issue 08-03
March 2008
Inside this issue …
Thomas noted as “go
to” Research Analyst
As one of the newest Research Analysts in Quality
Management’s (QM) Planning and Research Unit, Taigy Thomas, DrPH, ha
s
quickly established herself as a “go-to” research analyst on a number of key
research projects in support of several Health Care Agency programs and
initiatives.
In her primary responsibilities, Taigy plays a key role in providing research, survey and program evaluation throughout HCA; designs and implements countywide health needs assessments, research programs and survey studies; analyzes health trends and disparities using statistical modeling via multiple database programs; and develops relational databases and analyzes health data from local and national sources.
Earlier this year, Taigy volunteered to assist the CEO’s Strategic Focus efforts in analyzing and reporting on the 2nd Annual County of Orange Employee Survey. This survey of all 18,000 County employees inquired about their overall job satisfaction and asked for input on what they would improve at the individual, team, agency and county levels.
As a result of the survey, county employees provided more than 15,000 open-ended comments to classify and code into a meaningful way for the CEO, Board of Supervisors and County Agencies/Departments.
“Relying on her education and experience, Taigy did a little research and found software that would perform the analyses in a more automated and accurate way, thus avoiding having to code all of the information manually,” said Curt Condon, QM Planning and Research Manager. “The resulting analysis that Taigy presented in the report to the CEO’s Strategic Focus teams was well received and of much higher quality than what was produced last year by a consultant.”
Prior to joining HCA, Taigy taught at UCLA for six years while completing her doctorate. She then joined HCA in 2007 to move away from academia and affect change in a more tangible sense.
When asked about pursing a career in healthcare, Taigy notes
that “as a young person, I saw a lack of connection in the way in which experts
and lay persons conceptualized problems and identified solutions. This disjoint
was hindering the public agenda to reduce health disparities and consequently
hurting the people and communities nearest to me.”
“In my opinion, there was a need for individuals who understood both experts and
lay persons that could mediate between the two groups effectively. At my core, I
am just a lay person trying to inform other regular folk about health care data,
while at the same time speak on behalf of the disenfranchised communities,” said
Taigy.
Taigy received a Doctorate in Public Health from UCLA, a Masters in Social Ecology from UCI and a BA in Social Sciences also from UCI. She enjoys spending her free time with family, traveling, and participating in community service activities with her church and the Orange County Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Call for 2008 Team Excellence Award nominations
The
Health Care Agency/OCEA Labor Management Committee (LMC) is seeking nominations
for its annual Steve Ambriz Team Excellence Award. The award was created to
recognize teams that exemplify principles of Enlightened Leadership and Team
Excellence, and to identify the qualities and characteristics of effective work
teams. Please take this opportunity to nominate a team, program, or department
within the Health Care Agency that demonstrates these characteristics.
This year, the deadline to submit nominations is May 1, 2008. Be sure to turn your nominations in early! Visit the LMC Intranet website at http://balsam/intranet/lmc/team.asp for nomination forms, details about previous winners, and additional information about what makes an excellent team.
Previous winners of this award include the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
(SONGS) Offsite Dose Assessment Center (ODAC) team from Environmental Health,
Public Health’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program (TUPP), Children and Youth
Services West Region program from Behavioral Health, and Environmental Health’s
Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Used Oil Program.
April rolls out annual Compliance Survey
The annual compliance survey will roll out in April 2008. The survey is your opportunity to give input on how the Compliance Program works in your area. The on-line survey is anonymous, voluntary and easy to complete.
Compliance is part of the fabric of the Health Care Agency which supports an organizational culture that encourages ethical behavior and commitment to compliance with the law. Feedback from HCA employees is used by the HCA Compliance Program to refine the program and meet the needs of the agency. Your anonymous input is used to select training topics, revise processes and evaluate the communication efforts of the Compliance Program.
Please take the time to complete the on-line survey when it is distributed in April.
Quote
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
—Edith Wharton.
Bui receives Lopez Memorial Award
On February 27, 2008, at the California Tuberculosis (TB) Controllers Association (CTCA) 42nd Educational Conference in San Diego, Linh Bui, Senior Social Worker for HCA Pulmonary Disease Services, was awarded the Andy Lopez Memorial Award for Outstanding Allied Health Professional. The Andy Lopez Memorial Award is designed to: honor the contributions of allied health professionals for TB control efforts in California; honor the efforts of one outstanding allied health professional each year; and support the ongoing TB training and education of allied health professionals.
Linh was born in Southeast Asia and arrived in the United States in 1990 as a refugee. He began to work for Orange County in 1992. On his own initiative and with his own resources, he pursued higher education and obtained a degree in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton while working full-time and advancing up the County personnel ladder from Office Assistant to Community Worker to Social Worker Assistant to Social Worker and finally Senior Social Worker in 2003.
As a Senior Social Worker, Linh is an integral part of the TB case management team assisting Public Health Nurses in assessing social needs of patients and providing referrals for needed support. He goes above and beyond routine work responsibilities to assist clients with TB treatment adherence and completion.
Behavioral Health nurses exemplify best!
The leadership and vision of Behavioral Health has transformed community service to underserved communities. The interest in servicing homeless individuals, seniors, women with health needs, and homeless families with school-age children is not new to nursing. From the inception of modern nursing, nurses have collaborated with other nurses and health professionals to provide care to clients, families, and communities.
However, the environment in which nurses now provide care has changed and
continues to change at a rapid pace. Mental health issues play a much more
prominent role in the homeless community. Depression, substance abuse, and
psychotic breaks are among the mental health problems nurses find themselves
confronted with on a daily basis.
HCA Behavioral Health Services nurses including the Outreach and Engagement
Nurse and the Outpatient Clinic Nurse both play key roles in providing health
services to the community.
The Outreach and Engagement Nurse conducts outreach services to homeless, mentally ill members in the community. Many barriers to housing and/or placement issues present themselves for the medically compromised. The Outreach and Engagement Nurse helps with assessment of level of care needed from a medical perspective, as well as the member’s capacity to survive in the streets should this be their choice. The role also requires extensive community networking and collaboration in order to serve the many client needs. The collaboration of agencies to serve homeless individuals is a model in reducing health disparities within the underserved homeless community.
The Outpatient Clinic Nurse is responsible for health assessments, which includes client history, review of lab reports, maintaining medication supply, and administering medication injections. The Behavioral Health Nurse is additionally responsible for helping to support on-site clinicians with monitoring patients’ medication compliance with standards of clinical care, professional practice standards, and patient outcomes.
Another new and exciting role for Behavioral Health nurses is developing and
includes implementing specialized wellness groups to the bilingual/bicultural
community.
Many congratulations and thanks to Behavioral Health nurses for their commitment
and passion for nursing care. Behavioral Health nurses are exceptional
representatives of nurses within the agency.
TUPP project recognizes youth cartoon winners
HCA’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program (TUPP) “Tobacco and Hollywood” Project recently recognized several Orange County students for their winning cartoon artwork which aims to counter the presence of tobacco in movies and films.
The purpose of the project is to educate youth about the influence of tobacco in movies and the impact that it has on them. More than 100 cartoons produced by youth throughout Orange County were received and judged by community members, health professionals and youth.
The following students are among the winning top 10: Melissa Markowitz, Huntington Beach High School; Faith De La Cruz, Buena Park High School; Kristen Lee, Diane Negrete, Rocio Martinez and Megan Reyes, Sonora High School; Kayla Enos, Lilia Vega and James Fischer, Orange County High School for the Arts. The TUPP program congratulates all youth who participated in the “Tobacco and Hollywood” Project!
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| Melissa Markowitz from Huntington Beach High School was among TUPP’s “Tobacco and Hollywood” Project winning top 10. | Faith De La Cruz from Buena Park High School displays her winning artwork which she submitted to the “Tobacco and Hollywood” Project which aims to counter the presence of tobacco in movies and films. |
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| Sonora High School students pictured (left to right) Kristen Lee, Diane Negrete, Rocio Martinez and Megan Reyes are all smiles as they display their winning cartoon artwork. | |
Test your knowledge … 2008 Public Health Week Quiz
Thus year’s focus of National Public Health Week from April 7-13, 2008 is “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance.” The American Public Health Association will highlight the week by inspiring the community to make the connection between the way we lead our lives, our impact on the planet and the planet’s impact on our health.
To start your celebration of Public Health Week, take the following true-false quiz and answer the 14 questions below to test your knowledge of public health facts and statistics relating to this year’s theme. Visit the Agency’s Public Health Week webpage at www.ochealthinfo.com/public/phweek/quiz.htm to submit your completed quiz online by Friday, March 28. Those who answer all questions correctly will be entered into a drawing to win fun prizes.
The prevalence of some diseases and other threats to human health depend largely on local climate.
Global warming does not make hurricanes worse.
The leading cause of air pollution related death in both industrialized and developing countries is particulate matter – soot and dirt particles that cause respiratory failure.
People can be exposed to pesticides in three following ways: inhalation, absorption through skin, and getting pesticides in their mouth or digestive tract.
There is a difference between post-consumer and recovered materials.
The largest man-made source of carcinogens is gasoline from fossil fuels.
Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy cost of processing new aluminum.
Warm temperatures can increase air and water pollution, which in turn harm human health.
Methyl bromide, a highly toxic pesticide that depletes the ozone layer is also used to treat tobacco.
Swimming in contaminated water can make people sick.
Replacing a refrigerator that is 10 years or older is a good step toward slowing climate change.
Compact fluorescent bulbs are detrimental to the environment.
Modest exposure to the ozone layer during warm temperatures can cause a healthy individual to experience chest pain, nausea, and pulmonary congestion.
Planting trees does not remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Quote
I think the one lesson I have learned is that there is no substitute for paying attention.
—Diane Sawyer
March is National Nutrition Month and
Registered Dietitian Day!
March is not over yet, so there’s still time to participate in National Nutrition Month®! Check out the various activities that HCA Nutrition Services is highlighting this month for the celebration:
Interactive nutrition education display board at the entrance of the 17th St. Clinic and in the lunch area
Informative posters by the entrance at the Hall of Administration with pamphlets and hand-outs
Displays, classes and pamphlets on National Nutrition Month® in WIC clinics throughout the County
Healthy recipe contest for Nutrition Services staff
Special luncheon to celebrate and honor Registered Dietician (RD) Day
Share your thoughts, have some fun and learn something nutritious!
Thank you to those that joined in the commemoration of Registered Dietician Day on March 10, 2008. We hope you learned at least one new thing about a Registered Dietitian you did not know before – how to become one, how we can help and/or why you’d want one on your side – and ways to create healthier lifestyles for you and your family. Your attendance at the Hall of Administration made the day particularly special!
For more information about HCA Nutrition Services and National Nutrition Month® please call (714) 834-7986.
Celebrating National Social Work Month
Each year during the month of March, National Social Work Month is celebrated across the country to highlight the history of the profession, celebrate the important work that is currently being done and look toward a future of promise for the individuals, families and communities that social workers serve.
This year’s theme “Building on Strengths,” is based on the foundation for growth and change in an individual, family and community. According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), more than 600,000 social workers are educated in the “strengths perspective” which emphasizes working with client or community resources, capabilities, support systems and motivations to meet current challenges.
All individuals, families and communities have strengths. Understanding and utilizing these strengths are essential to improving emotional health and well-being.
As we celebrate National Social Work Month, HCA would like to thank the Agency’s social workers for your dedication and commitment to the clients we serve.
For more information about National Social Work Month, visit the National Association of Social Workers website at www.socialworkers.org.
Quote
Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows.
—Robert G. Ingersoll
Alcohol Awareness Month
Cancer Control Month
Counseling Awareness Month
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
Occupational Therapy Month
STD Awareness Month
National Public Health Week, 7-13
National Infant Immunization Week, 19-16
March for Babies 2008, 26-27
On March 24, 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB
Partnership observes World TB Day, which this year follows the theme “I am
stopping TB.”
Tuberculosis remains a major public health concern, with an estimated one third
of the world’s population infected with the TB bacteria and more than one
million-and-a-half deaths annually. In the United States, California still has
one of the highest TB case rates in the nation.
In 2007, 217 active cases of TB were diagnosed in Orange County, down from 226 cases in 2006. In addition, thousands of people living in our County may be carrying the TB germ but have not become ill, which is known as latent TB infection. The Health Care Agency’s Pulmonary Disease Services Program is doing its part to stop TB through efforts such as universal Directly Observed Therapy and expanded contact investigation.
According to the WHO, “I am stopping TB” is more than just a slogan. “I am stopping TB” is a message of empowerment. Everyone can do something to stop TB and every individual’s action counts. Patients can do their part to stop TB by becoming active participants in their own care and taking all their anti-TB drugs as prescribed. Health workers can stop TB by staying alert to the symptoms of the disease and providing prompt diagnosis and treatment. Communities can stop TB by sharing information to help prevent the spread of the disease and get treatment to those who need it.
As you go about your daily tasks on March 24, think how your life is or may be
affected by TB and what you can do to stop the spread of this disease.
For more information about World TB Day, visit the Stop TB Partnership website
at www.stoptb.org or to
learn more about HCA’s Pulmonary Disease Services, visit the website
www.ochealthinfo.com/public/tb/.
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To recognize Children and Youth Services Division Manager Alan Albright on his upcoming retirement after more than 30 years of dedicated service to the County, Supervisor Janet Nguyen presented him with a resolution to commemorate the occasion during a Mental Health Board meeting held at the Hall of Administration on Feb. 27. |
2-day blood drive planned for March
The
American Red Cross saves lives and you can too! A blood drive is planned for
Wednesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 27 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the County
Hall of Administration, second floor in rooms 214-216.
To schedule an appointment or for more information, contact Sylvia Goldie at (714) 834-6620 or Amber Alford at (714) 834-4144 in HCA Volunteer Services or visit the website www.givelife.org and enter sponsor code: OC1 when scheduling an appointment.
To learn more about the blood donation process and donor eligibility go to www.HelpSaveALife.org.
Behavioral Health’s Cultural Competency Program presented its February 2008 Spotlight on Excellence Award to Zanetta Moloi, Program Supervisor for Behavioral Health Services Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Training Program.
Zanetta has been a County employee for 19 years and is noted by her peers as being highly productive, customer and community focused. She treats everyone with respect and is helpful to consumers and to staff equally. Zanetta is also courteous of everyone’s unique ethnic and cultural differences and needs and is seen as a resource for both staff and the community.
Prior to her current position as Program Supervisor, Zanetta served as an Office Tech and Staff Specialist for HCA Children and Youth Services (CYS) Quality Review and Training (QRT) program.
Pictured (left to right) are Ronnie Kelley, Zanetta Moloi and Rafael Canul.
Quote
Home, in one form or another, is the great object of life.
—Josiah G. Holland
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
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