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| November 07, 2011- In This Issue |
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Home
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Infectious Diseases Rule |
Disaster Response |
TB Director Retires |
District Wins Award |
Let's Move a Success |
Alzheimer's Study
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PHRECIPE |
PHBRIEFS |
PHEVENTS
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PHNEWS
DPH Fosters New School Infectious Diseases Rule
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How to know more about infectious disease in
schools.
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When 1.7 million students enter Georgia classrooms, the
Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Georgia
Department of Education (DOE) want to ensure that teachers,
students and staff know how to respond to the potential
threat of infectious diseases. The two state agencies
recently worked together to develop the new State Board of
Education Infectious Diseases Rule to reflect today's public
health issues. The new rule replaces ambiguous, outdated,
and misleading language with terms recognized and utilized
by public health experts.
The new rule sets the guidelines for monitoring health,
detecting and investigating infectious diseases. Under
the new rule, the local education agency (LEA) can now
develop policies and training for staff; provide
personal protective equipment; counsel teachers,
parents, and/or students for medical evaluation; consult
with school nurses, public health representatives,
health care professionals, and school system
administrators; and protect the disclosure of
health-related information of about employees and
students.
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Pam Blackwell, Director of Emergency
Preparedness and Response, Cobb & Douglas Public
Health
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Pam Blackwell is no stranger to Public Health as the Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) at Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH). A
veteran in the world of emergency preparedness, one would
think that she would flaunt her many experiences and
expertise, but that is not the case.
"There is no 'I' in team," she says. "We are all part of
a team that is here to serve the public. I'm just a
team player."
A registered nurse, Blackwell has 30 years of experience
directing emergency departments and trauma centers in
Miami and Atlanta. In that time, she also helped develop
the first trauma center planning grant and served as
Director of Trauma in the State Office of Emergency
Medical Systems (EMS). Blackwell also served as Medical
Supervisor in the Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Atlanta
Committee for Olympic Games. She later began her career
at Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH). The shift in our
nation's terror attacks also shifted Blackwell's career.
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DPH TB Director Retires After 19 Years
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Karen Buford retired on November 1 with nearly
two decades of service to state government,
where she battled to reduce the number of
tuberculosis cases in Georgia.
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Karen Buford, Director, Tuberculosis Section, retired from
the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) on November 1.
With more than 19 years of service, Buford has served the
Tuberculosis Section in various roles, including Nurse
Specialist, Nurse Consultant, and Deputy Director. Buford
began her service battling tuberculosis in Georgia under the
DeKalb County Board of Health, but the majority of her
service, more than 17 years to be exact, has been with the
Department.
As she transitioned to retirement, Buford shared her
philosophy on public service. "The only constant in our
environment is change. It is important to use that change to
your advantage with flexibility, ongoing communication, and
an increased knowledge in your skill set. This equates to
survival in all aspects of your work environment."
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Gwinnett County Public Health and Four Corners Primary Care
Center, Inc. partnered with the Hayslett Group and are the
recipients of this year's Silver International Association
of Business Communicators (IABC) Award for their work in
recruiting full-time physicians in Georgia.
Together, they received the silver award in the category for
Overall Effort- Direct Mail/Direct Response Campaign
for their Physician Recruitment Direct Mail.
"It was truly an honor to receive the award on behalf of
both organizations," said Suleima Salgado, who served as the
Director of Communications with the Gwinnett, Newton, and
Rockdale County Health Departments and played an
instrumental role in the success of the efforts. Now the
Deputy Director of Communications for the Georgia Department
of Public Health (DPH), Salgado says, "Our goal was to make
two attractive mailers that would truly engage physicians
and showcase the unique career opportunity."
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Buchanan Elementary students stretch to get ready to
move!
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In an effort to address obesity and physical activity among
students in Georgia, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH)
Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative partnered with the
Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders and the Georgia State University
dance team to observe Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in
September. More than 500 students participated in the Let's
Move/"Move Your Body" dance performance at Arbor Springs
Elementary School, Buchanan Elementary School, Chestnut Mountain
Elementary School, Lewis Fraiser Middle School, Harper-Archer
Middle School, Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership
Academy High School, and Lithonia High School. Originally
performed by pop music star Beyoncé, students performed Move
Your Body in front of the student body, teachers, and
parents to promote physical activity through dance.
"It was encouraging to see how excited the students were
during their performance," said Monica Barnett, Physical
Activity Coordinator, Health Promotion Disease Prevention
Programs, Georgia Department of Public Health. "They were
having fun while being physically active and that's what
it's about. Physical activity should be fun so that everyone
will participate more to be healthier."
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A fruit fly's retina could provide a window into the
progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to a
newly published study by University of Dayton and
University of Florida researchers.
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Amit Singh, assistant professor of biology, worked with
University of Dayton collaborator Madhuri Kango-Singh, pre-med
and graduate students and other researchers at the University of
Florida to investigate early detection of the disease, which
afflicts an estimated 5.4 million Americans.
Using the fruit fly's eye as a model, the research team
discovered that memory loss can likely be prevented by
blocking the death of cells through the manipulation of a
key gene, according to the university.
Researchers found that a stress-activated protein
contributes to cell death, and that its pathway can be
blocked. They're now collaborating with UD biologist
Panagiotis Tsonis in testing 3,000 different drugs on the
fruit flies to find candidates for stopping the death of
neuronal cells in the fly eye.
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Home
|
Infectious Diseases Rule |
Disaster Response |
TB Director Retires |
District Wins Award |
Let's Move a Success |
Alzheimer's Study
|
PHRECIPE |
PHBRIEFS |
PHEVENTS
|
PHNEWS
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