Public Health Alliance of CO Media Resources

New Directions for ED of Alliance Associate Member Organization

Special Announcement from CCIC Executive Director Lydia McCoy

Dear friends,

As Executive Director, it has been my great pleasure working with this Coalition; every day has involved learning from and connecting with such passionate people dedicated to children's health. As I began to consider new opportunities over the past months, the Board of Directors and I looked strategically at planning for the continued success of CCIC, and we are now ready to announce transition plans on the horizon.

After much preparation and discussion, the CCIC Board voted last week to hire Erin Suelmann, our current Deputy Director, as Acting Executive Director starting August 1st. I couldn't be more thrilled with the Board's decision and am excited to continue to be a part of this transition until the end of 2011. I feel so fortunate to have a Board who has thoughtfully and thoroughly considered how best to approach this transition, and to have an internal candidate with the vision and expertise necessary to lead our Coalition.

Beginning August 1st I will remain a part of CCIC as a part-time contractor engaged on specific projects and as a support to Erin as she takes on the Executive Director role. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have at lydia.mccoy@childrenscolorado.org and you may also send your congratulations to Erin at erin.suelmann@childrenscolorado.org. Erin is honored and delighted for the opportunity to lead CCIC and continue working with all of you to keep Colorado kids healthy.

 I look forward to continuing to be a part of this organization's thriving community in the coming months. You are a tribute to the strength of this coalition, and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together.

 All my best!    

 

Lydia McCoy
Executive Director
Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition

El Paso County Public Health Introduces New Logo

News Release

El Paso County, CO — El Paso County Public Health has introduced a new logo, along with its new name, to further emphasize the agency’s mission of protecting public health.

The agency changed its name from El Paso County Department of Health and Environment to El Paso County Public Health in January. The change was made to simplify the agency’s formal name, and bring focus to its mission of protecting public health and wellness for the entire community.

In light of the agency’s impending move to a new location this fall, El Paso County Public Health has taken this opportunity to transition to its new name and logo. These changes are timely, because the move will require agency materials to be updated to reflect the Citizen’s Service Center’s address on Garden of the Gods Road. The agency’s website and printed materials will be updated when necessary to make efficient use of resources. Read the full article here.

To visit the El Paso County Public Health website, click here.

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment fills seven senior executive positions

For Immediate Release
June 13, 2011

Dr. Chris Urbina, executive director and chief medical officer at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, has announced the selection of seven Senior Executive Service staff for leadership positions within the department. Read more...

Public health groups sound warning about preparedness cuts

May 19, 2011
by Lisa Schnirring
CIDRAP

Two public health advocacy groups this week warned that recent cuts in US preparedness funding could hamstring the nation's response to a health emergency such as a bioterrorism attack, flu pandemic, or natural disaster.

View the full story here.

See a CO Local Public Health Director on TV!

Dr. Adrienne Lebailly, Director of Larimer County Health Department, will be on this program on May 6, 2011.  Be sure to tune in!

KILLER OUTBREAKS

Series Premieres Friday, April 15 at 9 PM (ET/PT)

KILLER OUTBREAKS delves into the drama of our planet's most deadly diseases. In a world where global travel is the norm, the Earth's most devastating diseases are never more than a plane ride away. Killer pathogens constantly are evolving, increasing in strength and numbers. Every day, deadly diseases like West Nile, Monkey Pox and MRSA mutate at a rate that far outpaces modern medicine. Every one is vulnerable, but medical science is not without heroes. From small town doctors at community hospitals to top scientists at the Centers for Disease Control, the battle is being waged on all fronts. In a mortal battle against a ticking clock, doctors and specialists must work together to uncover the source of mysterious illnesses. Only then can they hope to combat these deadly pathogens, save lives and stop the devastation from becoming endemic.

In this season, six episodes will cover Athrax, E.coli, Hantavirus, Rabies, West Nile, Monkey Pox, Acinetobacter Baumannii, Salmonella, Valley Fever, Meningococcal Disease, SARS and MRSA.

Environmental health researchers release second draft of health impact assessment

From the Colorado School of Public Health @theForefront
March 8, 2011

Report examines health, safety effects of gas drilling in Garfield County

The Colorado School of Public Health released a report today on the potential health and safety impacts of natural gas drilling in the Battlement Mesa area of Garfield County.

The report is the second draft of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) originally released last September. It examines current information on the environmental, social and health status of Battlement Mesa and its residents. It then compares this with the known impacts of natural gas drilling and what health effects might be expected.

The assessment specifically looks at the impact on air, water, soil and traffic along with the potential economic and social effects of drilling. Then it makes recommendations on preventing pollution, protecting public safety and addressing social impacts by fostering effective communication between all stakeholders.

“The report responds directly to serious concerns that Battlement Mesa residents have had, and puts extensive research on the table for their review,” says Jim Rada, Environmental Health Manager for Garfield County Public Health and project manager for the HIA.

Continue reading online | Read the latest draft online | Provide public comments

Douglas County makes history with new study

From Colorado School of Public Health @theForefront
March 8, 2011

National Children's Study field office opens in Douglas Co.

Douglas County, Colo. is making history and it’s doing so under the direction of researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health and University of Colorado School of Medicine.

On March 2, 2011 representatives from the two schools, along with clinical partners at Battelle Memorial Institute, opened the National Children’s Study Douglas County field office in Lone Tree, Colo. – the site of a 25-year study marked as the nation’s largest, long-term study devoted to researching and understanding childhood health.

The opening of the field office signaled the start of a public recruitment campaign to enroll up to 1,000 Douglas County families in the study. Marketing and outreach efforts are visible throughout the community and focus on the message of improving health for generations to come.

“By participating they contribute to the health of not only this generation but future generations of children,” said principal investigator Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD.

Dr. Dabelea leads a team of epidemiologists, environmental health scientists, pediatricians and other medical professionals who will spend the next 25 years working with Douglas County participants to follow children from pre-birth to the age of 21. Researchers will gather information about environments where children live, learn and play and the relationship those environments have with a child’s genetics.  They will examine neighborhoods and schools, chemical exposures, food and water, cultural differences, geographic locations, behavior, and other factors that contribute to childhood health. Researchers will analyze the information in order to improve human health and well-being, and possibly understand the causes of diseases such as autism, diabetes and obesity.  Continue reading online

Leon Vinci: New Director of San Juan Basin Health Department

Durango Herald
1/31/2011

Leon Vinci had barely settled into his new job as director of the San Juan Basin Health Department when he was tagged to be co-chairman of the Health Alliance of La Plata County.

Vinci took the added responsibility in stride because the newly created alliance shares his goals – providing as much quality health care to as many residents as possible.  Read more...

Dr. Chris Urbina named Executive Director of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Gov.-elect John Hickenlooper announced today Dr. Chris Urbina will be the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Urbina, a native of Pueblo, is now the Director of Denver Public Health at Denver Health, where he is responsible for expanding the reorganization of public health services toward a more community-oriented approach while preserving the outstanding public health clinical services.

 In his new role, Urbina will also serve as the state's Chief Medical Officer.

"Dr. Urbina is uniquely qualified to oversee all aspects of the Department of Public Health and Environment," Hickenlooper said. "He is a physician and public health expert who knows Colorado and knows how to build consensus on complicated issues. Chris also has extensive experience finding community-based solutions that involve the environment, systems and policy changes. He will serve our state well."  Read more...

This New Year, Resolve to Ditch a Deadly Product

December 28, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chana Goussetis 303.441.1457 cgoussetis@bouldercounty.org 

Just in time for 2011 New Year’s resolutions, the 2010 Surgeon General’s report, How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease, details the damage tobacco smoke can do to the human body. The report emphasizes that there is no safe level of tobacco smoke exposure.

“Until this report, we did not know the true magnitude of the danger of tobacco,” noted Jennifer Kovarik, Boulder County Public Health Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (TEPP) program coordinator. “The report details the harm tobacco does and underscores the fact there is no safe level of exposure – tobacco smoke causes immediate damage at the cellular level.”

The 2010 report is the 30^th tobacco-related Surgeon General’s report issued since 1964. Key findings of the report suggest that:

• People don’t have to be heavy smokers or long-time smokers to get a smoking-related disease or have a heart attack or asthma attack that is triggered by someone else’s tobacco smoke.
• Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals and compounds. Hundreds of them are toxic, and more than 70 cause cancer.
• Chemicals in tobacco smoke interfere with the functioning of fallopian tubes, increasing the risk for problems in pregnancy (such as ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and low birth weight). These chemicals also damage the DNA in sperm, which might reduce fertility and harm fetal development.

The 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey results show that one in four (25.6 percent) of Boulder County high school students currently use tobacco products at least once a month. Approximately one in eight (11.9 percent) of Boulder County adults reported that they are current smokers (2008, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System). 

“The evidence is clear,” said Kovarik. “We need to do everything we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones, including quitting tobacco use, preventing youth from starting, and maintaining a smoke-free environment.

The report also emphasizes that:

• The damage from tobacco smoke is immediate.
• The longer a person smokes, the more damage there is to the body.
• Design components of cigarettes can increase addiction.
• There is no safe cigarette.
• The only proven strategy for reducing the risk of tobacco-related disease and death is to never smoke, and if you do smoke, to quit.

According to 2006 data gathered from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year tobacco kills more people than AIDS; cocaine, heroin, and alcohol use; vehicular accidents; homicide; and suicide combined.

Residents thinking about quitting can get free support by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

--www.bouldercountyhealth.org--