THE TALHO INSIDERPresidentBing BurtonDenton County Health Department

President-ElectCelestino GarciaMidland Health Department

Vice-PresidentLou FranklinWichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District

Past PresidentStephen L. WilliamsHouston Department of Health and Human Services

Secretary / TreasurerPatsy GainesMilam County Health Department

Executive DirectorLee A. Lane

Members-At-LargeEduardo OlivarezHidalgo County Health Department

Roger BarkerWaco-McLennan County PublicHealth District

Michael HillCity of El Paso Department ofPublic Health

Children’s Courtyard becomes pilot school for TALHO Grow-and-Go Garden System (cover)

El Paso kicks off Empowerment social media campaign

Seven symptoms that are indicative of a heart attack

Smoke-free Texas

Tech tips and more

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Dear Members,

Texas Association of Local Health Officials continues to represent the collective interest of the organization’s local public health membership; working most recently to improve the provision of public health services at the local level through advocacy and legislation.

We have been diligently supporting and tracking Senate Bill No. 969 throughout the 82nd Legislative Session, using the collective influence of our membership to advocate for the establishment of a Public Health Funding and Policy Committee. If the bill passes, the proposed committee would be comprised of nine appointed members; two regional health directors, five local health entities that each represent distinctly different populations, and two representatives of schools of public health at institutions of higher education in Texas. This well-rounded group of appointees would include a powerful local public health voice to make decisions regarding funding and policy that are in the collective interest of the TALHO Membership.

To reflect back, TALHO began 2011 with these public health policy priorities: improving provision of public health services at the local level, reducing the physical and financial effects of chronic diseases on the population, and immunizing Texans to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases within the population. Senate Bill No. 969 aims to define services provided by local health departments, evaluate these services and identify improvement initiatives, identify funding sources and set funding priorities, and eliminate the contracting inefficiencies of the current State and local government system by fostering a more collaborative relationship.

Additionally, a state-wide smoking ban and evidence-based strategies to reduce obesity and its related costs would have an impact in another area; chronic diseases in our community. On the infectious disease front, TALHO is in favor of legislation to change ImmTrac, the state’s immunization registry, from and opt-in to an opt-out system.

To demonstrate our support for the aforementioned policy priorities, TALHO hosted the 2011 Legislative Breakfast Series comprised of two events held at the State capitol; one on January 12, 2011 and one on March 29, 2011. These events, which included complimentary breakfast during presentations given by TALHO Members and constituents, provided local public health with a platform to demonstrate their research, results, and efforts in light of proposed legislation.

As we look at the future of public health, pending legislation will no doubt play an important role in our challenges and successes.

Sincerely,

Lee Lane

Executive Director, TALHO

What Are The Benefits Of Participating In Rollcall?

• Timely information exchange

• Timely data augments preparedness efforts by:

• Decreasing public health response time

• Providing a basis for the early predication of outbreaks

• Allowing public health to provide more targeted awareness campaigns and programs

• LHD/ISD collaboration provides a more comprehensive view of community/student issues

• The presence of data increases grant application success

• Analyzed data can be used by preparedness staff and ISDs to better plan and allocate resources

• There is no cost to ISDs

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Live a More Colorful Life!Tarrant County Public Health is campaigning to educate area kids and adults alike on the benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables in their diet. The program includes an easy to navigate, color coordinated web page filled with nutrition facts about various fruits and vegetables.

For example: if you look under the red category, you find tomatoes. Their web site says tomatoes contain lycopene, vitamins C, A and K, potassium and fiber to help in the development of healthy teeth, bones, skin and hair.

The web site also tells you where to find locally grown produce and what is in season.

You can find more information on the campaign and the benefits of a colorful diet on the Tarrant County Public Health Department web site.

ROLLCALLTexas school districts will now be able to analyze epidemiological data quickly and effectively through the implementation of Rollcall school surveillance software. Rollcall was piloted by TALHO in 2009 in conjunction with the largest local health department in the state of Texas, the Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS), and one of the top ten largest ISDs in the nation, the Houston Independent School District (HISD). School surveillance provides local public health with early indicators of outbreak so that public health may respond and serve the community in a more timely and comprehensive manner. With input from epidemiologists at HDHHS and Administrators at HISD, TALHO completed Phase 1 of Rollcall development which was designed to collect absentee data. TALHO is currently working on Phase 2 of development, designed to give the Rollcall program a revised, user-friendly look and feel. Phase 2 will also incorporate a notification feature, advanced graphing features, and the introduction of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) data collection. The data that is collected by Rollcall is stored in a secure, state-managed data center.

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New Membership Directory

The Public Health Department at TALHO will be publishing the 2011 Membership Directory. Members may use this tool to find information on TALHO services, awards, affiliations, and employee roles.

Through its second annual Membership Directory, TALHO hopes to empower our community of health care officials by building connections between members. Inside members can find contact information, key staff recognition, financial data, demographic statistics, and an overview of public health services.

TALHO would like to thank all our members for your contributions of time, energy, and information. They are invaluable in ensuring the accuracy of this publication.

The document will be available in both print and a digital format found on the TALHO web site at www.TALHO.org.

If you have any questions or comments, contact Jennifer Smith, TALHO’s Chief Public Health Officer, at Jennifer.Smith@TALHO.org or (512) 814-2546.

TECH TIP: STREAMLINING SOCIAL MEDIA

When one in three web sites visited in the United States is Facebook, and Twitter is commonly in the news as a community organizing tool, it makes sense for health officials to stay connected to each other and the communities they serve using social media. For an already over worked staff, this means one more thing to keep track of along with e-mail, snail mail, phone calls, post-it notes, and voice mail. Here is a tip for streamlining updates across your blogs, Twitter, and Facebook

accounts.

Both Facebook and Twitter have settings you may select where you will be updated via e-mail if you are messaged, someone writes on your wall, or you are invited to an event. These settings are easy to locate in the options sections for beta sites. Once selected, all the incoming information will be focused into one location which you probably check regularly anyway, your e-mail.

To streamline your outbound social media messages, you can utilize Twitter and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) applications in Facebook. With the Twitter/Facebook app, whenever you tweet on Twitter the same

message is posted on your Facebook. There’s an official Twitter app for Facebook that you can find by searching in the Facebook search bar.

There’s a variety of RSS apps for Facebook and you will want to find the one that fits best. All relevant blogging software and web sites utilize RSS to help readers access their blogs in the feeds or on their readers. A Facebook RSS app will take any RSS feed and link posts from it on your Facebook wall. You may also find these apps by searching in the Facebook search bar.

Good luck, and enjoy the time freed up by this elimination of work redundancy.

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The campaign encourages women to make the call to 911 immediately after experiencing any of these symptoms. For more information visit www.womenshealth.gov.

MAKE THE CALL, DON’T MISS A BEAT.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health has developed a campaign to prepare women to recognize the symptoms related to a pending heart attack.

“A woman suffers a heart attack every 90 seconds in the United States. Yet according to a 2009 American Heart Association survey only half of women indicated they would call 9-1-1 if they thought they were having a heart attack and few were aware of the most common heart attack symptoms.” -womenshealth.gov

The campaign provides a list of seven symptoms that are indicative of a pending heart attack:

EMPOWERMENT. Like.Through their social campaign Empowerment, City of El Paso Department of Public Health is organizing individuals who are at high risk for contracting HIV.

Their mission is to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS regionally, nationally and internationally, and to reduce the incidence of new infections through education, outreach and testing.

The Empowerment campaign utilizes social media tools like Facebook to build a community around El Paso’s HIV positive community and their friends. Facebook claims to have 500 million active users, of whom about half login on a given day. Empowerment El Paso is tapping into that to provide non-medical support services to individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

For more information check out The Empowerment El Paso page on Facebook or call 915-590-2118 for more information.

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS

Chest Painor

Discomfort

Unusal upper body discomfort

Shortness of breath

Breaking out in a cold

sweat

Unusal or unexpected

fatigue

Light-headedness or sudden dizziness

Nausea (feeling

sick to the stomach)

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TALHO HYDROPONICSAustin area kids connect with the food they are consuming and have a little fun.

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Texas Association of Local Health Officials (TALHO) in conjunction with The Children’s Courtyard – a leader in early education and child care – is bringing

cutting-edge, hands-on nutrition education to youth across Austin to help instill the knowledge and awareness necessary to prevent childhood obesity.

TALHO utilizes innovative technology to meet and exceed public health goals such as protecting the community, preventing disease, and promoting health and wellbeing. In 2009, the organization’s Technology Department built a hydroponic test lab with the intention of determining how to make the innovative growing method both affordable and accessible to the community.

Hydroponics is a method of cultivating plants without soil using nutrient solutions in water. With produce being grown indoors, hydroponic growing systems are not subject to climate or space restrictions like outdoor gardening and can provide healthy food and nutrition education to students and the community on a long-term basis.

Through a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture, TALHO developed a compact, prototype hydroponic garden during the winter of 2010, ultimately naming it the TALHO Grow-and-Go Garden System.

“Texas Association of Local Health Officials has kept the state of Texas on the cutting edge through technological development and public health activities. Combining technology and nutrition education to make a difference in the battle against childhood obesity seemed like the next best step,” explained Lee Lane, Executive Director for TALHO.

The organization enlisted the assistance of a Board Certified Nutrition Specialist and Austin Community College Adjunct Professor to develop a curriculum for young children between the ages of 3 and 5 that would increase healthy decision-making regarding nutritious food choices and exercise.

In February 2011, The Children’s Courtyard– became the pilot school to acquire a TALHO Grow-and-Go Garden System and implement the nutrition education curriculum to supplement existing school lesson plans. The early education provider’s youngest students, gathered around tables full of growing media and prepared seeds for their nursery before beginning an 18-week nutrition program they will follow as they concurrently care for their plants and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

“The Children’ Courtyard is committed to providing children with a well-rounded education that goes beyond the 3R’s, but also encompasses important topics like health and wellness,” said June Smith, Campus Director for The Children’s Courtyard. “Our teachers, families and students are excited to participate in this program and we look forward to helping it expand across Texas.”

For more information contact Claire Ashton, TALHO’S Communication Director/Project Coordinator. cashton@talho.org or (512) 814-2546.

BATTLING CHILDHOOD OBESITY THROUGH HYDROPONIC GARDENING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION

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EXTINGUISHING SMOKING IN PUBLIC AREAS IS A PRIORITY FOR TEXAS VOTERSTexas Public Health Coalition

Secondhand smoke exposure is the third leading preventable cause of death, according to the American Heart Association, and is the known cause of heart disease, lung cancer, low birth weight, and chronic lung ailments. It contains more than 7,000 chemicals – at least 69 of which are carcinogenic. In 2008 alone, more than 28,000 Texans were diagnosed with tobacco-related cancer.

The bottom line is that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure.

The Texas Public Health Coalition and Smoke Free Texas, groups made up of organizations that believe both employees and non-smokers should have the right to breathe clean air, have compiled compelling studies that prove a statewide smoking ban would yield no real impact on business.

Every year the direct medical expenses of smoking, loss of workplace productivity, and premature death cost Texas more than $20 billion. Doctor Jill S. Rumberger at Pennsylvania State University prepared a report for the American Lung Association entitled Potential Costs and Benefits of Statewide Smoke Cessation for Texas. In this report she noted that while the average retail price of a pack of cigarettes in 2010 was $5.52, the actual cost to the Texas economy was $21 per pack. Texas indeed pays a heavy price for tobacco users.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that one out of five adults and youth smoke – that’s over 3.3 million Texans – there’s a staggering majority that does not. This is due in part to the priorities of public health stakeholders, like organizations in the Texas Public Health Coalition, who will spend 2011 sup-porting smoke-free legislation, funding for evidence-based interventions to reduce tobacco use, and enforce-ment of tobacco laws to prevent access to minors.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that smoking is responsible for over 24,000 annual deaths; a toll that would be reduced if the Texas Legislature enacts smoke-free bills filed during the 82nd legis-lative session.

According to a survey conducted by Baselice and Associates, Inc. via telephone in January 2011, 70% of ran-domly selected Texas voters favor a proposed statewide law that would prohibit smoking in all indoor work-places and public facilities including public buildings, offices, restaurants, and bars. The Texas voting majority, according to this survey, both favors employees’ rights to breathe clean air and views secondhand smoke as a serious health hazard. Over 63% of voters polled (non-smokers, former smokers and current smokers) would frequent bars and restaurants as often as they do now if smoke-free legislation was enacted. On top of that, 24% said they would visit these public establishments more often.

While 33 Texas municipalities have passed smoke-free ordinances, including the largest cities in the state, Texas’ rural population continues to suffer the consequences of secondhand smoke.

With little effect on industry and the health and welfare of Texas at stake, The Texas Legislature should con-sider the voices of the majority of voters who favor joining the 28 other states in the nation who have already progressively passed state-wide smoke-free laws.

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VIDEO CONFERENCING RECOMMENDATIONSBEFORE THE MEETING Prepare an agenda and materials: Participants should have the agenda and any other materials well before the meeting.

Eliminate environmental distractions: Consider anything that could detract from the conference, such as excessive light coming in through a window or noise from a hall. Ask other people in the office who have used the room for meetings about any problems they may have experienced.

Adjust the equipment: Everyone should be visible and centered in the view so that the camera is not being moved during the meeting. Place the microphone in a location where everyone can be heard and away from places where people will be moving papers or creating other distracting noise.

Arrive early to test the connection: No one wants to listen to “Can you hear me OK?” for five minutes after the meeting was supposed to start.

Choose one speaker per site to answer general questions: Example: If another participant wants to know whether your office has implemented a particular policy, for example, everyone won’t be talking at once.

DURING THE MEETING Introduce everyone: If the participants don’t know each other, have them introduce themselves. Consider setting up nameplates if there are multiple people who haven’t met before.

Act normal: Look straight into the camera, speak like you normally would, and use natural gestures.

Mute microphone: Remote sites should keep their microphone muted if they are not speaking.

Don’t be distracted: Checking your Blackberry every couple minutes or looking around the room can distract other participants.

Avoid side conversations: If you have to discuss something privately, mute your speaker. Try to address any anticipated issues with members of your office before the conference.

Limit your movement: Big gestures may disrupt the picture transmission and cause delays in everyone’s communication.

Don’t talk over each other: Keep in mind that there could be a delay; if it seems to take someone a few seconds to respond, be patient.

Don’t bring food into the meeting: Eating can be a potential distraction.

Once the videoconference is winding down, if someone still needs to discuss something, arrange to talk afterward.

You may think it’s OK to briefly joke with the person sitting next to you or to leave the room quickly for a third cup of coffee, but imagine everyone on camera doing the same thing and the disruption they would cause. In general, when participating in a videoconference, do what you can to minimize distractions. TALHO REQUESTS THAT YOU CONTACT THE TECHNICAL HELP DESK AT (512) 814-2546 AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED VIDEO CONFERENCES TO TEST CONNECTIVITY. FAILURE TO TEST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONNECTIVITY. IF YOU EXPERIENCE VIDEO CONFERENCING CONNECTIVITY ISSUES, PLEASE CONNECT TO SCHEDULED MEETINGS VIA TELECONFERENCE AND REPORT YOUR ISSUES TO TALHO AT (512) 814-2546 OR CONFERENCE@TALHO.ORG IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE MEETING.

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TECH TIP: ORGANIZING YOUR FILES

Your office computer stores files in folders that can contain an almost infinite amount of folders within them. This article will help you organize your files in that near limitless storage space.

There are two modes of storage in this type of folder system: depth and breadth. If you expand via breadth, you are placing more files in a folder. If you expand via depth, you are adding a folder in a folder and then placing the file in the new folder.

Often the first reaction is to expand breadth. This will quickly gets out of hand and you will find yourself scrolling through thousands of pictures and word documents trying to remember what you named the file you are looking for. If you expand the depth of your organization, you will place folders with more specific contents in folders of more vague contents. For example: placing a folder containing pictures from your booth at the convention into a folder named pictures would be expanding depth. When trying to organize, expanding depth is good.

Things to keep in mind:

• Keep the number of files in a give folder low enough that when you open it you can see all of them.

• Give the files and folders short and relevant names.

• Only use your desktop for items that need your immediate attention.

•folders have a variety of sorting options including by type or by name.

All in all you should refine a method that works best for you and your current work situation.

Biosurveillance Conference 2011

June 13-14 at The J. J. Pickle Research Campus, Austin, TX For more information: info@talho.com or (512)814-2546

BiosurveillanceConference.comPresented by TALHO in con junct ion wi th The Denton County Hea l th Department

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Staff Directory

Charles DuBoseProgrammercdubose@texashan.org

Chris MeredithTechnical Support Specialistcmeredith@texashan.org

Claire AshtonCommunications Director/Project Coordinatorcashton@talho.org

Eduardo GomezProgrammereddie@talho.org

Ethan Waldo Director of Software Developmentewaldo@talho.org

Glenn AchtenNetwork Engineergachten@texashan.org

Jennifer SmithChief Public Health Officerjennifer.smith@talho.org

Lee LaneExecutive Directorlee.lane@talho.org

Mary HernandezChief Operating and Financial Officermhernandez@talho.org

Rich BoldwayProgrammerrboldway@talho.org

Scott GotishaDirector of Network Opperationssgostisha@talho.org

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!Add your voice to The TALHO Insider. TALHO is looking for stories about public health issues effecting Texas and how public health workers are making an impact. If you would like to publish your articles or place an ad in this publication, contact TALHO at

(512) 814-2546 or info@talho.org

TALHO 2011 MEMBERSHIP MEETING DATES

Thursday February 10, 2011

Thursday April 7, 2011

Thursday June 9, 2011

Thursday August 11, 2011

Thursday October 13, 2011

Thursday December 8, 2011

Dates are subject to change. Visit www.TALHO.org for up to date information

Texas Association of Local Health Officials2600 McHale Court, Suite 100Austin, Tx 78758