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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I hope each of you had a blessed Christmas with your family
and loved ones!!
I am very excited to start off the year fully staffed (with the exception of one position)!!!!
I know 2013 was a rough year with many transitions but we made it!!! Thanks to each of
you for all you did throughout the year! Fingers crossed that 2014 is much better!!
In the upcoming year, there will be a lot happening across our district. Below are some
of the highlights…
** I will be presenting a Board of Health training to all of our new and existing board
members.
**Gene and I are currently working on a Preparedness Grant and if that is awarded we
will host a training for all staff.
**We are currently working on our timesheet issues as I know this is a HUGE headache
for most. Know that we are aware of the problems and are working quickly to get a bet-
ter system in place for this so that it is not so time consuming.
**We will be preparing for accreditation and plan to get the District Board of Health to
sign off on a letter of intent to apply at the next board meeting…. WE ARE PUSHING
THE BUTTON AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS IT MEANS NO TURNING BACK!!!
VERY EXCITING FOR WEDCO!!!
**KPHA will be held in April. Scholarship information has been sent out to everyone,
so if you are interested in attending please submit your paperwork! It’s a great confer-
ence to attend and learn what other health departments across the state are doing.
I hope each of you enjoyed the holiday luncheons as much as I did. It was very nice to
get to spend time with each of you without discussing work related items!!
Wedco District Health Department & Home Health Agency
October-December 2013
In the Know at Wedco
Inside this issue:
The Bottom Line
Administrative
Services
2
The Line Up
Personnel
3
The Medical
Record
Clinic & School
4
TLC @ Home
Home Health,
Waiver & EPSDT
5
In The Trenches
Environmental
Health &
Preparedness
6
Behind the
Scenes
Community
Health Promotion
7
News Flash
Employees’ News
9
Looking Forward
Upcoming Events
10
Question of the
Month
11
The Suggestion
Box
11
From the Director’s Desk… Crystal Caudill Miller, MPH ~ Public Health Director
The Bottom Line
Jane Sparks Tatum ~ Director of Administrative Services
Page 2
In the Know at Wedco
BUDGET AND FINANCIAL: During October – November we revised the Internal Control Policy in time for the De-
cember Board Meeting review and approval. This is an annual event and was a very time-consuming project. Thanks to
Pat Tschop for leading this effort and for all the Program Managers and staff who reviewed and revised our policies and
procedures to make sure that our financial internal controls protect our corporate Wedco assets.
In early December, we provided information to the State for a desk audit for the financial information for a set pe-
riod. The desk audit is conducted periodically according to the Financial Management guidelines. Thanks to Tina Ben-
nett for providing most of the information for this review.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: Jane Tatum, Rachel Kendall and Tina Bennett attended a Worker’s Compensa-
tion training in Lexington on October 25. The training was sponsored by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and was
a great learning opportunity for us to learn more about Worker’s Compensation laws and regulations.
Delta Dental rates for 2014 are the same as 2013.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Accounting is working with CDP to launch a new Home Health Billing system in
January. This will involve onsite CDP presence for training on the new system. Accounting staff have been “cleaning”
data in anticipation of this change and have been working for many weeks to make sure that the old data files and new
system can work together to make this transition. Thanks to Jo Lynn Magee for serving as Team Leader for this project.
Mark your calendars for the week of January 27 – 31. CDP techs will be onsite to re-image
old computers, install new computers and get us ready for a time when the XP operating system is
no longer supported by Microsoft and all our computers will be working from a newer version of
Windows. A detailed schedule by location will be e-mailed the first week of January to let you
know which day CDP will be at your location. Your PC / laptop should be available for about 2
hours for this process to take place.
WEDCO HOLIDAYS: District Office staff helped residents of the Grand Haven Nursing Home in Cynthiana have a
merrier Christmas. After contacting the facility to see what was needed, we collected throws, socks, house slippers, col-
oring books, crayons, puzzle books, personal hygiene items, etc. Becky Wolfe provided a goodie bag for every patient
that consisted of tissues, lotion and a peppermint stick. The staff at the Nursing Home was most appreciative of the
things we collected for their patients. Thanks to Nicole Gray, Tina Kenney and Janie Martin for taking on this project.
Eat More BBQ! As a thank you for all the hard work each day, Wedco staff enjoyed a BBQ feast from Fat Boys BBQ
in Georgetown. Director Crystal Caudill Miller and Program Managers Rene Rawlins, April Thomas, Gene Thomas and
Jane Tatum hosted staff Holiday luncheons at Harrison County Health Center (District & HCHC staff) on December 12,
Nicholas County Health Center on December 13, Scott County Health Center on December 18 and Bourbon County
Home Health on December 19. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and time together and we were able to patronize one
of our local food establishments. Thanks to Fat Boys for rolling that smoker all around the District!!
Happy New Year! I hope 2014 will prove to be a successful year for all employees. Part of an employee’s success in-
volves the responsibility in keeping all of your information updated. Now is a perfect time to ensure all personal infor-
mation is correct. Whether you’ve had an address change, phone number update, emergency contact info update, change
in withholding status, etc., please contact either myself or Tina Bennett so we can update our files. It is your responsibil-
ity as an employee to ensure your personnel record has the most current information on file.
Our annual employee training modules are listed below. These modules include updates current for 2014. Please ensure
you have these completed and certificates printed by your annual employee evaluation date. This year’s updates include
two new modules which I have highlighted below. If you should have any questions regarding your employee training
plan, please refer those to Rachel Kendall.
LHD ANNUAL TRAINING MODULES AVAILABLE ON “TRAIN”
KY DPH Ergonomics Module – 1020100
KY DPH Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen Part 1 Module – 1020108
KY DPH Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen Part 2 Module – 1020109
KY DPH Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) TB Module Part 1 Module – 1020110
KY DPH Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) TB Module Part 2 Module – 1020132
KY DPH HIPAA Employee Orientation Module – 1020107
KY DPH Limited English Proficient (LEP) Persons Module – 1020091
KY DPH Civil Rights Training Module – 1020093
KY DPH Cultural Competency: The Impact on Health Equity Online Module – 1042680
KY DPH National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health Care
Online Module – 1042689
NEW EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
We have recently added two new employees to our Wedco team.
← Donna Linville joined our Wedco team on December 23, 2013.
Donna will be based in Harrison County at Westside Elementary School as a School Health Nurse.
Suzie Epperson joined our Wedco team on January 6, 2014.
Suzie will be based in Bourbon Co. Home Health as the Nurse Supervisor. →
Page 3
In the Know at Wedco
The Line Up Rachel Kendall ~ Personnel
The Medical Record VACANT ~ Clinical Nurse Administrator
County Health Centers & School Health
Page 4
In the Know at Wedco
County Health Centers
The Nurse Administrator position for the clinics is still vacant and will be for several months. I am adamant
that finding the right fit for this position is crucial and until that happens it will remain open. The great thing
about this position is that the Nursing Supervisors do a wonderful job running the clinics alongside their staff
making this a very smooth process while this position is vacant!
The clinics continue to work diligently on a same day schedule serving the needs of our patients. This seems
to be a great change for Wedco and the successful transition is because of the clinic staff!!
Regular routine audits from the State Program people have been taking place. As always, our audit results are
great!!
School Health
We have a new school nurse who will be placed at Westside Elementary in Harrison County. Her name is
Donna Linville and we are excited to have her on board.
It is great to work with such dedicated, loyal people every day who care to meet the needs of our communities.
Thank you for meeting the clinical community needs as well as making the vacancy of a manager less painful
than it could be!!
Parent/Guardian Fact Sheets have recently been added to our Wedco
website under the School Health Program page.
The fact sheets are a great resource for parents, with some of the most
common childhood illnesses. Each fact sheet has information on symp-
toms, how the disease is spread, when to keep your child home from
childcare or school, when to call your healthcare provider, and of course,
how to prevent the illness.
Page 5
In the Know at Wedco
TLC @ Home Rene Rawlins, RN ~ Director of Home Health Nursing
Home Health, Waiver & EPSDT
I’m proud to report that we have filled several vacancies. Nicholas County welcomes Melissa Earlywine as a
home health nurse and Rita Mattox as a home health aide. Bourbon County welcomes Andrea Underwood and
Vanessa Smith as home health aides, Judy Mosley and Phyllis Sidles as home health nurses, and Suzie
Epperson as home health nursing supervisor. Harrison County welcomes Jeana Earlywine as home health aide
and Amber Guy as home health nurse. WOW!!.. that’s a lot of new faces that we are proud to see at our sites.
Some of you may have heard, we have a referral war going on between Bourbon and Harrison Counties. At
any given point and time, those folks at Harrison County will tell you that they have got it in the bag but Bour-
bon County is closing in quickly. Thus far, year to date, Harrison County has received 314 referrals compared
to Bourbon County’s 304. Nicholas is at 229 and Scott at 193. It’s the home health derby…..
Our home health agency has been named a 2013 HHCAHPS HONORS™ recipient.
We have been recognized as one of the top 20 percent of agencies that continuously provide the highest level
of satisfaction through their care as measured from the patient’s point of view. The HHCAHPS Honors ac-
knowledges the highest performing agencies ranked by an analysis of satisfaction measures covering both per-
formance and improvement of care.
Of 1200 agencies participating across the nation there were 12 agencies in KY who received this award for
patient satisfaction. Of the twelve (12), seven (7) were public health department home health agencies & 5
were for profit agencies. So…..Way to go HOME HEALTH folks…..
EPSDT
This program continues to grow. We are still facing reimbursement problems that have resulted in a great deal
of time spent in this program. Nicole Gray is fully trained and handling all of the day to day activities in this
program.
Waiver
Denise Hatfield continues to manage this program with Crissy’s assistance. She has been marketing since our
last newsletter and has been quite successful.
Page 6
In the Know at Wedco
In the Trenches Gene Thomas, RS ~ Director of Environmental Health & Preparedness
During the past couple of months the Environmental Program has seen an increase in the Onsite Sewage Program. Ser-
vices in this program are up 25% from last year. We continue to review several public building plans for new construc-
tion. We continue to quarantine several animals that have bitten humans as required by the Kentucky Rabies law. Be sure
to make sure your pets are vaccinated for rabies as required by law.
Meth Labs continue to be on the rise. As required by law our staff must give a “Notice of Contamination” to the owner
of the property as well as provide a certified Meth Lab contractor list to the owner. In addition, we are required to give
the owner educational materials on Meth. Once we have met with the owner we are then required to send information to
the Kentucky State Police, local law enforcement agencies, Kentucky Department for Public Health and the Kentucky
Environmental Protection Agency. Did you know that Hotels are exempt from Meth Lab clean up? Hotels are the only
ones that do not have to be accountable for cleaning up after a Meth Lab is found in their hotel!
Starting at the end of October most of our permitted establishments receive invoices from Wedco to pay for their permits
for the next year. This process requires a lot of time and effort in mailing these invoices and keeping up with the ac-
counting process for all these establishments. I would like to thank Tina Bennett for doing a wonderful job in assuring
that all of our facilities pay their permit fees in addition to making our Environmental staff jobs a little easier. Kudos to
you Tina for always doing a great job!
BE PREPARED, BUILD A KIT
Being prepared for an emergency isn't just about staying safe during a disaster. It's about how to stay comfortable, clean,
fed, and healthy afterwards – when a storm or disaster may have knocked out electricity.
If you lost power, how would you eat? The refrigerator can’t keep foods cold. The microwave can’t warm things up. You
might not get clean water out of your faucets. How would you find out whether it was safe to go outside? Not from the
TV or computer!
That’s why it’s important for families to work together to build an emergency kit before an emergency strikes. There
should be enough food, water, clothing, and supplies to last for at least three days.
Here are some items your family will need:
Emergency Supplies Checklist for Kids Ready Kids Activity Book Emergency Supplies Checklist for Par-
Non-perishable food (dried fruit, peanut butter, etc)
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Matches in a waterproof container
Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap
Paper plates, plastic cups and utensils, paper towels
Water – at least a gallon per person, per day
Battery-powered or hand-cranked radio
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
Flashlights
Whistle to signal for help
Can opener (manual)
Local maps
Pet supplies
Baby supplies (formula, diapers)
Behind the Scenes April Thomas, MPH ~ Community Health Promotion Manager
Accreditation, Child Care Health Consultation, Health Education & HANDS
Health Education
Congratulations to Ashley Scott for receiving her Child Passenger Safety Certification! Cooper Clayton
classes are coming up for all three counties (see below). Also, the 2014 WCYN Coffee Break Schedule is
complete (see below). Be sure to listen in to learn more about our various services, programs, and events.
Cooper Clayton Smoking Cessation 2014:
Harrison County – Jan 6-Mar 31, Mondays @ 5:15pm
Scott County – Feb 6-May 1, Thursdays @ 5pm
Nicholas County – Apr 1-Jun 24, Tuesdays @ 5:15pm
Wedco Employees (District Office) – Nov 5-Feb 11, Tuesdays @ Noon
Wedco Employees (Other Locations) – TBA
Page 7
In the Know at Wedco
WCYN Coffee Break Schedule 2014 Live 8:00-9:00am
2nd Thursday of Each Month Rebroadcast 4:00-5:00pm
Date Topic Speaker
9-Jan Home Health Rene Rawlins
13-Feb Red Dress Campaign/Cardiovascular Month Cancer Coalition/April Thomas
13-Mar Diabetes Alert Day/National Nutrition Month Diabetes Coalition/Ashley Scott
10-Apr Early Childhood Services Carol Carson
8-May Public Health Information Crystal Miller
12-Jun Waiver Program Denise Hatfield
10-Jul Back to School - Immunizations & Wellness April Thomas
14-Aug HANDS Program Libby Ritchey
11-Sep Environmental Services/Preparedness Month Gene Thomas
9-Oct Breast Cancer Awareness Month Cancer Coalition/Ashley Scott
13-Nov National Diabetes Awareness Month Diabetes Coalition/April Thomas
11-Dec Holiday Nutrition/Winter Wellness Ashley Scott/Carol Carson
SOCIAL MEDIA REMINDER!
Wedco has a Facebook page: www.facebook.com/wedcohealth.
If you are on Facebook, please ‘like’ us. If you have something you would like
posted to Facebook, please let me know!
Child Care Health Consultation
It’s the number one cause of death for Kentucky babies. It is not a disease or a birth defect. It is abuse - shaken
baby syndrome. Also known as abusive head trauma, it describes the damage that can occur when a baby is
violently shaken, including blindness, seizures, paralysis, permanent brain damage, even death.
House Bill 285, signed into legislation May 2010 by Governor Steve Beshear, requires training for a variety of
professionals and groups throughout the state of Kentucky who come into contact with young children. This
means law enforcement, child care workers, foster and adoptive parents, trauma and emergency medicine phy-
sicians, pediatricians, radiologists, family practitioners, licensed and clinical social workers, etc will be re-
quired to show they have completed the training by December 2013.
During the months of November and December, the CCHC program has been busy ensuring that child care
providers in the area are compliant with state licensing regulations by providing Pediatric Abusive Head
Trauma training. It is important that we train child care providers and make sure they counsel family members
about the risks of these types of injuries. Caregivers learn to recognize early signs of maltreatment, which can
often prevent escalation to Abusive Head Trauma. They are the front line resources and need to know what to
do if they suspect a head injury has occurred.
If you have questions about abusive head trauma in infants, House Bill 285 or just know someone who could
benefit from having this information, you may contact me at [email protected] or by phone at 859-588-
5981.
HANDS
We continue to grow this program and are looking forward to 2014! In January we will have a half day Re-
treat for quality assurance purposes at the District Office. This will allow us the opportunity to share ideas
with our coworkers, go through patient charts, and prepare for our yearly site visit. I am really excited about
this opportunity to get together and do some QA activities as a group in hopes that this will make us all better
at what we do! ~Libby
Page 8
In the Know at Wedco
Behind The Scenes (CONTINUED)
2013-2014 Community Resource Directory
The Community Resource Directory has been updated and is now available! The directory includes infor-
mation for Harrison, Nicholas and Scott Counties, and (new for 2014!) we’ve added Bourbon County as
well. The Resource Directory will be made available on our website (Public - About Us page; Intranet -
Links page) and our global drive. This is a great resource for our District, so be sure to check it out!
Page 9
In the Know at Wedco
News Flash! What’s Happening In the Lives of Wedco Employees
Scott County Clinic would like to welcome Sherry Thomas to Scott and Harrison Clinics. She comes to us
from the School Nurse program -- Harrison County High School.
Happy holidays!
~Donna Long, Scott County Health Center
Some personal notes: My youngest daughter, Lindsey, turned 8 on November 4, 2013, and on December 21,
2013 my husband, Kevin, and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary.
I would also like to say that time has just flown by; I can’t believe it has been 6mos since I started at Wedco!
I am thankful for this new opportunity and for all of my co-workers, and I am looking forward to 2014.
Happy New Year!
~April Thomas, Scott County Health Center
Just want to say how thankful I am to have a good job with great co-workers. I am really blessed!
Thanks to the Program Managers for thinking of Wedco employees and showing their appreciation with the
luncheon provided.
My daughter, Lesley Jamison, and her family are moving to Tallahassee, FL the day after Christmas. Her hus-
band, BJ accepted a job with the State of Florida. Lots of trips south are in my future!!!
My granddaughter, Kerrigan Jamison, turned 2 on December 17, 2013.
~Sheila Stanaford, Nicholas County Health Center
CONGRATULATIONS
ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT
ASHLEY SCOTT!!
WELCOME to All New Wedco Employees!
We’re glad to have you on our team!
BOARD MEETINGS:
February 10 - District Board Meeting @ 6pm at the District Office
AWARENESS NOTES:
January: Cervical Health Awareness Month National Birth Defects Prevention Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month National Radon Action Month Thyroid Awareness Month
National Stalking Awareness Month National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month
Jan 6-12 - National Folic Acid Awareness Week Jan 28-Feb 2 - National Drug Facts Week
February: American Heart Month National Children’s Dental Health Month
AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Feb 1 - National Wear Red Day
Feb 7-14 - Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
March: National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month National Kidney Month
National Nutrition Month Mar 17-23 - National Poison Prevention Week
Mar 19 - Kick Butts Day Mar 25 - Diabetes Alert Day
Daylight Savings Begins March 9!
HOLIDAYS:
December 31 & January 1 - New Year’s Eve & Day
January 20 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 2 - Groundhog Day
February 14 - Valentine’s Day
February 17 - Presidents’ Day
March 17 - St. Patrick’s Day
• Spring Break for Schools: Scott Co, Bourbon Co & Paris Ind. — March 31-April 4
Harrison Co — April 7-11 Nicholas Co — April 9-11
*Holidays in italics are not paid days off for staff. They are included in this newsletter for your information only.
Page 10
In the Know at Wedco
Looking Forward... Upcoming Events
302 Oddville Avenue
Mail to: P.O. Box 218
Cynthiana, KY 41031
Phone: 859-234-8750
Toll Free: 866-75-WEDCO (93326)
Fax: 859-234-0054
E-mail: [email protected]
Editor: April Thomas, MPH
Wedco District Health Department & Home Health Agency
To protect, preserve, and promote the
health, environment, and well-being of
the people in our community.
www.wedcohealth.org
District Health Department and Home Health Agency
Serving Harrison, Nicholas, and Scott Counties, and
Bourbon County for Home Health
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