Appointment scheduling begins January 18, event on February 4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2012

BURLINGTON – As a part of National Children’s Dental Access Day, the Alamance County Health Department (ACHD) and the Alamance-Caswell Dental Society will once again partner to Give Kids a Smile.

The event, now in its ninth year locally, will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2012, from 8:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M., at the Alamance County Children’s Dental Center.  The Children’s Dental Center is located at 1914 McKinney Street, at the corner of North Graham-Hopedale Road and McKinney Street in Burlington, across from Eastlawn Elementary School.

Since the event’s inception in 2003, participating dentists have preformed over $1 million in free dental services for Alamance and Caswell County children in need of dental treatment.

Appointment scheduling for free limited dental exams, cleaning, fluoride, and sealants will begin on Wednesday, January 18, and end on Friday, January 20.  Anyone residing in Alamance or Caswell County interested in scheduling an appointment for their child(ren), should call the Give Kids a Smile appointment line at (336) 513-5518 from 9:00 A.M. until noon and from 2:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M.  Individuals speaking Spanish may call (336) 513-4869. Please note that appointments are required and limited to the first 100 children.

To be eligible for Give Kids a Smile, children must meet the following criteria:

• Be in Preschool – 8th Grade
• Reside in Alamance or Caswell County
• Reside in a family that has a financial need
• Have NO Dental Insurance
• Not currently enrolled in the N.C. Medicaid or N.C. Health Choice program.

In addition to expanding to serve preschool-age children this year, the community at-large can also help to brighten the smiles of those who have the greatest need.  The Alamance-Caswell Give Kids a Smile Foundation, a newly formed 501(c)(3), whose primary goal is to provide supplies and materials to encourage additional dentists to become involved in this much-needed program.  Contributions to the Alamance-Caswell Give Kids a Smile Foundation ultimately will allow more children with dental needs to be treated through this worthwhile program.  Tax deductable contribution can be made to the following address:

Alamance-Caswell Give Kids a Smile Foundation PO Box 3113 Burlington, NC 27216-3113

For more information or for further details about the Give Kids a Smile event, please call the Alamance County Children’s Dental Center at (336) 570-6415.

State and locally supplied flu vaccine now free and unrestricted for ages six months and older

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2012

BURLINGTON – The grip of the flu season is starting to take hold throughout North Carolina, but it’s still not too late to protect yourself from being sidelined.

Starting today, the time for putting off getting the flu shot has officially run out, as Alamance County Health Department (ACHD) begins giving flu shots for free, to everyone six months of age and older.

“Now that the holidays are behind us, this is an ideal time to protect yourself against the flu,” said Gayle Shoffner, Interim Nursing Director.  “Unfortunately, with many individuals being in close contact over the holidays, germs were transmitted very easily and many people are now getting sick.  By getting vaccinated, in addition to proper hand washing, covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and staying home if you are sick, the risk of catching or spreading disease is greatly reduced once antibodies have built up in the body.  This usually takes between two and three weeks after being vaccinated.”

Shots will be given on a walk-in basis, Monday-Friday (excluding holidays), from 8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. and from 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Again, this year’s seasonal vaccine contains several strains of influenza, including H1N1.  Therefore, one shot is all most people will need.  Children under age 8, who have not previously been vaccinated against the flu, may need two doses.

Free flu vaccine is available on a first come, first serve basis until the supply is exhausted.  For general flu vaccine questions, please call the health department at (336) 227-0101.

ACHD becomes seventh designated site in North Carolina, third in Triad

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2012

BURLINGTON – It’s official.  Expectant mothers in Alamance County now officially have access, closer to home, to one of the latest prenatal care options that has been proven to improve birth outcomes.

The Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI), based in Boston, recently granted the Alamance County Health Department full certification as a provider of the CenteringPregnancy® program.  By achieving certification as an official provider, the health department has successfully implemented all 13 Essential Elements of the CenteringPregnancy® model of care.

CenteringPregnancy® is an innovative prenatal program that  allows patients to see the same provider throughout their pregnancies, participate in their own care, eliminate wait time, and meet other pregnant women with similar due dates.  Women are given the chance to discuss topics important to them during their pregnancies and form friendships and support that last beyond the pregnancy, while at the same time receiving high quality prenatal check-ups.

The program has been implemented in a wide range of settings nationally from private OB offices to local health departments and has been associated with lower preterm delivery rates, increased breastfeeding rates, and higher patient satisfaction.

Previously, those seeking an officially designated CenteringPregnancy® provider had to travel to Durham or Winston-Salem.

“Certification has been a long process, but we are absolutely delighted that CHI has bestowed this achievement on the health department’s program,” said Karen Saxer, nurse midwife and director of the CenteringPregnancy® at ACHD.  “CenteringPregnancy® has been proven, in multiple locations around the country, to improve outcome of some of the most vulnerable babies, as well as creating supportive communities for pregnant women.  It is programs like this which will help us continue to improve the health of women and children in our community.”

For more information about CenteringPregnancy® or other services provided by the ACHD Maternity Clinic, please call (336) 227-0101.

Puppies exposed to rabid skunk in northern part of county

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 6, 2012

BURLINGTON – The North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health in Raleigh has confirmed Alamance County’s first rabies case for the year. The health department was notified on Thursday that a skunk tested positive for rabies.

The skunk entered a fenced enclosure and was killed by two unvaccinated 11 month old puppies on Mine Creek Road in northern Alamance County. This is the fourth incident in this area over the past year.

“It is unfortunate that these dogs were not currently vaccinated and were destroyed,” said Carl Carroll, Environmental Health Director for the Alamance County Health Department.  “It is extremely important for all dog and cat owners to keep their pets rabies vaccinations up to date.”

Over the past two years, 11 dogs have been euthanized after being exposed to a rabid animal due to owner not keeping their rabies vaccinations up to date.

According to the health department, yesterday’s case was the 116th case since 1997.  All county residents should be aware of this and take proper precautions.

Once the rabies virus enters the body, such as through a bite from an animal that has rabies, it travels along the nerves to the brain and depending on the individual dog it could only be several weeks or it could be six months before the dog shows signs of rabies.

Rabies is almost always fatal once it manifests itself. There are shots that humans can get once they have an exposure to rabies, but those shots are very expensive.

The shots for dogs and cats are normally less than $20 at most veterinarian offices. These shots must be kept up to date, otherwise if the dog or cat is exposed to a known or expected rabid animal, North Carolina Law requires that the dog or cat be euthanized or quarantined for six months at an approved animal control facility or a veterinarian’s office at the owner’s expense.

It is very important that people are vigilant in making sure that their dogs and cats have current vaccinations for rabies and stay away from stray and wild animals that may carry rabies.  If someone is bitten by an animal they should immediately wash the wound with warm water and soap and seek medical attention and call their local animal control or the health department.

For more information or questions about rabies control and vaccinations requirements, contact the health department’s Environmental Health office at (336) 570-6367.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 27, 2011

BURLINGTON – The Alamance County Health Department (ACHD) has been working closely with the Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS) administration to make sure that parents and staff members of B. Everett Jordan are aware of the symptoms of pertussis (whooping cough) after being notified of a confirmed case on December 21, 2011.

Since the investigation began, ACHD has identified three children at B. Everett Jordan with laboratory confirmed Pertussis.  It was determined that the best approach was to provide prescription medication to all students and staff who work at B. Everett Jordan, to prevent the spread of pertussis.

The health department has already spoken with most families from B. Everett Jordan; however, if you have not heard from ACHD, please call (336) 516-7715. There are a large number of calls to this phone so please leave a message and know you will be called back.

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a bacterial infection that often starts with typical cold symptoms (runny nose, low grade fever, and possibly cough) and over 1-2 weeks, usually develops into prolonged bursts of coughing, often with a whooping noise at the end. The person usually feels well between attacks. Some people with this infection may just have a cough that lasts a number of weeks. Parents should not be alarmed as this infection is rarely a cause of serious disease or hospitalization in school age children (or adults).

The health department and the Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS) have worked diligently to notify parents and affected staff. In addition, medical and health care providers in the community have been notified.

Due to the possibility that the infected individuals had direct contact with a segment of the school population, nearly all those potentially exposed have received preventative antibiotic treatment. Direct contact is defined as sitting or standing within three (3) feet for fifteen (15) or more minutes of the sick individual, during the period that they were able to transmit the infection.

If you believe your child may have been exposed, please call the Alamance County Health Department Communicable Disease Hotline at (336) 516-7715. If you are unable to reach a nurse on duty, please leave a message and your contact number. Your call will be returned promptly.

Latest site visit extends accreditation thorough 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2011

BURLINGTON – The continued commitment to protecting and improving the public’s health in Alamance County has been confirmed once again by state officials.

The Alamance County Health Department has been awarded re-accreditation status by the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board.  Alamance was one of five counties to receive re-accreditation by the Accreditation Board at its meeting on December 16.

“We are very pleased to have completed this process successfully,” said Alamance County Health Department Director Barry Bass. “The department’s accreditation is a validation of the staff’s hard work and dedication to quality.  We are particularly appreciative of the work of our Agency Accreditation Coordinator, Kathy Brooks, Carl Carroll and Lynn Connor, our technical consultant. The agency takes very seriously its mission of protecting and promoting the health of our community.”

North Carolina is the first state to mandate accreditation for its local health departments in the country.  The purpose of the accreditation program is to assure a basic level of capacity and services in each of the local health departments across the state.

Since the pilot program involving six local health departments began in 2004, 64 health departments have been accredited in North Carolina.  The process of accreditation includes three major components – a self-assessment completed by the agency, a site visit by a multidisciplinary team of peers to review certain performance standards, and determination of accreditation status by an independent Accreditation Board comprised of state and local public health officials, Board of Health members, County Commissioners and public members.

The accreditation process is a collaboration of the North Carolina Division of Public Health, part of the Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Institute for Public Health of the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, with input from the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors.

For more information about the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation program, please visit www.sph.unc.edu/nciph/accred.

Minority rate decreases by over 50%

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2011

BURLINGTON – Thanks to a combined countywide effort, more babies in Alamance County are living to see their first birthday.  Infant Mortality Rates for 2010, released recently from the North Carolina Center for State Health Statistics (NC SCHS), reflect a continued downward trend for infant deaths in Alamance County.

Overall, the Infant Mortality Rate in Alamance County for 2010 is 6.5 per 1000 live births.  The current rate for the state is 7.0 deaths per 1000 live births.  This is also the first year that the NC SCHS has reported specific rates for the African American and Hispanic populations, rather than using the minority classification.  The rate among African Americans is 8.2 deaths per 1000 live births.  In past years, African Americans have been 2-3 times more likely to experience an infant death, but this year marks a significant decline in the disparity.

“We are absolutely delighted with the continuing decline in the death rate for our minority children,” said health department Medical Director Kathleen Shapley-Quinn, MD.  “Improving outcomes for this group of children is particularly challenging since the science behind this historical trend of increased minority deaths is not clear.  We should take this opportunity to celebrate, as well as recommit ourselves to further advancing all of the good work underway.”
Since 2005, when a five-year action plan was created by the health department and Alamance County Board of Health, several interventions have been implemented to improve the health of women and infants.

These programs include: • Formation of an infant mortality reduction coalition. • 5A’s smoking cessation program at the health department. • Offering mental health services at the health department to pregnant women. • “Back to Sleep” SIDS prevention public awareness campaigns. • Shaken Baby Syndrome prevention public awareness campaigns. • Horizons Substance Abuse counseling at the health department for moms and pregnant women • Neonatal and Special Care Nursery services at Alamance Regional Medical Center. • Smoking cessation public awareness campaigns. •  Teen Outreach Program (TOP). •  Distribution of multivitamins containing Folic Acid to Maternity clinic and Women’s Health clinic clients.  • Safe Surrender Law education and public awareness campaigns. • Preconception and interconception health education and counseling. • Duke Perinatal Services at Alamance Regional Medical Center. • Pregnancy Medical Home and Pregnancy Care Management • Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program • 17P Promotion and Utilization
Infant mortality is multi-factorial.  It is likely all the programs, in addition to the good work done by our many community partners, have in some way contributed to the decline.

Additionally, research has found that a woman’s health prior to pregnancy can impact pregnancy outcomes.  As women become healthier, the likelihood of a healthier pregnancy increases and in turn, the likelihood of healthier babies increases.

HEY Ladies program wins 2011 NC SOPHE Kathy Kerr Outstanding Health Project Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2011

BURLINGTON – The Alamance County Health Department’s HEY (Health Education for You) Ladies program received top honors at the North Carolina Society for Public Health Education’s (NC SOPHE) annual conference, recently held at the Sheraton Four Seasons/Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.

HEY Ladies was the recipient of the 2011 Kathy Kerr Outstanding Health Education Project Award.

The Kathy Kerr Outstanding Health Education Project Award is given by NC SOPHE to recognize organizations in North Carolina which have sponsored outstanding projects in health education.  The award honors the late Kathy Kerr, a former project award recipient.

The HEY Ladies program, which functions as a clinical component of the health department’s Women’s Health clinic, was honored for its demonstrated positive outcomes in improving preconceptional health behaviors in women through the use of motivational interviewing.  Since this project’s inception in 2007, over 2000 women have been served through HEY Ladies, with approximately 80% of clients successfully making one of more behavior changes, including weight loss and smoking cessation.

“We are very proud of the work done through our HEY Ladies program and it is most gratifying that NC SOPHE has provided the well deserved recognition by bestowing the Kathy Kerr Outstanding Health Education Project Award to HEY Ladies,” said Health Director Barry Bass.  “Kudos to our dedicated Women’s Health staff that has worked so hard to make this program a success,” concluded Bass.

The North Carolina Chapter of the Society for Public Health Education, Inc. (NC SOPHE) is a professional organization formed in 1965 to promote, encourage and contribute to the advancement of health of all people.  NC SOPHE encourages its professional members to stay informed through continuing education, to strive to improve the practice of health education, and to make a positive contribution toward making health accessible to all people.

BURLINGTON – North Carolina’s public health professionals were recently honored with GlaxoSmithKline Child Health Recognition Awards for improving children’s health through a variety of programs. All nominees were recognized and winners announced at an awards ceremony in Charlotte during the North Carolina Public Health Association’s annual meeting. Two members of the Alamance County Health Department staff, Eric Nickens, Jr. and Kathleen Shapley-Quinn, MD, were among the recipients.  Nickens serves as Health Education Supervisor and Public/Media Affairs Officer.  Shapley-Quinn serves as Medical Director.

This year’s GlaxoSmithKline Child Health Recognition Awards focused on outstanding collaborative programs that affect the health of children in all nomination categories. The awards, which include monetary grants, were presented in four categories.

Nickens and Shapley-Quinn were two of three individuals to receive the Public Health Staff Recognition Award.  The Public Health Staff Recognition Award is given to full-time or part-time employees or retirees of local health departments in recognition of outstanding service in preventive health activities in their local communities.

Nickens was recognized for his media and public health education initiatives associated with the Alamance-Caswell Give Kids a Smile program.  The program, a partnership between the Alamance County Health Department and the Alamance-Caswell Dental Society, provides free preventative dental treatment for children that have no insurance coverage and do not qualify for Medicaid or the NC Health Choice program.  In addition, participating dentist also adopt children seen during the annual event into their dental practices for further restorative treatment, at no cost.

Shapley-Quinn was recognized for her work in meeting mental and physical health needs of low-income and minority women.  Through a successful collaborative partnership with experts at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, many pregnant women and new moms suffering from addiction have been treatment.  In addition, Shapley-Quinn has worked to reduce disparities in breastfeeding, and developed materials to train staff to assess and treat psychiatric illness during the perinatal period. The awards program, which is sponsored by the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation, is intended to recognize and thank public health professionals for their innovative and creative approaches to the many health care needs of children and families, particularly those with low incomes.

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation supports activities that help meet the educational and health needs of today’s society and future generations. The Foundation focuses on programs that emphasize the understanding and application of health, science and education at all academic and professional levels.

Nickens Receives North Carolina Public Health Association 2011 All-Star Award

In addition to GlaxoSmithKline honors, Nickens was one of ten public health professions in North Carolina to receive NCPHA’s 2011 All-Star Award.  The award recognizes individuals working in public health agencies throughout North Carolina that embody the spirit of the public health profession.

NCPHA was formed in 1909 by a group of concerned county superintendents of health in an effort to promote public health in North Carolina.  One hundred years later, the Association of individuals and organizations continues working to improve the public’s health through political advocacy, public awareness, professional development, and serving as an interface between research and practice.

Mothers and children to compete to set world breastfeeding record on October 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 20, 2011
BURLINGTON – Breastfeeding mothers, are you ready to attempt a new world record?  Ready, Set, Feed!

The Alamance County WIC Program will host a Breastfeeding Challenge on Saturday, October 1, at the Civitan Shelter in Burlington City Park, as a part of the Quintessence Global Breastfeeding Challenge.  Activities will begin at 10:00 A.M. with limited free food, games, activities, and giveaways for participants.  The official “latch on” time will be 11:00 A.M.

This fun event is a challenge to see which geographic area has the most breastfeeding babies “latched on” at 11:00 A.M. local time.  Mothers and children at sites across the United States, Canada, and other countries around the world will compete to set the record for the most infants breastfeeding at one time.  The winners of the competition will be the site with the most infants breastfeeding at one site, the country with the most children breastfeeding at registered sites and in North America the region (state, province or territory) with the most children participating as a percentage of the birth rate.  To level the playing field between large and small, each site will be entered into one of four groups determined by birth rate.

The purpose of the event is to celebrate breastfeeding and milk-banking, and demonstrate promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding women and their families.  In addition, the event is also a chance for education and peer support in a fun and social way.  In 2010, the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge included 4,373 children in eighteen countries at over 213 sites with a total of over 20,000 supporters.

“There are so many reasons to celebrate breastfeeding,” according to Breastfeeding Coordinator Catherine Cunningham. “The Alamance County WIC Program has had three breastfeeding peer counselors on staff for well over a year now and they have done a tremendous job since their arrival, especially meeting the challenges of a rapidly growing caseload.  In addition to a combined caseload that surpasses 500, our counselors now teach breastfeeding classes and conduct support groups,” concluded Cunningham.

For more information about the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge, visit the challenge website at www.babyfriendly.ca or contact Cunningham at (336) 570-6475.

The Alamance County WIC Program is an equal opportunity provider.