

issue 02-05 May, 2002

Helping others is rewarding
After moving from the Central Coast to Orange County, James Roser found himself in search of a meaningful work experience that would allow him to give back to the community. As a health education associate for HCA Behavioral Health's Risk Reduction, Education and Community Health (REACH) Program, James' employment search has culminated in a position that allows him to educate and interact one-on-one with members of the community, a position he says is both self-fulfilling and rewarding. James began his County of Orange employment as a health education associate more than eight years ago after working with a non-profit community program. In his previous employment, James assisted and educated homeless, mentally ill adults by helping to link them with resources available in the community. One of those resources was HCA's REACH Program, which provides HIV testing to homeless individuals. This opportunity first acquainted James with the REACH Program and he soon found himself applying to become part of the team. Currently, James enjoys educating individuals in the community about HIV, hepatitis, STDs and substance abuse. His employment with REACH has allowed him to be creative	and participate in something he loves to do…educate and assist those in need. "Gaining the trust of clients is the most important step in building positive working relationships," James said. "Our program provides a safe, nonjudgemental environment by accepting the client where they are at. It's in this type of environment where they have the best chance at success, which is the basis of our harm reduction philosophy." In addition to being a community educator, James has a business degree and is also state certified in risk assessment and venipuncture. He serves as the REACH trainer for new employees, teaching them how to draw blood. Recently acknowledged as the recipient of the 2002 Gerald A. Wagner Excellence in Health Education Award, James enjoys his current position because it gives him the opportunity to learn first-hand from his clients. While his work is challenging, there are success stories. James recalls one instance where he was able to gain the trust of a homeless woman who had been involved in prostitution and was an injection drug user. After testing positive for HIV, James linked her to proper care and services and later encouraged her on a path to recovery. Today, James is proud to see that his former client is now

			an HCA employee who just recently celebrated her five-year anniversary of being clean and sober. "It's moments like these that really make my job memorable and amazing," James added. "Being able to be out in the community gives me the chance to interact face-to-face with our clients. Bringing our services to them provides them with a higher level of comfort, therefore reducing barriers to trust." Looking toward the future, James would like to continue being proactive and participate in opportunities to help his community. He has recently become
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	Tony Edmonds named Public Health's Family Health Division Manager

		Staying close to home, Tony Edmonds has been promoted to the position of Family Health Division Manager, after serving 12 years as program manager for Public Health's Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program. Tony has more than 27 years of local government experience including 16 years with HCA, in addition to 11 years as a supervisor, program manager and division director in Sydney, Australia. He began with the County of Orange in 1985 as an extra-help volunteer ser	vices coordinator for HCA then moved to a full-time volunteer services coordinator position with the Social Services Agency (SSA) within the same year. After spending one year with SSA, Tony ventured back to HCA in 1986 where he has since been for the past 16 years. In 1986, Tony became a staff development specialist and quickly moved up to a staff analyst III position in August 1987. After serving three years as staff analyst, he was then promoted to MCAH Program Operations Manager in April of 1990. An
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Conference brings together nurses from many counties

Betsy White Nurse Award presented

Congratulations to Shirley Halbur of Public Health's Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Services (MCAH) Program on her selection as the 2002 recipient of the Betsy White Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award.

As a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner for MCAH, Shirley provides preventive health assessments to eligible children and teens, with some 10,000 children served by the program each year. Nominated by her peers and selected by a committee of supervisors, management staff and outside members, Shirley demonstrates exemplary skills in implementing new policies and procedures, modeling a client first philosophy and always motivating her staff to do their best.

"Shirley continually accepts responsibilities for activities, which go above and beyond her job description," said Tony Edmonds, Family Health Division Manager. "She provided supervisory assistance and developed multiple tools for use by staff and patients—all making it easier to impart and absorb health information."

The annual Betsy White Nurse of the Year Award is presented to nurses who demonstrate outstanding service and perpetuate the legacy of Betsy White, a now-retired clinic supervising Public Health Nurse. Betsy is remembered as a well-respected supervisor whose leadership, service to the community and association with professional organizations, became the hallmark of her long public service career.

The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Program held its first ever statewide conference at the Costa Mesa Hilton on April 23^rd, bringing together more than 100 public health nurses from several California counties including Orange, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Santa Clara and San Diego, just to name a few.

The NFP Program is designed to improve teenage pregnancy outcomes and early childhood health and development through a home visitation program. Public health nurses provide NFP clients with appropriate services and information consistent with the developmental states of pregnancy and early childhood. Nurses offer assistance to clients during pregnancy and after childbirth for the first two year's after a child is born.

The day and a half conference began with plenary sessions for managers and supervisors, culminating with an all day conference open to all nurses. Attendees enjoyed viewing exhibits from each participating county's NFP program as well as the opportunity to network with nurses from other programs and counties.

This year's conference featured exemplary speakers and facilitators who informed attendees on topics including improving communication with clients, promoting positive parent-child interaction and ways to share knowledge about Quality Improvement activities as part of the NFP. The keynote speaker for the event, Cathy Hartt, Quality Improvement Coordinator for the National Center for Children, Families and Communities,

this conference an annual event, the NFP program provides its clients with proven successes, positive support and links to many community resources.

For more information about the Nurse-Family Partnership program and its services in Orange County, call (714) 834-7747.

engaged the audience with her presentation on Quality Improvement in Practice and For Fun.

Funding provided by the Denver, Colorado NFP Program made this year's conference possible, successfully uniting and educating health care representatives nationwide. With hopes of making

What's UP is a newsletter for employees of the County of Orange, CA, Health Care Agency.

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Kathleen Parris congratulates NFP committee members for helping to the make the conference a huge success. (Left to Right) Kathleen Parris; Gaby Kuperman, San Diego County NFP; Cindy Chow, Los Angeles County NFP; Patricia Place, Orange County NFP; and Angie Camacho, Riverside County NFP.

NFP's conference keynote speaker, Cathy Hartt engaged the audience with her morning presentation.

Public Health program has new location

The California Children's Services (CCS) program hosted an open house on April 18^th to celebrate their new office location at 200 W. Santa Ana Boulevard in Santa Ana. Open house attendees enjoyed cookies, fruit and refreshments as they mingled with program staff who were available to answer questions about the program and the services available to eligible children.

More than 100 guests attended the open house and toured the new facilities. Among the attendees, several clients, members of the community and HCA staff members joined in the colorful festivities and celebration. Guided tours were provided by staff to acquaint guests with the various service departments within the program as well as to introduce them to staff members responsible for their specific area of service.

In addition to the new office, CCS also has several Medical Therapy Units (MTU) located throughout all regions of Orange County. Prior to the program's new office location, CCS was located in two separate buildings at HCA's Clinic on 17^th Street. Currently, the new office facility across from the Old County Courthouse houses all 100 CCS staff members in one central location, allowing for a more effective means of outreach and collaboration.

CCS is a statewide program of specialized medical care providing medical case management, physical and occupational therapy services and financial assistance for children with designated health conditions. For more information about CCS or to determine eligibility, call the program at (714) 347-0300.

A prominent feature of the Open House was an elaborate display showcasing photos and descriptions of the various CCS Medical Therapy Units located throughout northern and southern Orange County. Among those viewing the display were Therapy Consultant, Lynn Einarsson and Medical Director, Venzilla Swaroop, M.D.

Multicultural Open House serves up diversified menu

CMS pilots new 12-hour shifts

As a result of a survey given to Correctional Medical Services (CMS) nurses, a new 12-hour nursing shift pilot program will begin later this year at the Theo Lacy and James Musick Jail Facilities, in conjunction with the opening of a new 124 bed Theo Lacy Medical Unit.

The pilot program was initiated by a working group formed by CMS, HCA Human Resources, County Executive Office (CEO) Employee Relations and the Orange County Employees Association (OCEA). Members of the working group developed a brief survey to pass along the 12-hour shift proposal to 130 members of the CMS nursing staff, who represented all nurse classifications. Results from the 86 returned surveys revealed that a total of 74 Comprehensive Care Registered Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses were interested in participating in the new 12-hour shifts.

Due to the overwhelming interest, the working group agreed to implement the pilot program. The schedule includes an available day shift from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and a night shift from 6:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Approximately 90 days after the implementation, the working group, including HCA management and accounting staff, will conduct a preliminary analysis to examine the effectiveness of the program and determine whether to continue the program, expand it to other jail facilities, or discontinue the program.

The Cultural Competency Program hosted its annual open house on April 16^th to remind and acquaint HCA employees about the many resources and services the program has to offer. Rafael Canul, Veronica Kelly, Christy Castiglione and Kary To greeted open house attendees, invited them to enjoy a sample of the multiethnic cuisine and tour the program's offices and educational library.

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Christy Castiglione and Kary To wear cultural costumes as they serve food.

Events celebrate Public Health Week 2002

Public Health Week, a nationwide heath promotion focusing on the many programs and services that protect and enhance public health, was observed locally during the week of April 1-7. As part of the celebration, HCA employees participated in several special activities and community events.

Some activities included safe healthcare outreach presentations, a Tuberculosis and TB skin testing class and an online quiz for HCA employees. The Orange County Board of Supervisors also presented HCA Director, Julie Poulson, with a Board Resolution recognizing Public Health Week. Finally, the Gerald Wagner Health Education Award was presented to James Roser, Health Education Associate for Behavioral Health's Risk Reduction, Education & Community Health (REACH) Program. The award recognizes an outstanding health care professional who strives to include the tools of health education into their practice.

This year, HCA and the Orange County Coalition for Health Education (OCCHE) partnered to celebrate Public Health Week, increasing awareness and understanding of the many ways that public health programs and services protect Orange County residents, promote health and prevent disease.

The Orange County Coalition for Health Education (OCCHE) Committee members presented the 2002 Gerald Wagner Award to James Roser, Health Education Associate for the Risk Reduction, Education & Community Health (REACH) Program. (Back Row L to R) Mitch Cherness, Joseph Vargas, Frank J. Hernandez and Sara Murrieta (Front Row L to R) Mubula Naku, Phung Chau Pham, James Roser, Joon-Sun Im, Venus Valencia, & Dr. Gerald Wagner.

Emergency Care Conference draws crowd

Emergency healthcare professionals gathered at UCI Medical Center on April 26^th to participate in a half-day conference entitled "Emergency Care: No Fear!," learning first-hand about the current trends in state-of-the-art emergency care management.

HCA's Emergency Medical Services Program hosted a special Recognition Awards ceremony at the conclusion of the conference to honor outstanding emergency medical professionals. Each year, the event draws more than 100 emergency medical professionals from throughout Orange County, making this a unique and educational experience for all of those in attendance.

Sponsored by the Orange County Pre-hospital Care Coordinators and the Orange Coast Emergency Nurses Association, conference attendees enjoyed educational seminars on New Management in Burn Care, Trauma in the Elderly, Electrical Injuries and Pediatric Trauma. Many attendees also visited the exhibit booths, which gave them the opportunity to view equipment, supplies and services offered by several pre-hospital and emergency care companies and organizations.

Dr. Gerald Wagner congratulates James Roser, the 2002 recipient of the Gerald Wagner Excellence in Health Education Award.

More photos on page 6

Gold Star

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more involved in environmental issues and enjoys spending his spare time surfing. But, as a soon-to-be first time father, James sees himself spending most of his time with his wonderful wife and future son.

Emergency Medical Service's Darlene Isbell presented awards to emergency healthcare professionals for their outstanding dedication in going above and beyond the call of duty.

Family Health manager

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Compliance issues to report

other promotion in December 2000 gave Tony the opportunity to serve as Manager for MCH Programs, Clinic Services and Dental Health Services. In August of 2001, Tony was promoted to program manager II for MCH Community Programs and MCH Clinic Services.

To his new role as Family Health Division Manager, Tony brings extensive knowledge in managing and handling million dollar budgets, multi-disciplinary staffs of more than 200 employees and expertise in coordinating and maintaining community programs. He also brings an abundance of expertise in managing Public Health programs in areas including child health, adolescent health, immunizations, family planning, pregnancy testing and women's and men's health. He has served as the designated Public Health spokesperson for MCH issues.

Prior to joining the County of Orange, Tony began his government career with the City of Sydney, Australia, where he worked for 11 years as assistant superintendent of lifeguards, superintendent of lifeguards, aquatic director and recreation facilities administrator.

Tony completed a Business Administration Certificate course at Sydney Technical College and received a Personnel Management and Employee Relations certificate from the University of California, Irvine. He has also completed several local government courses including the County of Orange Leadership and Management Program.

HCA's Compliance Program provides employees with new channels of communication to address issues and concerns. However, a key part of the Compliance process is determining where to most appropriately report compliance issues. Many issues reported to the Compliance Program recently have been Human Resources issues and are not compliance related. These issues are more appropriately addressed by a supervisor or manager within the employee's existing chain-of-command or by HCA's Human Resources Department.

In general, the following are potential compliance issues that should be reported to the Office of Compliance or the Compliance Hotline:

• Violations of law, regulation or policy

• Conflicts of interest

• Disclosure of confidential information

• Violations of billing and/or reimbursement regulations

• Violations of health, safety or environmental laws

• Violations of patient's rights or patient care policies

Human Resources issues that should be referred to a supervisor or manager within your chain-of-command, or directly to the Human Resources department, include:

• Interpersonal conflicts with a supervisor or co-worker

• Terms and conditions of employment, including salary, use of vacation or sick time and performance issues

• Management style

• Communications issues

• Performance-related discipline

• Interpretation of employment-related policies and procedures

• Unprofessional behavior

• Issues regarding recruitment or promotion within a particular department or unit.

For more information on Compliance issues and the reporting process, please refer to the Office of Compliance homepage on HCA's Intranet. If you are aware of an issue that just doesn't quite fit into any of these examples, an Office of Compliance staff member will gladly discuss it with you.

The HCA Compliance Program offers a confidential telephone hotline to voice your concerns about any situation that may conflict with Compliance Program principles. You may call the hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: (866) 260-5636

Popular conference draws overflow crowd

The "Health, Hope or Hype? Dietary Supplements" conference staged May 3^rd presented HCA Nutrition Services and the Nutrition Alert Coalition with one of those "good" problems: too many people wanted to attend!
More than 200 people packed the meeting, including a retired professor from England who learned of the conference through the Internet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Irvine Office played host to the conference for dietitians and others interested in learning more about the role of supplements in proper nutrition. A panel of expert speakers provided information on sports supplements, the role of testimonials in promoting dietary supplements and the potential for misleading product claims. Representatives of the Food and Drug Administration joined other state and federal agencies in providing information about the enforcement of laws and regulations governing dietary supplements.

While this was the first local conference on dietary supplements, the overflow crowd in attendance will ensure the continuation of education efforts by HCA Nutrition Services on this popular topic.

County Health Officer, Dr. Mark Horton, welcomed the large crowd in attendance for HCA's first conference on dietary supplements. Participants were urged to use reliable, science-based information in selecting and using nutrition products.




Thousands expected at ACS annual Pet Faire	Spotlight on Excellence

	Behavioral Health's Cultural Competency Program presented Ellen Anh with the April 2002 Spotlight on Excellence Award. As the executive director for Korean Community Services (KCS) for the past six years, Ellen's passion lies within her Korean community and she enjoys advocating for Asian Americans. At KCS, Ellen works closely with the community in providing alcohol and drug counseling and implementing prevention programs. A graduate in Asian American studies from Yale University who also attended Georgetown University Law School, Ellen serves on the Board of Directors for the Korean Association of Orange County and is the Vice-Chair for the Multi-Ethnic Task Force.

There will be lots of tail wagging and purring going on Saturday, June 1^st, when HCA's Animal Care Services (ACS) hosts its annual Pet Faire from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Animal Care Center, 561 The City Drive South in Orange. The Pet Faire is one of ACS' biggest annual attractions, with more than 7,000 people paying the Animal Care Center a visit last year. The event is part of the local observance of the American Humane Association's "Be Kind To Animals Week" and is a great opportunity to learn more about animals of all types, including the companion animals available for adoption at ACS. Last year's Pet Faire resulted in the placement of 92 dogs, cats, rabbits and other furry friends with new families and Pet Faire organizers hope to break that record in 2002. Even if you're not in the market for a new pet, there will be something for everyone at the Pet Faire, with vendors displaying the latest in pet care products, along with wildlife exhibitors and breed rescue groups providing information. Best of all, the Pet Faire is free and open to the entire community, so plan to drop by the Animal Care Center and see all the friendly faces at Pet Faire 2002 on Saturday, June 1.



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The Board of Supervisors presented HCA Director, Julie Poulson, and Deputy Agency Director/Public Health Services, Dr. Mark Horton, with a Board Resolution for Public Health Week.

June Health Observances National Scleroderma Awareness Month National Aphasia Awareness Month Vision Research Month National Cancer Survivor's Day 5 National Headache Awareness Week 6-8 National Men's Health Week 10-16 Eye Safety Awareness Week 27 through July 5
		As part of the observance of Mental Health Month in May, the Cultural Competency Program hosted a special presentation by Dr. Stanley Sue, a founding father of Multiculturalism/Asian Pacific Islander Psychology and contributing author of the Surgeon General's Report "Mental Health, Culture, Race and Ethnicity."

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Helping others is rewarding

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Tony Edmonds named Public Health's Family Health Division Manager

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