Babies and young kids can sometimes sleep so peacefully that we forget they are even there. It can also be tempting to leave a baby alone in a car while we quickly run into the store. The problem is that leaving a child alone in a car can lead to serious injury or death from heatstroke. Young children are particularly at risk, as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. So far this year, more than 20 children across the US have died from heatstroke when children were alone in vehicles. These tragedies are completely preventable. Here’s how we can all work together to keep kids safe from heatstroke:
A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own.
C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.
T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.
West Nile Virus (WNV) infection can cause serious disease. WNV is a seasonal health risk in California and San Joaquin County that flares up with the warm weather in late spring or summer and continues into the fall.
Birds are carriers of West Nile Virus; a mosquito becomes infected by biting an infected bird. Infected mosquitos can spread the virus to humans, horses, and birds. The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites.
The week before Memorial Day is “National Healthy and Safe
Swimming Week” to focus on simple steps everyone can take to help ensure
healthy and safe swimming. This year’s theme, "Diarrhea and Swimming Don’t
Mix," encourages swimmers not to swim or let their kids swim if sick with
diarrhea.
We all share
the water we swim in, and we each can play an essential role in helping to
protect ourselves, our families, and our friends from germs such as Cryptosporidium, a diarrheal disease
caused by parasites not visible to the eye (both the disease and the parasite
are commonly known as "Crypto"). Cryptosporidiosis
is a caused by a parasite that can spread when someone swallows water that has
been contaminated with the poop of an infected swimmer.
Swimming and
other water-related activities are great ways to get the physical activity and
health benefits needed for a healthy life. Staying healthy and safe while you
swim and play in the water means knowing how to prevent recreational water
illnesses and injuries. For more information and other healthy and safe swimming
steps, visit https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/steps-healthy-swimming.html
Additional Resources (downloadable brochures, posters, infographics, and fact sheets):
This
weekend, many families & friends will gather around a table or blanket to
enjoy a feast. As
you welcome summer, San Joaquin County Public Health Services reminds you that
no recipe, whether it is meant for the kitchen or the grill, can be a success
without including food safety steps. When temperatures are warm,
bacteria thrive and can multiply quickly, which can unfortunately lead to
severe illness. We urge you to take these necessary precautions to protect
your family and friends from foodborne illness.
Public Health Services (PHS) works to protect the public's health and promote a healthy future for all residents. The just released Annual Report for 2016 provides a snapshot of the work and services provided this past year. It reviews selected data and program information, highlights some successes and challenges, and mentions a few of the main issues to address during 2017.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has dramatically increased the revenue from Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California), significantly lowered County costs, and expanded access to patients seeking services within the County health care system. Medicaid now provides health care coverage to 40% of San Joaquin County residents, nearly 300,000 individuals (2016 County population: 733,383). Of these enrollees, 73,773 became newly eligible under ACA Medicaid Expansion.
For San Joaquin General Hospital, San Joaquin County Clinics (the County Federally Qualified Health Centers -Look Alike) and San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services, the Medicaid Expansion (MCE) to childless adults has been the most significant and positive change of the ACA. This population had previously been uninsured and considered indigent under California statute. This population is typically very low income (under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level), homeless or housing insecure, and disconnected from preventive services or the health care system, accessing it only episodically - and most expensively – in hospital emergency departments, crisis mental health units, or in jail.
The expanded health care delivery infrastructure and population served by MCE is most in jeopardy with any repeal or (unknown) replacement of the ACA. If federal payments for this optional expansion are repealed and California ends or curtails this program, these enrollees would once again become uninsured.
Please see the following three documents which outline the impacts of the potential repeal of the ACA:
The Medical Marijuana Program (MMP) was established to provide a voluntary medical marijuana identification card issuance and registry program for qualified patients and their caregivers.
Prevent Heatstroke: Never Leave Your Baby Alone in a Car
Residents are encouraged to report dead birds on the 
