Director's Message
The Director's Message is a monthly newsletter of Contra Costa Health, the county health department. Each edition includes a message from Health Director Anna Roth, as well as news about the department's staff and activities.
August 2022 Director's Message
Post Date:08/31/2022
Director's Message
Colleagues:
While Contra Costa County and the Bay Area are experiencing a wave of COVID-19, another virus, monkeypox, has appeared.
Contra Costa Health (CCH), along with the California Department of Public Health and other agencies, are monitoring the growing outbreak of cases.
Our county's first case was confirmed in mid-July and the number of confirmed and probable monkeypox cases is growing in the county – four confirmed and 20 probable.
While anyone can get monkeypox, it currently presents very little risk to the general community. To date, the largest number of cases have been in men who have sex with men (MSM).
Vaccine is currently in short supply and prioritized for community members who have had potential exposure or who are at high risk of exposure to monkeypox virus. Over the past few weeks, we've held several clinics in various locations around the county.
We will continue to work with the state for future vaccine supply needs, but we anticipate vaccine will continue to be in short supply at least through August.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to speed efforts to combat the monkeypox outbreak and secure more vaccine. There is currently no declared local health emergency in Contra Costa and we are evaluating the state declaration.
CCH is committed to the health and safety of all community members are we are working to quickly detect cases, protect those at risk and respond rapidly.
More information about the virus in Contra Costa County is available at our Mpox page and on the California Department of Public Health's website.
On behalf of the department and our community, thank you for all you do each day to keep our communities safe.
Public Health Nurse - Family Partnership Team Recognized
The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) team in Public Health Division's Family, Maternal & Child Health Programs was recently recognized by the program's National Service Office as a leader in the Nurse-Family Partnership national network.
"Contra Costa NFP not only adheres closely to model fidelity to provide high quality nursing care but is also highly accomplished in reflective practice and supporting nurse wellness. Contra Costa has had minimal nurse turnover over the last decade," the National Service Office said.
Nurse-Family Partnership is an evidence-based maternal child home visitation program that has been shown to improve maternal health, improve infant health and development, and increase family economic self-sufficiency. Contra Costa NFP not only achieves these outcomes but excels in supporting the families they serve.
The team was acknowledged for the high-quality nursing intervention they provided to 575 first time mothers and their families in Contra Costa over the past 10 years, with outcomes of 92% full-term newborns, 99% initiating breastfeeding, and 97% up to date on immunizations at 24 months of age.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) also recently recognized Contra Costa NFP for being one of two sites with the highest staff retention rates in California. We are grateful to Dawn Dailey, Public Health Nurse Program Manager, for her outstanding leadership.
Dawn is passionate about excellence and has developed a team that supports parents. She has promoted a strength-based environment and has developed a team that is diverse and supportive of one another. By being an outstanding role model, and by allowing team members to assume leadership roles, Dawn has created a team that shares the values of the program.
Congratulations to our nurses for being recognized for their great work. We are grateful for your care and commitment, and our community is a healthier place for your efforts.
Contra Costa Health Is Hiring
It takes a wide range of people to care for the health and wellness of our communities, and Contra Costa Health is always looking for amazing, passionate people to join our team.
Health Services Personnel has a team dedicated to helping us fill vacant positions with qualified candidates. The recruitment team does everything from developing recruitment plans to screening and rating applications to onboarding new hires.
The team also advertises job openings in newspapers, professional journals and online.
Additionally, all job openings, including transfer opportunities, are posted on CCHS iSite and the county's website.
HS Personnel encourages employees to refer family and friends, past colleagues and others within your network. Check out the CCH website for employment opportunities and sign up for job alert notifications.
Contra Costa EMS System Receives Award from American Heart Association
Contra Costa County's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was recently awarded the Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Plus Award for providing exceptional treatment to people experiencing ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attacks.
According to the American Heart Association, each year more than 250,000 people experience a STEMI, a severe heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart, which requires timely treatment.
Contra Costa's highly trained paramedics and EMTs play a vital role in the system of care for people who have heart attacks. They are often the first medical point of contact, so they can save precious minutes of treatment time by recognizing a person is experiencing a STEMI and quickly notifying our designated STEMI Receiving Centers.
The Gold Plus Award was achieved through the dedicated efforts of Contra Costa paramedics and EMTs and shows their dedication to providing lifesaving care.
Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition program was launched in 2014 and celebrates the achievement of pre-hospital providers and their collaboration with each other and destination hospitals specific to STEMI patient care.
Milestones
Congratulations to all the Contra Costa Health employees celebrating milestone anniversaries this month. You are an essential part of the work we do. Thank you for investing in the health and wellness of our communities.
Please note that Milestones and Service Excellence Awards are published every other month. Service Excellence Awards will be in the next edition of this newsletter.