAPE Partner Honored Department of Public Health just 1st Responders App PHEVENTS less than two years ago, I asked that we do more. More to bridge the disparity gap and connect more Georgians with the care and information they need to live DPH Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. Newborn Screening Exhibit happier, healthier lives. More to reduce the burden of childhood April 29 - May 9 obesity in our state. More to connect mothers and children with the 2 Peachtree Lobby essential nutrition they need to grow and learn. More to reduce the The Association of Public Health Laboratories is celebrating 50 years of newborn screening in the U.S. spread of HIV and sexually transmitted disease. More to prepare for disaster. And more to ensure our data is the strongest it can be in DPH employees at 2 Peachtree will order to concentrate our efforts where they're needed most," have the chance to learn more about Fitzgerald said. the history of newborn screening with a traveling exhibit that will be DPH employees went above and beyond, delivering extraordinary on display in the lobby. accomplishments, Fitzgerald said. Tai Chi in the Park Tuesday and Friday 11 a.m. DPH, in partnership with the Atlanta Two Clicks Lead to Wealth of Public Downtown Improvement District, is offering tai chi classes at the water Health Information wall on the north end of Woodruff Park. The class is open to the Online tool gives quick picture of Georgia's community and there is no need to register. No classes will be held community health needs during inclement weather. Free Exercise Classes DPH offers group exercise classes everyday at 2 Peachtree. Classes The Office of Health Indicators for Planning (OHIP) at the Georgia include dance, kickboxing, yoga, Department of Public walking and more. Classes are open Health (DPH) wants to on a first come, first served basis let you in on a little and there is no need to pre-register. Download the monthly schedule at www.health.state.ga.us/wellness. secret: you may be spending more time than you need to analyzing Submit Calendar Entries to and organizing data. A communications@dhr.state.ga.us new Web-based tool can gather easy-to- understand information PHTRAINING Two for Tuesdays: Office of Human Resources on the health needs of communities across Georgia in just a couple of mouse clicks. The Community Health Needs Assessment Dashboard gives users an easy-to-understand version of statewide health data. (Click to enlarge) Join the Office of Training and Workforce Development the second Tuesday of each month for the new learning series Two for Tuesdays. This program provides an The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Dashboard -housed on OASIS, the Online Analytical Statistical Information System -- parses public health data county by county and lets users compare outcomes for one county to rates for the whole state. That opportunity for programs to explore may not sound particularly groundbreaking, but according to OHIP, new ideas, share knowledge and the tool is unlike the others on OASIS. highlight teams and their work. L'laina Rash will discuss DPH's internship program June 11. Introduction to Public Health Think you know what public health "In two clicks you can get information from the CHNA dashboard that otherwise would take six months to prepare," said Gordon Freymann, OHIP's director, who came up with the idea for the dashboard. does? Here's an opportunity to know and learn more about the field of The dashboard allows users to select one or more counties and view Public Health and specifically how it the top 15 causes of death, hospital discharges or emergency room works in Georgia. This course is visits and compare those rates to the other 158 counties in Georgia open to all employees new and seasoned to learn more about what we are doing in Georgia and how you role supports the department's and to the rate for the whole state. The tool can give even more detailed assessment of a community's health issues by breaking down data by age and race. goals. Course dates are May 21, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 22 and Nov. 26. To learn more and to register, go to SABA or email Donna Dunn at Gage Ochsner, M.D., Saved Thousands dgdunn@dhr.state.ga.us. of Lives Focus Groups for the Public Health Professional May 16 and 17 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Evergreen Conference Center, Stone Mountain This two-day course introduces participants to the many applications of focus group in public health practice, including creating questions, facilitating groups and compiling data. For more information and to register, visit www.sph.emory.edu/ephtc. Contact Tara Redd, tredd@emory.edu, with questions. Register by May 9. M. Gage Ochsner Jr., M.D., one of Georgia's most prominent trauma surgeons who worked to overhaul the state's trauma system, died April 26 of lung cancer. He was 59. Ochsner was the chief of trauma and surgical critical care at Memorial University Medical Center (MUMC) in Savannah, where he operated on more than 10,000 patients, according to a Savannah Morning News report. Health Literacy and Cultural Competency: Practical Skills for Public Health Practitioners June 3 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Clarence Brown Conference Center, Cartersville This one-day course will improve the communication skills of public health practitioners by teaching strategies to incorporate key principles of health literacy and cultural competency into existing programs. For more information and to register, visit sph.emory.edu/ephtc. Contact Tara Redd, tredd@emory.edu, with questions. Register by May 28. "It didn't matter if you were the bank president or a bank robber, he treated you all the same," said colleague Carl Boyd, M.D., in the report. Ochsner was remembered for his vision to improve the quality of and access to trauma care for all patients around the state. He also worked to establish the Institute for Injury Research and Prevention at MUMC, which launched last November with the goal of reducing and preventing injuries through research, training, education and outreach. Patrick O'Neal, M.D., director of health protection at the Georgia Department of Public Health, called Ochsner an eloquent advocate for developing a robust trauma system in Georgia, the organization of care and prevention that works to treat injuries more efficiently or keep them from happening altogether. Analyzing Health Behaviors: Practical Skills for the Public Health Professional June 4 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Clarence Brown Conference Center, Cartersville This training will provide practical information on analyzing health behaviors to develop effective interventions. The course will introduce health education intervention planning and an overview of major theories, including stages of change, health belief model and planned behavior change. For more information and to register, visit sph.emory.edu/ephtc. Contact Tara Redd, tredd@emory.edu, with questions. Register by May 28. Community Needs Assessment Skills for the Public Health Professional June 13 and 14 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Moultrie Technical College, Tifton The training will provide participants with the practical skills and knowledge needed to conduct a community needs assessment. Participants do not need to have skills in research, assessment or evaluation to attend. Topics will cover design and implementation of community needs assessment. For more information and to register, visit www.sph.emory.edu/ephtc. Contact Tara Redd, tredd@emory.edu, with questions. Register by June 3. Access Intermediate Queries May 6 2-4:30 p.m. State Agencies School Toombs County Residents on Road Safety Bonnie Brantley knew one thing for sure: people in Toombs County needed to learn more about road safety. Previous surveys conducted in the county showed just one-third of children traveled safely in car seats and only about 40 percent of drivers and passengers wore seat belts. In her years of inspecting car seats, Brantley has seen misuse of all kinds, from Law enforcement joined public health employees, safety groups and volunteers to teach Toombs secondhand, faulty County residents about child safety seats, seat equipment to a parent belts and road safety. using a butter knife to anchor a car seat. "When it comes to traffic safety, the education level here is very low," said Brantley, the Safe Kids Coordinator at Meadows Regional Medical Center in Vidalia. "We needed help getting the information out." Brantley and her colleagues at the Georgia Department of Public Health's (DPH) Rural Roads Initiative turned to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) for help. The office brought together law enforcement officials and highway safety educators, who joined forces with the Rural Roads Initiative and local volunteers to host the Toombs County Occupant Safety Caravan April 8-10. During those three days, the group traveled the area educating all kinds of drivers and passengers about staying safe on the road. Access Form & Report Design May 14 10 a.m.-3:30 PM Access Advanced Queries May 16 2-4:30 p.m. "The safety caravan is really important for the rural areas where we don't have a lot of resources," Brantley said. "When you get 30 people from all over the state coming to help you, it makes such a difference." Access Tables & Database Design May 30 9:30 a.m.-4:30 PM 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 "Instructor-Led" and remote attendees register for "Virtual" classes). Contact Lisa Miller if you have questions. Submit Calendar Entries to communications@dhr.state.ga.us Georgia SHAPE Partner Honored for Dedication to Youth The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and its affiliated fund, the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, were recently awarded the Clyde Partin Service Award from the Southern District of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (SDAAHPERD). PHNEWS The award honors a person or organization that is not a member of the FDA will investigate added caffeine in foods profession but has made significant contribution to the development and promotion of SDAAHPERD's 12 Ounces of Sugary Soda a Day goals and purposes, or in Raises Diabetes Risk: Study the efforts of the SDAAHPERD divisions in Getting in Shape in Middle Age their program planning and/or development. Are doctors nicer to patients who aren't fat? PHRECIPE AMBFF/AFYF is dedicated to helping Atlanta neighborhood youth increase their physical activity and fitness while fighting obesity and improving nutrition. As the largest NFL owner-funded foundation, AMBFF/AFYF has provided grants totaling more than $18 million to combat obesity and bring healthy, affordable food to Georgia residents who lack access. Breakfast Bagel Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves 1 "We are honored to receive recognition from the physical education teachers who are working so hard to improve the health and fitness of Georgia children," said John Bare, vice president of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation. "We are excited to see so many communities taking innovative approaches to increase the time kids spend in physical activity." App Helps First Responders with Hazardous Materials Click Here for Full Recipe PHWEEK Editor Nicole Price Content Coordinator Connie F. Smith Sr. Graphic Designer Ginny Jacobs Interim Web Developer Jimmy Clanton, Jr. Editorial & Design Team Tammy Beasley Carrie Gann Eric Jens Nancy Nydam Sandra Roberts Director of Communications Ryan Deal First responders and HAZMAT units, in particular, must make many decisions quickly in handling hazardousmaterials incidents. They need accurate information about the hazardous substances, the emergency resources available, and the surrounding environmental conditions to save lives and minimize the impact on the environment and physical property. The WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) app helps them do just that. WISER extracts content from TOXNET's Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB), an authoritative, peerreviewed information resource maintained by the National Library of Medicine, and places that information into the hands of those who need it most. Other features of WISER include: rapid access to the most important information about a hazardous substance by an intelligent synopsis engine and display called Key Info; intuitive, simple, logical user interface developed by working with experienced first responders; and comprehensive decision support, including guidance on immediate actions necessary to save lives and protect the environment. Georgia Public Health Observances | May 2013 Bike to School Day Wednesday, May 8 Hepatitis Awareness Month Forward email Healthy Vision Month This email was sent to gadocs@uga.edu by communications@dhr.state.ga.us | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribeTM | Privacy Policy. Georgia Department of Public Health | 2 Peachtree Street, NW | Atlanta | GA | 30303