issue 06-12
issue 06-12
December, 2006
Inside this issue..
TUPP receives Dept. of
Education Award Page 1
New training offered for future leaders -
Page 1
Help wanted
- Page 2
JANUARY HEALTH OBSERVANCES
- Page 2
Schuster earns certificate - Page 2
2007 brings raise in mileage rate
- Page 2
CCS holds Costa Mesa MTU open house - Page 3
Food preparation tips for the holidays
- Page 4
Healthy holiday meals - Page 5
Holiday Gift Drive 2006 - Page 5
Kicking off Red Ribbon Week in OC -
Page 6
Emergency shelter worker training available
- Page 6
Flu shots provided at HCA’s POD exercise
- Page 8
On November 9th, the Orange County Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools, Bill Habermehl presented HCA’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program (TUPP) team with an Outstanding Contributions to Education Award for their dedication in helping to educate youth about the dangers of smoking.
Orange County Board of Education President John "jack" Bedell, Ph.D.
presented Barbara Brashear, Tiffany Vong and Kristy Nguyen from the TUPP Program
with an Outstanding Contribution to Education Award during the Board of
Education meeting held on November 9th. Not pictured with the TUPP team are
Anabel Garcia and Sherryl Ramos.
Since 1990, TUPP, the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and Orange County schools have worked together to reduce teen smoking. TUPP’s prevention staff participates in OCDE’s monthly District Title IV Coordinator meetings where they offer technical assistance on tobacco issues.
TUPP staff also work on projects such as Tune Out Tobacco, Back That Ash Up and Educators Against Tobacco Addiction, which help to involve youth and educators in tobacco prevention, as well as educate them about the effects of smoking.
In the past few years, TUPP’s Prevention Team began offering free smoking cessation services for youth. They utilize the “No Butts about Quitting Tobacco Use” cessation curriculum, which was written by Nancy Hugo, who was part of OCDE’s Instruction Services Division. Students can call a helpline or attend classes for help to quit smoking. Some schools in the County have adopted a policy to offer these classes as an alternative to suspension for students caught smoking or in possession of tobacco products on campus.
The Outstanding Contribution to Education Award recognizes the contributions of individuals, groups and organizations whose unique efforts have impacted the education of Orange County students. For more information about the award, visit www.ocde.k12.ca.us.
New training offered for future leaders
The Health Care Agency is pleased to present its LeadershipDevelopment Program, Passport to Your Future, which will offer continual skill development and lifelong learning for agency employees. To ensure that HCA keeps pace with the competition and continues to evolve and grow, developing our employees is one of the agency’s highest priorities.
The following guiding principles assisted in defining HCA’s program:
Leadership development is directly related to organizational development.
Leadership opportunities exist throughout the organization—not just in leadership “positions.”
Leadership development deserves an organization’s investment of time and resources.
Leadership development is an essential component of succession planning.
Passport to Your Future contains three development levels, each of which focuses on strengthening core leadership competencies. Level I is open to all employees and contains core courses geared toward foundational skills and competencies. Level II is open to supervisors and managers and contains advanced courses in leadership skills and competencies. Finally, Level III is considered the mastery level which will be offered to managers and supervisors who have completed Level II core courses.
Although this program is not mandatory, it is encouraged that all regular and limited term employees who have passed new employee probation and are in good standing avail themselves of this developmental opportunity. Committed to providing this program to as many employees as are interested in stepping up to personal and professional growth, the agency has made arrangements in the following ways:
HCA’s Training & Staff Development Department is certified to facilitate several renowned leadership courses offered in this curriculum, reducing the cost to the agency and participants by offering them “in house.”
HCA has partnered with PSI and CSUF to bring core courses
“on campus” for the Foundational, Advanced and Mastery levels within the
program. CSUF Extension
courses also offer CEU credits.
Eligible employees will be able to attend these courses on County time.
To minimize travel time, all of the courses will be offered at an agency or County facility, or nearby affiliate campus.
The agency has arranged for direct billing with a majority of training providers so as to limit out-of-pocket expenses.
EPRP reimbursement has been approved for the courses in this curriculum where no direct billing arrangement exists.
Look for more program details in upcoming issues of “What’s Up.”
Are you a regular HCA employee looking for a new project or growth opportunity? The Office of Compliance is seeking representatives to participate on the Code of Conduct Review Committee. This opportunity is open to all levels and classifications and all service areas in HCA. The review project will start in January 2007 and will require a commitment of about 2 hours per week. If The HCA Compliance you are interested in providing input on the telephone hotline to voice Code of Conduct and contributing to the ethical standards of HCA, please contact the with Compliance Program Compliance Committee member for your service area prior to December 31, 2006 to be considered of the Code of Conduct Review Committee.
Regulatory Health Services
Pearl Boelter, Supervising Hazardous Waste Specialist, Environmental Health
Services (pboelter@ochca.com)
Behavioral Health Services
Alan Edwards, MD, Medical Director for Behavioral Health Services
(aedwards@ochca.com)
David Horner, PhD, Division Manager Behavioral Health, Quality Improvement &
Program Compliance
(hornerdavid@ochca.com)
Public Health Services
Public Health Quality Improvement & Program Compliance
Medical and Institutional Health Services
Maureen Robles, Division Manager Institutional Health Services
(maurobles@ochca.com)
HCA Administration
Lisa Bauer, Manager, Human Resources
(lbauer@ochca.com)
Latanya Mitchell, Manager, Management Services
(lmitchell@ochca.com)
Alice Sworder, Manager, HCA/Accounting (asworder@ ochca.com)
Teri Schultz, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology
(tschultz@ochca.com)
Howard Sutter, Office of Quality Management/Public Information
(hsutter@ochca.com)
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
Cervical Health Awareness Month
National Birth Defects Prevention Month
National Blood Donor Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
Thyroid Awareness Month
Healthy Weight Week . . . . . . . . . . . . .21-27
Congratulations to Harvey Schuster of HCA Information Technology (IT) on his completion of the County’s Project Management Certification Program!
Harvey was among 25 IT staff from 9 different County agencies who were recognized at the November 14th Board of Supervisor’s meeting for their completion of the program. The Project Management Certification program is offered through the University of California, Irvine and is intended to improve the management and success of IT projects in the County of Orange.
2007 brings raise in mileage rate
California Children’s Services (CCS) hosted an open house on November 9th to celebrate the opening of the new Costa Mesa Medical Therapy Unit (MTU) located at 425 E. 18th Street in Costa Mesa. The new facility will provide CCS programs and services to the region’s residents and children.
Costa Mesa Supervisor Holly Robins-Bell explains the CCS program to a
Newport-Mesa School District Board member as CCS staff look on. They are
pictured in the facility’s working kitchen area, which includes a washer/
dryer to help clients with their therapy.
The CCS MTU recently opened in the City of Costa Mesa to provide programs
and services to the region’s residents and children.
HCA and Newport-Mesa School District staff and visitors toured the new
Costa Mesa MTU and viewed available physical and occupational therapy
equipment during an open house held on November 9th.
County Health Officer Dr. Eric Handler and Lynn Einarsson, CCS Chief
Therapist
The event was held in conjunction with the Newport-Mesa School District’s Harper Assessment Center open house, drawing many visitors to both events including HCA and school district staff, Department of Education Board members and members of the community.
MTU staff provided tours allowing attendees to learn about the program and view available physical and occupational therapy equipment. The facility also includes a working kitchen, washer/dryer and bathtub to help children with their occupational therapy needs.
To learn more about CCS, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/public/ccs or call the program at (714) 347-0300.
With the holiday season in full swing, remembering to practice safe food handling is important in preventing foodborne illness. Bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter can be present in foods such as meat and poultry, and can cause illness due to insufficient cooking, inadequate cooling and improper food handling practices.
“Preparing special holiday foods and sharing them with family and friends is an important part of the holiday tradition. Taking a few simple precautionary steps will help keep foodborne illness from ruining your holiday celebration,” said Dr. Eric Handler, County Health Officer.
To help prepare your holiday meal this year, the California Department of Health Services offers the following simple food safety tips.
Keep hands and food contact surfaces clean; wash them often
Always wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw foods, after using the toilet, after changing diapers and after handling pets. Dry hands with a clean, single-use paper towel. People with cuts or skin infections on their hands should not prepare food.
Thoroughly clean all work surfaces, utensils and dishes with hot soapy water and rinse with hot water before and after each use. Knives, cutting boards and meat grinders should be washed thoroughly before using them for other foods.
Keep foods separate; don’t cross contaminate
Always wash fruits and vegetables in clean sinks under running water and keep fruits and vegetables away from raw meats, poultry, eggs, fish and any other raw animal product.
When tasting food, ladle a small amount of it into a small dish and taste with a clean spoon. Remove the dish and spoon from the area and clean when finished.
Refrigerate foods promptly
Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry and seafood promptly after purchase. Perishable items, such as eggs, fresh fruit juices and pre-packaged fruits and vegetables, including salad mixes, must be stored under refrigeration. Check “expiration” or “useby” dates before consuming these products.
Prevent meat juices from spilling on and contaminating other foods or surfaces both at the market and at home. Refrigeration should be kept at 41° or colder.
Thaw frozen meat, poultry and seafood inside the refrigerator in its original wrapping. Thawing a moderate-sized turkey in this manner may take two to four days. If time does not permit a gradual thaw, place the frozen turkey in a watertight wrapper and immerse in cold—not hot or warm—water until the meat is pliable. Change the water every half hour.
Cook foods to proper temperatures
Rinse poultry and seafood in cold water and drain well before cooking.
Always use a meat thermometer to ensure that meat is thoroughly cooked.
Turkey should be placed immediately in a preheated oven set no lower than 325°. Turkey, other poultry or ground poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° to kill pathogens that may be present. To accurately measure the temperature, insert a thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey thigh, but not against the bone. Turkey meat is thoroughly cooked when the hip joint moves easily and the juices run clear—not pink. Stuffing should be cooked separately and heated to an internal temperature of 165°.
Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops should be cooked to at least 145°.
Ground beef, veal and lamb should be cooked to at least 160 degrees.
Pork should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 160°.
Stuffed meat, poultry and fish and any food stuffed with fish, meat or poultry should be heated to a minimum internal temperature of 165°.
Eggs and foods containing raw eggs should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145°.
When leftovers are eaten hot, they should be heated to at least 165° or until hot and steaming throughout.
Cooking times in microwaves may vary because ovens vary in power and efficiency. Cooking whole, stuffed poultry in a microwave is not recommended. Always use a thermometer to ensure that foods are thoroughly cooked. The stuffing might not reach the temperature needed to destroy harmful bacteria. Foods cooked or reheated in microwaves should be stirred or turned occasionally to ensure that all parts of the food are thoroughly cooked. If using frozen meat, first microwave the meat until completely thawed, then follow by cooking. If microwaving is not possible, then allow at least one-and a-half times the usual cooking time to ensure that the meat is sufficiently cooked throughout.
Refrigerate leftovers
Turkey should be refrigerated one of two ways: within two hours after it is cooked; or right after cooking, the turkey should be de-boned, sliced or pulled into pieces no more than 2½inches thick and refrigerated in shallow containers. Store the meat, stuffing and stock in separate containers in the refrigerator or freezer.
Do not eat leftover meat that has been refrigerated for longer than four days or eat leftover stuffing or gravy that has been refrigerated for longer than two days. If properly wrapped, leftover meat may be safely consumed after being frozen for one to three months.
Keep refrigerated all cream, custard and meringue pies and any other foods with custard filling, except when being served.
Visit www.ocfoodinfo.com for more information about HCA’s Food Protection Program. For further tips on meat and poultry preparation during the holidays, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry website at www.fsis.usda.gov. More information and resources regarding safe food handling can be found on the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s “Fight BAC” (bacteria) web-page at www.fightbac.org.
Watch the fat and add flavor to your holiday meals this year.As you plan your holiday grocery shopping list, keep in mind that healthy ingredients make favorite family recipes tasty and good for you, too.
To help plan a healthful holiday meal, the American Dietetic Association offers the following simple tips:
For dips, sauces and pie toppings – use non-fat whipped topping, non-fat yogurt or fat-free sour cream. Non-fat yogurt is best in dishes that don’t require heating. Use yogurt in sauces that need warming to keep the yogurt from separating.
Use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs.
Try evaporated skim milk instead of whole milk.
Use low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth in your mashed potatoes to add flavor and lighten holiday fat content.
Top casseroles with almonds instead of fried onion rings.
Choose reduced-fat cheeses for salads and casseroles.
Use whole-grain bread for stuffing or wild rice as a side dish.
Pack your shopping cart with plenty of fresh and colorful vegetables like sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, carrots and green beans. Apples, cranberries and pears combine easily for a tasty salad, fruit crisp or topping for turkey.
For more informational tips on healthy holiday eating, visit the American Dietetic Association’s website at www.eatright.org or the California Project Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition (LEAN) website at www.californiaprojectlean.org.
"One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats." - Iris Murdoch
Every year, Red Ribbon Week is celebrated during the last week of October in thousands of communities and schools across the country to raise awareness of community and school based prevention programs that target alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in our schools, work places, and communities. The National Red Ribbon Campaign was sparked by the murder of Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena by drug traffickers in 1985.
To kick-off Red Ribbon Week in Orange County, HCA’s Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Team (ADEPT), along with community partners, hosted an educational event, “Celebrating Red Ribbon: 100% Me Drug Free,” at Centennial Park in Santa Ana on October 22, 2006 from 12 p.m. to4 p.m.
ADEPT staff is pictured alongside one of the many booths which presented
alcohol and other drugs educational information and resources to the community.
Pictured (left to right) are Stacey Zapanta, Golnaz Agahi, Carolyn Secrist and
Amber Meeks.
Youth enjoy getting their hands dirty at the “Hand in Hand Lets Take a Stand
Against Drugs” finger painting booth.
In an effort to celebrate and highlight current prevention efforts occurring in
Orange County schools and communities, the event featured various health and
prevention related nonprofit agencies, educational entertainment, and local
youth performances. The event was emceed by local Peer Assistance
Leadership-PAL® youth from Santa Ana Century High School and speakers for the
day included representatives from the Drug Enforcement Agency, California
National Guard-Drug Demand Reduction, and the Santa Ana Police Department.
Survey responses from an evaluation disseminated at the event were very positive
and showed that:
100% of participants felt that they had learned something significant about alcohol and other drugs;
94% said that their attitude towards alcohol and other drugs changed as a result of viewing the booth exhibits;
88% said that the day’s event encouraged them to support an alcohol and other drug free community where they live;
82% would like to get involved in helping their community address alcohol and other drug problems; and
94% felt that the event served a good purpose and benefited the community.
In the upcoming months, ADEPT will continue to work on expanding Red Ribbon Week to a year-round campaign that promotes and facilitates collaboration between schools and communities to reduce alcohol and other drug problems. For more information about Red Ribbon activities throughout the year, please contact Golnaz Agahi of ADEPT at (714) 834-2094.
The events in Louisiana, as a result of Hurricane Katrina, remind us that government can never be too prepared to respond to disasters. Locally, one of the ways Orange County employees have prepared to assist residents in meeting disaster needs is by volunteering to be trained as an American Red Cross Emergency Shelter Worker.
The Social Services Agency has been working with the Red Cross to create a program to train 4,000+ County employees in Red Cross emergency shelter operations. This training is 16 hours in length over two days. Since the training meets a critical need of the County, County employees may attend training sessions during normal business hours.
Those who are not already assigned to another area of responsibility in the event of a disaster, and who are interested in volunteering for the program, please obtain approval from your supervisor before registering. The schedule of training sessions has been created in such a way that the impact to County operations is minimized.
To register, visit http://olt.ocgov.com, type in your name and under class type, select “Disaster Services.” Then choose the class and simulation date that best fits your schedule. For more information, contact Kevin Bigelow at (714) 245-6053 or Steve Rodermund at (714) 834-3028.
HCA's Executive Team hosted its annual United Way luncheon on
November 8th at the "Coconut Grove Lounge" at a conference room at the Agency's
405 W. 5th Street building in Santa Ana. Executive Team members donned their
Hawaiian shirts and served attendees a taste of Hawaii with a menu that included
BBQ pull-apart beef and Hawaiian rice.
During the month of November, HCA employees located at the 405 W. 5th Street building in Santa Ana collected canned food items for the annual County of Orange Employee's Harvest for the Holidays Food Drive. Last year, County employees contributed over ten tons of food that provided more than 41,000 meals to the hungry.
What's UP is a newsletter for employees
of the County of Orange, CA, Health Care Agency.
Editors Tricia Landquist
Howard Sutter
Anne Fialcowitz
Phone (714) 834-6644
E-mail: tlandquist@ochca.com
FAX (714) 834-7644
Pony Bldg. 38-S, 4th Floor
Over 3,000 flu shots were provided to community residents in Fullerton, Huntington Beach and Lake Forest on Friday, November 3rd. The Health Care Agency sponsored a multi-community point of dispensing exercise (POD) in partnership with California State University, Fullerton, Golden West College, Saddleback Valley Community Church, the cities of Huntington Beach and Fullerton, OC Red Cross and the Children & Family Commission of Orange County.
Student nurses from Cypress College worked at a Dispensing Station at Cal
State Fullerton to provide flu shots during the drive through clinic where over
700 consumers drove through the parking lot to receive their flu shot.
At Golden West College, the Dispensing Section was staffed with nursing
students. More than 1,100 consumers received their flu vaccination at the Golden
West College site.
Medical Reserve Corps volunteers staffed the Check-In Station at Saddleback
Valley Community Church in Lake Forest.
The POD exercise held at Cal State Fullerton’s was a drive through clinic;
but staff was prepared for walk-ups. HCA Public Health Nurse Micah Jones was the
team leader for this section of the exercise.
The purpose was to orient our community partners to our response plans for public health emergencies including pandemic influenza. HCA’s designated Key Staff and Utility Team members worked at the Saddleback site along side Medical Reserve Corps& CERT volunteers. This exercise provided a great learning experience for everyone as it was a first time exposure to our point of dispensing operations for the majority of staff.
HCA employees desiring to work with the
Agency’s response teams (Key Staff and Utility Team) should obtain their
supervisor’s approval and then contact Vicki Bowman via email at
vbowman@ochca.com to sign up. Up to 30
hours of training/exercises will be provided to designated staff annually.
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Edison
"Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon and the deeper it sinks into the mind." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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