FDH Health Matters

The Fairfield Department of Health (FDH)

Meet the Board of Health

Regular events:

Board of Health meetings

are held the second Wednes-

day of each month at 3:00

p.m. at the Health Depart-

ment facility.

District Advisory Council

meets at 7:00 p.m., at the

Fairfield County Court-

house.

Environmental Review Com-

mittee (ERC) is a public

forum for discussing issues

regarding Environmental

Programs - ERC meetings

are held monthly at the

Health Department begin-

ning at 9:00 a.m.

Issue 3 • Spring 2015

Introducing the District Advisory Council

Fairfield County’s District Advisory Council (DAC) consists of the chairman of each

township Board of Trustees (or a representative), each village Mayor, and the Presi-

dent of the Board of County Commissioners.

The DAC appoints Board of

Health members, who represent

the General Health District.

As required by state statute, the

DAC meets in March for the

purpose of appointing its officers

(Chairman, Vice-Chairman and

Secretary) and a member of the

Board of Health. The DAC meets

a total of four times a year

(June, September, January and

March).

Trivia Questions

A. What are your chances of being struck by lightning?

B. Where did “malaria” get its name?

C. What is believed to be the oldest written health code in the world?

Answers on page 3

The Board of Health consists of five

members, appointed by the District

Advisory Council (DAC). A board

member’s term of office is five years

from the date of appointment, with

one member being appointed each

year at the March DAC meeting.

The Board of Health President for

2015 is Dave Petty, and the President

Pro-Tempore is Jim Massey. Board

officers are voted on annually at the

March Board of Health meeting.

Board of Health members are volun-

teers and take no compensation for

serving on the board. However, they

may be paid a sum not to exceed $80.00 a day for attendance at each meeting. They

are also eligible to receive travel expenses at rates established by the state to cover

expenses for meetings outside the county. The Fairfield County Board of Health Mem-

bers voted not to receive any compensation for their attendance or travel.

Dave Petty, President Tina Childers

Darryl Koop

Charlie Engen Jim Massey

FDH Health Matters Page 2

Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) activities address public health readi-

ness for responding to public health emergencies or threats. These threats or emergen-

cies could include biological or environmental situations, bioterrorism, weather, or out-

breaks of infectious disease.

PHEP programming focuses on meeting objectives in 15 public health target capabilities.

Collaboration for planning and response activities occurs at the local, regional, state and

federal levels.

PHEP program activities include plan maintenance, staff training and exercise opportu-

nities, disease surveillance activities, public speaking events for emergency prepared-

ness, and local and regional planning collaboration.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness

The ABC’s of Accreditation

Accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) means that a health

district meets a nationally adopted set of public health standards. The State of Ohio

has required that all health districts in the state achieve Accreditation by 2020 as a

prerequisite for receiving state subsidy and grant monies.

The Fairfield Department of Health has been working toward Accreditation since early

2013. In 2014, as part of Accreditation, the Health Department completed a Strategic

Plan. In March 2015, a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan was completed.

We are committed to achieving Accreditation and providing the highest standard of care

and services for our community.

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

CQI is a cornerstone of the PHAB Accreditation program. It is an improvement process

that is focused on activities. It is continuous and contains measurable improvements in

efficiency, effectiveness, performance, accountability, outcomes, and other indicators of

quality.

In March 2015, the FDH CQI Plan was completed; and a CQI Team was identified to

begin work on CQI projects. The FDH CQI Plan is available on our website:

www.myfdh.org.

Achieve Accreditation Status • Bring Excellence to Service • Comply with National Guidelines

According to the Ohio Department of Health, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer

deaths in Ohio¹. Fortunately, preventative screenings and early detection can save lives; as many as

60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented by regular screenings².

Health officials are urging people ages 50 and older to talk to their doctors about being screened for

colorectal cancer. There are several screening options available, including simple take-home options.

The American Cancer Society recommends one of the following:

A Word on Cancer Screening

Tests that find polyps and cancer

Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years*

Colonoscopy every 10 years

Double-contrast barium enema every five years*

CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every five years*

Tests that mainly find cancer

Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) every year*,**

Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year*,**

Stool DNA test (sDNA) every three years*

It’s important to remember that the only wrong choice is to not be screened at all. For information about colorectal cancer and

what to expect during the screening, visit the American Cancer Society website at www.cancer.org or the Colon Cancer Alliance

website at www.ccalliance.org/colorectal cancer.

*Colonoscopy should be done if test results are positive **Highly sensitive versions of these tests should be used with the take-home multiple sample method. An FOBT or FIT done

during a digital rectal exam in the doctor’s office is not adequate for screening.

Source: American Cancer Society Recommendations for Colorectal Cancer Early Detection. http://bit.ly/1eQr64U

¹ Colon & Rectum Cancer in Ohio, 2007-2011. Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System, Ohio Department of Health and The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, December 2014.

² “Colorectal Cancer Screening: It’s the Right Choice” Infographic. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, February 2015.

With severe weather season approaching, the following web sites are monitored by FDH staff:

National Weather Service (Warnings,

Watches, Advisories for Fairfield Co.):

http://forecast.weather.gov

Storm Prediction Center (Severe

Storm Probabilities): http://www.spc.noaa.gov

OHGO (Ohio Road Conditions):

http://www.ohgo.com

NBC4 Weather (Street-Level Radar

and Hourly Forecast): http://www.nbc4i.com/weather For Personal Emergency Planning, see the Ready Ohio website at http://www.ready.ohio.gov/

The Fairfield Department of Health Urges Local Residents to be Screened for Colorectal Cancer

1550 Sheridan Drive, Suite 100

Lancaster, Ohio 43130

Phone: 740-652-2800

Fax: 740-653-6626

Find us on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/fairfield.countyhealth

We’re on the

Web!

www.myfdh.org

Prevent • Protect • Promote

F a i r f i e l d D ep a r tme n t

Dr. Mark Abei, Health Commissioner

Larry Hanna, Administrator

FDH Health Matters Page 3

Vital Statistics The Vital Statistics division houses the birth and death certificates for Fair-

field County. The registrar has access to records from December 1908 to pre-

sent — birth certificates for all of Ohio and death certificates from within

Fairfield County.

The primary function of the Vital Statistics division is to ensure that Fairfield

County has a complete and accurate system of registration for birth and death

records. The registrar works with the local hospital, funeral homes, midwives

and the coroner’s office to file new birth and death certificates and related

documents.

Records may be obtained by mail, over the phone or in person at the Health

Department, with same-day service from 8:00 to 3:45, Monday through Fri-

day. Those wishing to dig deeper may leave their contact information for a

local genealogy volunteer who researches for the public on Tuesdays.

Contact the Vital Statistics office at (740) 652-2836 for assistance in obtaining

a vital record. Applications and additional information are available on the

Health Department’s website: www.myfdh.org.

Trivia Question Answers (from page 1) A. Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000 but could be re-duced by following safety precautions. B. “Malaria” comes from Medieval Italian mala aria, or “bad air.” People once thought that bad-smelling air (i.e. swamp air) caused the disease. C. Leviticus, 1500 B.C. The book dealt with per-sonal and community responsibilities, including guidance on cleanliness of body, sexual health behaviors, protection against contagious dis-eases and isolation of lepers. Trivia found at www.ready.gov, www.malaria.com

and www.sphtc.org

Numbers from 2014 Records filed Birth Certificates 1,006

Death Certificates 1.083

Fetal Death Certificates 4

Home Births 13

Records issued Birth Certificates 2,749

Death Certificates 4,181

Burial Permits 565

1 tsp chicken bouillon granules ¼ cup water

1 tsp salt ¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp pepper 1 tsp olive oil

In microwave heat water and bouillon for 1 minute. Stir well. Add salt,

garlic powder, pepper and olive oil. Set aside.

2 cups broccoli florets 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, quartered 1 cup sliced celery

1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced 1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced

Stir-fry the broccoli, carrots, onion and celery in 1 TBS olive oil for 2-3 minutes.

Add the bouillon mixture, cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add zucchini and red pepper.

Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cabbage. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes

or until veggies are crisp tender.

Springtime Vegetable Medley

Strategic Plan

In 2014, the Fairfield Depart-ment of Health developed a Strategic Plan, effective Sep-tember 2014 through August 2017. With input from staff, the plan contains revised mission, vision and values statements and outlines Health Department goals and objectives. The FDH Strategic Plan is available on our website.

Fairfield Department of Health

Strategic Plan September 2014 – August 2017