September, 2004
United we can find a way! - Page 1
Become a mentor today - Page 1
Start of annual Compliance Training just days away - Page 2
Rose receives MHB Award - Page 2
October Health Observances - Page 2
Tobacco Free bus shelter ads unveiled - Page 3
September is National 5 A Day Month! - Page 4
County employee flu vaccine program begins - Page 5
CC Summit set for October - Page 5
Nutrition Services/WIC clinics celebrate World Breastfeeding Month - Page 6
Mental health support and education for HCA families - page 6
Mark your calendars and plan to attend the annual United Way Kick-Off Ceremony at the County Hall of Administration courtyard on Wednesday, September 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This year's theme, "United We Can Find a Way! - 25 Years of Giving," reflects unity, collaboration and partnering to accomplish a common goal.
As of this year, the County of Orange has joined with United Way for 25 years to serve the community and to provide resources to those who are less fortunate.
"As Chair of Orange County's 2004 United Way Campaign, I am excited to be working alongside Jan Goss, Director of Integrated Waste Management on the County's annual charitable endeavor," said Julie Poulson, HCA Director. "This is a wonderful opportunity to help provide solutions for the most critical human care service needs in our community and I look forward to working with all of you, so that together we can make a difference in the lives of others."
With various fund-raising events already well underway, the Kick-Off Ceremony will feature several County agency sponsored booths selling everything from fresh food items, candy treats, arts and crafts, tickets for opportunity drawings and silent auctions _ just to name a few.
For more information on additional United Way fund-raising activities
and events, visit
http://ocintranet.ocgov.com/unitedway. To keep the momentum
going, below is a list of upcoming and ongoing HCA United Way happenings:
Egg Roll Sale - Thursday, October 7
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 405 W. 5th Street in the 2nd floor lobby.
Fresh egg and salad rolls will be available for purchase or can be pre-ordered by contacting Hilda Garcia in HCA HR via e-mail at hgarcia@ochca.com. Egg rolls are $.75 each and are served with sweet & sour sauce; or pre-packaged salad rolls are available for $4 each and include 3 salad rolls, plum sauce and pepper slices.
Woven Wraps
Get wrapped up in United Way! Chic, affordable woven wraps are perfect for any occasion and make great gifts. Two styles (tight or loose machine woven) and 40 different yarn colors to choose from. Tight woven wraps are $20 and loose woven wraps are $15. Contact Patty Ruezga in HCA HR at (714) 834-5958 for more information, or to download a copy of the order form and view yarn colors visit http://ocintranet.ocgov.com/unitedway/Ongoing/Ladies%20Wraps.pdf.
With the start of the new school year, several hundred children are ready and waiting to be matched with academic mentors. You can become a mentor today, consider joining the more than 500 County of Orange and Superior Court employees who have volunteered as mentors for at-risk youth.
It takes just one hour per week for a minimum of three months to participate in this Board approved activity, and mentors generally agree that the personal satisfaction they experience makes this an hour well spent.
Mentors participate in HOSTS (Help One Student to Succeed), an educational program in the schools, which utilizes community volunteers to assist students who need additional help with academic learning. Lesson plans are pre-prepared for the volunteer mentors and feature topics that focus on reading readiness, math, language arts, and/or Spanish language arts.
Several HCA employees have given their time and dedication in helping to
The countdown is underway—just one week until HCA begins its annual Compliance Training on October 1st!
With the September 10th payroll, you should have received a copy of the 3rd Edition of HCA's Code of Conduct, along with a letter from HCA Director Julie Poulson providing additional details of this important training effort. HCA Chief Compliance Officer Jeff Nagel says there's one thing that every employee must remember before taking the Compliance Training: "Everyone must review the new edition of the Code of Conduct before they start the training program," said Dr. Nagel. "That's because as part of the training program, employees will be asked to certify that they have read, understand and will abide by the Code of Conduct."
Once again this year, the majority of HCA employees will participate in on-line Compliance Training, with the training accessible through both the HCA Internet and Intranet. A limited number of facilitated classroom training sessions will also be available, with registration through the County's on-line scheduling system. Annual training is mandatory for HCA's regular, extra help and contract employees and must be completed before November 30, 2004.
This year's training focuses on the revised Code of Conduct, the Agency's Sanction Screening process, and the HIPAA Security Rule that takes effect in 2005. Revisions to the Code of Conduct are the result of an extensive review by a committee that consisted of employees from all HCA service areas and organizational levels.
If you have any questions about Compliance training, contact the
HCA Office of Compliance at (714) 834-3154.
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
Congratulations to Rose Terrill, RN, Mental Health Nurse with Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services (ADAS) Outpatient Clinic in Aliso Viejo on receiving the Orange County Mental Health Board's quarterly Exemplary Service Award.
Rose began her career with the Health Care Agency five years ago and works primarily with clients who struggle with both mental illness and substance abuse problems. As the only nurse assigned to the Aliso Viejo Clinic, Rose also performs all nursing functions for both the medical and psychiatric physicians, as well as performing and reading Tuberculosis skin tests, and processing all matters related to TB screening.
Rose is acknowledged for the way she combines her experience and clinical skills along with care and compassion, which helps to create an environment that supports her clients. Her quality of work with clients is reflected in her involvement with staff at the Aliso Viejo clinic, and the humility and respect she represents to all. She consistently models an attitude that challenges others to raise their performance to the greatest level possible.
Rose is currently pursuing a Marriage and Family Therapist license and was selected as a "Nursing All-Star" during last year's Nurse Recognition Awards.
"When enthusiasm is driven by confidence any goal can be attained."
—Robert E. Regent
Cold and Flu Campaign
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Healthy Lung Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Mental Illness Awareness Week 3-9
National Child Health Day 4
National Depression Screening Day 7
National Adult Immunization Awareness Week 10-16
National Mammography Day 15
World Food Day 16
National Red Ribbon Celebration 23-31
Tobacco free artwork of two Orange County students was recently unveiled at two bus stop locations in Santa Ana. Libier Hernandez, a student from McFadden Intermediate; and Chelsea Clark, an Orange County High School for the Arts student, designed artwork that was chosen as best in countering the positive portrayal of tobacco in movies, television, magazines and store advertising.
The students' designs were chosen from more than 100 entries from HCA's Tobacco Use Prevention Program's (TUPP) "Tune Out Tobacco" billboard workshop project. An unveiling was held at each bus stop location - on the corner of Warner Ave. and Raitt St. and on the corner of Ross St. and Santa Ana Blvd. to commemorate the event.
Local city dignitaries, students, administrators from McFadden Intermediate School and Orange County High School for the Arts, and local community members were on hand to support the unveiling of the bus shelter ads.
The tobacco-free artwork project is an educational endeavor for students in grades 6-12, to help them learn the negative effects of tobacco and to learn about what media literacy and advocacy are. They also participate in a media workshop, which offers a hands-on opportunity to create tobacco free messages. Media items created in these workshops are entered into a countywide contest; some are selected to become actual media pieces placed in the communities in which the winning youth attend school.
TUPP aims to reduce tobacco use and exposure to
environmental tobacco smoke in Orange County by working
with
local community organizations, schools and committed
individuals. TUPP provides services to Orange County
residents through its youth, community service and public policy
programs. For more information, please call the TUPP
program at (714) 541-1444.
continued from page 1
Disaster Preparedness Survival Kits
Ideal for personal use, family, pets, schools, traveling and/or gifts. Purchase individual kits for $20 or a kit for a family of 4 for $80. Kits contain a variety of disaster preparedness items including, emergency drinking water, flashlight, first aid kit and emergency blankets and food rations to name a few. For more information or to obtain an order form, call Christine Drum from Environmental Health at (714) 667-2302 or by e-mail at cdrum@ochca.com.
Jeopardy Challenge Survey
HCA is once again gearing up for the United Way Countywide Jeopardy Tournament. In preparation for the event, the Agency needs your help in deciding how teams and players will be chosen to represent this year's HCA team, as well as some new and interesting category topics to include. Visit HCA's United Way Intranet site at http://ocintranet.ocgov.com/unitedway/jeopardy.htm to access the survey and contribute your thoughts.
Stay tuned for more upcoming activities, events and fund-raisers!
"The importance of laughter and humor in the workplace can't be emphasized enough. "—Mike Vance and Diane Deacon
Two groups of HCA employees coincidentally chose the week of September 6 to challenge Mt. Whitney - at nearly 14,500 feet, the highest point in the continental United States.
A group including Janel Alberts of Quality Management, Kelly Broberg and Elke Shattuck of Health Promotion, and David Rhodes of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services took the "normal" three-day round trip to the summit, spending two nights at camps along the trail before tackling the peak. A second group, including Agency Assistant Director Dave Riley, Chief Compliance Officer Jeff Nagel, and Chief of Public Health Operations Steve Thronson _ having made an executive decision not to waste time sleeping or smelling the wildflowers — completed the 22-mile trek in one day, setting out at 4 a.m. on Saturday and arriving back at the parking lot in late afternoon/early evening that same day! Well done, Mt. Whitney trekkers!
Join HCA's Nutrition Services program in celebrating National 5 A Day Month and help promote eating 5 to 9 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables daily for better health. This year's "Lead the Way: Choose Fruits, Vegetables and Physical Activity" theme encourages parents to promote healthy eating with fruits and vegetables, and increase physical activity at home and at school.
Living a healthy life-style includes eating enough servings of fruits and vegetables, and also including daily physical activity. Being physically active can help attain or maintain a healthy weight and can also:
· Help prevent heart disease
· Help control cholesterol levels and diabetes
· Slow bone loss associated with advancing age
· Lower the risk of certain cancers
Keeping to a healthy diet built around eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day may be easier than you think. Have some juice at breakfast, veggies and low-fat dip with lunch, and snack on dried fruit midday. Add a salad at dinner and top off the evening with a piece of fresh fruit.
The 5 A Day campaign also offers the following easy ways to get 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet everyday. Just remember to think color!
· Toss fruit into your green salad for extra flavor, variety, color and crunch.
· Expand your palate and your palette with green, red, orange, yellow and purple peppers.
· Think frozen! Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as healthy as fresh and they're ready when you need them.
· Save time with pre-cut vegetables and salad mixes.
· Add apples, raisins, or pineapple chunks to deli salads like chicken, tuna or pasta.
· Add frozen mixed vegetables to canned or dried soups.
· Make a quick smoothie using frozen fruit.
· Keep an easy-to-grab, pre-washed bowl of fruit on the counter.
While September is National 5 A Day Month, anytime can be the right time to
start. Choose a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables every day! To learn more, visit the
5 A Day website at www.5aday.com.
The month of October marks the start of influenza (flu) season, and County of Orange Employee Health Services (EHS) will again continue the flu vaccine program this year for County employees at a cost of $11 per dose.
Flu vaccine will be offered at scheduled times at a number of work sites including HCA/Employee Health Services, Probation's youth institutions, HCA/Public Health Clinic, Sheriff's Jails, SSA's Orangewood Home and Regional Centers.
Healthcare workers and those who work extensively with the public are at an increased risk of contracting and transmitting the flu illness. For your protection, consider being inoculated with the flu vaccine, which can prevent flu illness in 70-90% of healthy people.
Pregnant women, children under two years of age, and adults 50 to 60 years of age are also at increased risk of complications. Those who fall within these categories, or living in households with individuals in these categories, should also consider getting vaccinated.
Some County health plans, including Kaiser and Cigna, will provide the flu vaccine free of charge to plan members. Please check with your health plan to obtain the flu vaccine. The vaccine is also available at your personal physician's offices and some pharmacies. If you are over 60 years of age, or if you have any chronic medical condition, you may be eligible for a free flu vaccination through the Public Health Immunization Program at (800) 564-8448, or through Employee Health flu clinics.
For your reference, a listing of upcoming employee flu clinics located at various HCA sites is included below. Please call HCA Employee Health Services at (714) 834-5974 to verify dates, times and locations or more information.
Note: The Sept. 29 flu clinic has been cancelled due to unexpected delays in receiving the flu vaccine. Please call Employee Health Services to confirm flu clinic dates, times and locations
Save the date for the 12th Annual Mental Health and Cultural Competency Summit on October 6 & 7, 2004. Hosted by Behavioral Health's Cultural Competency Program, this year's summit will feature guest speaker Tipper Gore and include five workshop sessions.
The 2-day summit will focus on the provision of high quality mental health care to underserved populations and provide cutting edge information and research outcome studies that assist in increasing access for all.
You can still register for the event, and remember that tuition reimbursement has been pre-approved to allow HCA staff to attend the conference during their regular work hours, with the approval of their supervisor. If you have any questions, contact Cultural Competency at (714) 796-0188.
To assist you in your tuition reimbursement process, the following has been established for the upcoming Summit.
1. Complete the top portion of the EPRP Request form, available on the intranet at http://balsam/intranet/hr/forms/Tuition-Reimbursement.doc. Print it out and have your supervisor sign off on it at the bottom. This form is then sent to EPRP at pony address 38AE.
2. Print a copy of the registration flyer available at http://www.ochealthinfo.com/2004summit/index.htm and retain for the claim process.
3. You will be notified electronically by HR EPRP if your request has been accepted. They will send you instructions on how to complete the claim process for your tuition reimbursement.
4. At the Summit, you will receive a receipt of payment, which will be located on the backside of your name badge. This must be retained and submitted, along with the EPRP claim form and registration flyer, as part of the claim process.
You will need to register for the Summit, either electronically or via mail.
Tuition reimbursement will occur after the event.
Health Care Agency
Employee Health Services
October 1 thru December
405 W. 5th Street, Suite 601
Santa Ana
Public Health Clinic
September 29
1725 W. 17th Street
Santa Ana
All Division Meetings: MCAH October 27
(Call EHS for locations)
continued from page 1
enrich the lives of Pio Pico Elementary School students in Santa Ana. In addition to Pio Pico, there are several other school sites throughout Orange County that also offer academic mentoring programs.
Be a mentor to a child today and turn a lifetime of experience into the experience of a lifetime. For more information, visit the Academic Mentor website at www.oc.ca.gov/hr/volunteer/indexmentor.htm.
In continued celebration of World Breastfeeding Month in August, a bulletin board contest was held between eight Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Clinic teams. Each team was charged with developing a bulletin board that best promoted this years' theme "Exclusive Breastfeeding, the Gold Standard: Safe, Sound and Sustainable." WIC staff rose to the occasion with very colorful, creative and educational displays. Clients responded with compliments, questions, and a motivation to breast-feed.
Congratulations to the Buena Park team, which won First Place. Their original drawing of an Aztec woman holding an infant, denouncing symbols of artificial milk, best symbolized breastfeeding as the higher standard. The West Beach team in Westminster came in second with their simulated and interactive Gold Mine display. Third Place went to the Ball Road team, with a display that featured professional looking photos taken by staff of actual breastfeeding WIC clients with their testimonials of success.
In addition to these displays, exclusively breastfeeding WIC participants who visited clinics in August were entered into a special drawing to receive a goodie basket. The baskets put together by the Breastfeeding Committee, were made up of resources and items (i.e., books, nursing pads, bibs, etc.) to keep mothers motivated to continue breastfeeding.
Nutrition Services would like to thank Isabel Simard, Aurora Chavez,
Flower Ray and Belen Uriarte, WIC Breastfeeding Committee members, who
organized this year's activities.
The Health Care Agency, in collaboration with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Orange County, a national advocacy group for families of the mentally ill, is pleased to offer HCA employees and their family members the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program.
The free 12-week course, designed for families of individuals with serious mental illness, will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 28 and continue through Tuesday, Dec. 14. The course will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at HCA Behavioral Health Services/Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services (ADAS) Clinic located at 1200 N. Main Street, Suite 301, Santa Ana.
Those attending the educational program will gain information about illnesses of the brain and their treatment, learn coping skills, and understand the power of advocacy. The program will also help to answer some of the many questions posed by families of individuals living with a mental illness.
Research regarding the Family-to-Family Education Program has shown that participants gained a greater understanding of mental illness, coped much better, worried less and felt newly empowered to advocate for their ill relative.
Attendance in the course is limited, so be sure to enroll early. To register or for more information, contact Bill Harwood, Ed.D, Coordinator of Family Education and Support for NAMI OC at (714) 544-8488 ext. 101; or Dane Libart, HCA Behavioral Health Services Family Advocate at (714) 796-0265.
For a copy of the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program brochure visit www.ochealthinfo.com/email-art/NAMI/NAMIfamily.pdf or for an enrollment/interest form visit www.ochealthinfo.com/email-art/NAMI/nami_form.pdf .
What's UP is a newsletter for employees
of the County of Orange, CA, Health Care Agency.
Editors
Tricia Landquist Landquist
Howard Sutter
Anne Fialcowitz
Your Input
Phone (714) 834-6644
E-mail TLandquist@ochca.com
FAX (714) 834-7644
Pony Bldg. 38-S, 4th Floor
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