Job Posting

Program Specialist

Full -Time position for a Program Specialist: Associates Degree preferred, two years’ experience in grant support for Emergency Preparedness or related experience. Salary range $11.63 to $11.98. Applicants interested in the above open position may mail their resume to The Champaign Health District, Attn: Michele Carnes, 1512 S. US Highway 68, Suite Q100 Urbana, OH 43078 or email mcarnes@champaighd.com. The Champaign Health District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. EOE/M/F/V/D.

Flu Vaccination

The Champaign Health District is currently offering flu vaccine. Clinics are on Mondays and Fridays from 8 AM- 3:30 PM. Please call ahead for appointment. Click here for other local health districts giving vaccinations.

Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year. This recommendation has been in place since February 24, 2010 when CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted for “universal” flu vaccination in the U.S. to expand protection against the flu to more people. While everyone should get a flu vaccine each flu season, it’s especially important that certain people get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications.

The cash price for a flu shot will be $20.00 for adults and $8.00 for children 6 months through 18 years of age. The health district will be using VaxCare again this year as the supplier and billing partner for the influenza vaccinations. Most health insurances will be accepted. The non-health insurance price will be $20.00 per shot; if you choose to use your health insurance to pay for your shot and the vaccine is not a covered service, you will receive a bill from VaxCare for the amount of the vaccine billed to your insurance which may be different than the non-insurance price. Medicare, Medicaid, CareSource, Molina, and Amerigroup will be accepted.

January is National Radon Action Month

Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, can be harmful at elevated levels. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer and present in elevated levels in about 50% of area homes. The only way to know if you have an elevated level in your home is to test. Act now as winter is the best time to test for radon gas. If your home has unsafe concentrations of radon gas, it can be fixed. Test kits may be obtained at the Health District office.

Job Posting

Health Commissioner – Champaign Health District: A successful candidate shall meet the qualifications set forth in the ORC 3709.11:   be a licensed physician, licensed dentist, a licensed veterinarian, licensed podiatrist, licensed chiropractor, or the holder of a master’s degree in public health or an equivalent master’s degree in a related health field and a minimum of two years of local public health experience, preferably in management. Candidate will possess effective communication skills, proven success in policy and business goal implementation, and a comprehensive knowledge of all areas of public health. Information about the position and the Champaign Health District is available by contacting Mary Collier 937.484.1607. Please email mcollier@champaignhd.com a cover letter, resume, and salary requirements or mail to 1512 S US Highway 68, Suite Q100 Urbana, OH 43078.  Attention: Mary Collier.  Initial deadline for resume submission is December 16, 2012 but may be extended at the discretion of the Board of Health. EOE/M/F/V/D.

What is Public Health?

There is a song that says "A picture is worth a thousand words" so I thought I would share an infographic that the American Public Health Association developed to share with America what public health is - click here to few the graphic.

The Champaign Health District is charged with meeting the public health needs of all residents of Champaign County.  In order to determine whether or not we are meeting these needs, we assess the services and/or programs that we provide based on the Essential Public Health Services as developed by the CDC to describe the public health activities that should be undertaken in all communities. The following list of the ten essential services is followed by the program and/or service that the Champaign Health District undertakes to meet the standard and assure quality public health services to Champaign County Residents.

Monitor health status to identify and solve community health problems.

        Determine and monitor water quality, Immunizations, HIV testing and counseling, Food-borne illness investigations, Bio-emergency preparation and coordination, Screening for diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar, Community health needs assessment, Child lead-poisoning surveillance

Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.

        Epidemiology, Tuberculosis screening and case management, Investigation and evaluation of nuisance complaints

Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.

Health education and promotion, WIC educational programs

Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems.

Bio-emergency regional collaborations, Community partnerships with law enforcement, social service

agencies, private providers, and EMA, Collaboration with WIC, Public health nursing, Advocate for

emergency needs of special/functional needs  population

Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.

Board of Health rules/regulations, Monitor, inspect, and register contractors and providers of

Environmental Health programs, Community health planning, Strategic and performance planning,

Establishment of procedures to deal with contaminated or high risk sites

Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.

Hazardous materials and site inspections for safe disposal, Professional licensure and regulation,

Food inspections, Tattoo inspections, Enforcement of local and state ordinances

Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.

Case management for tuberculosis and Children with Medical Handicaps, Newborn home visits, WIC,

Health education and promotion

Assure competent public and personal health care workforce.

Food service worker safety courses, Regional bio-emergency meetings, Performance evaluation,

Continuing education for professional staff

Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services.

Data management, Quality improvement, Community health needs assessment

Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.

Community health needs assessment, Bio-emergency surveillance and data collection, Customer

satisfaction surveys, Study of best practices in public health

"PLEDGE TO PREPARE" EVENT

Event Hosted By:

Champaign Health District, Champaign County EMA,

Champaign County Sheriff’s Department,  Champaign County 911 Dispatch

Urbana Fire Department, Urbana City Police Department

On Saturday, September 29th from 9AM– Noon at the Urbana Fire Department, each participating agency will have activities and information for all ages such as car seat checks,  Ident- A- Kid, and a   demonstration of SMART Jugs with one per family provided. In addition, the Red Cross, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and the Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) volunteers will be available to answer questions and recruit new volunteers.

Community Health Assessment

The 2012 Champaign County Adult Community Health Assessment consists of a telephone survey of 409 Champaign County adults, a youth survey administered in Champaign County schools, as well as the development of a community health improvement plan to help guide the strategic direction of health services in the county. The primary purpose of the survey of adults is to evaluate the health status of residents, establish public health priorities, and identify baseline measures for establishing public health program outcomes.

The assessment is based upon questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey conducted annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as community health assessments conducted by neighboring communities and priority health needs within the county. The assessment addresses access to and utilization of health care; the prevalence of certain diseases; lifestyle choices; early detection and immunizations; attitudes and behaviors toward health and prevention; and some broader community concerns.

The Youth Community Health Assessment consisted of two surveys that were developed to assess youth risk behaviors—a middle school instrument and a high school instrument. Questions were borrowed from the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets survey, as authorized by the Search Institute, along with selected question from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YBRS), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All in all, the assessments address risk behaviors and health of Champaign County students in grades 7-12.

Community partners have met to begin the development of a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).  The next meeting to reveiw a draft CHIP will be October 16, 2012 at 9:00 AM at the Champaign County Community Center.  The results of the survey may be seen here: Adult  Youth

Drug Take Back Day

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, September 29, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.

The Champaign Health District , the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office and the Mechanicsburg Police Dept. will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription and non-prescription drugs.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The American people have again responded overwhelmingly to the most recent DEA-led National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. On April 28th, citizens turned in a record-breaking 552,161 pounds (276 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,659 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories. When the results of the four Take-Back Days to date are combined, the DEA and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed over 1.5 million pounds (774 tons) of medication from circulation.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

On September 29^th from 10am-2pm there will be three locations set up throughout the county for easier access for drop off for all Champaign county residents.

 The following locations will be hosting drug take back centers: (To map locations click here)

    · MECHANICSBURG at Mechanicsburg Fire Dept., 18 N Main St.

    · NORTH LEWISBURG at Municipal Building, 60 E Maple St.

    · URBANA at Champaign Health District, 1512 S US Hwy 68

Flyer here for posting in your area.

FREE Healthy You Event!

Here are the details of this free event.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination

The Champaign Health District is preparing for Seasonal Influenza Vaccinations.  

Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year.  It is recommended for all persons over the age of six months receive the influenza vaccine. The health district will have high-dose vaccine available for persons over the age of sixty-five and nasal vaccine for healthy persons up through age 50.

The upcoming season's flu vaccine will protect against the three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the season. This includes an influenza A (H1N1) virus, an influenza A (H3N2) virus, and an influenza B virus.  

The calendar gives the dates and times of public vaccination clinics.

Update on Friday, September 7, 2012 at 08:54AM by Shelia Hiddleson, Health Commissioner

The health district will be using VaxCare again this year as the supplier and billing partner for the influenza vaccinations.  Most health insurances will be accepted.  The non-health insurance price will be $20.00 per shot; if you choose to use your health insurance to pay for your shot and the vaccine is not a covered service, you will receive a bill from VaxCare for the amount of the vaccine billed to your insurance which pay be different than the non-insurance price.  Medicare, Medicaid, CareSource, Molina, and Amerigroup will be accepted.