To the OHA team:
We celebrated two significant achievements this week; one affects our most vulnerable residents, the other benefits us all.
Oregon State Hospital marks the first anniversary of the Junction City facility that opened in March 2015. In the past year, the Junction City campus has served 166 people who needed hospital-level care to treat their mental illness, and 88 returned to their communities. I’ve visited the Junction City campus and was heartened by the peaceful and positive atmosphere as well as the skilled and caring staff. We’ve built a safe community of support for those who need very specialized health care. I want to thank the many people who contribute to that caring community and have made the Junction City facility such a success. OHA looks forward to advancing the integration of hospital care with community-based services in the future.
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Scenes from the Junction City Campus
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The other exciting news this week is our Public Health Division has been accredited by the national Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Oregon is one of just 16 accredited states. This process provided an opportunity to examine the division from the inside out. Accreditation is the culmination of years of scrutiny that included gathering and scoring 670 documents.
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In March 2014, Public Health Division Director Lillian Shirley “pushed the button” to send the massive accreditation application to the Public Health Accreditation Board. |
To apply for accreditation, we had to complete a statewide community health assessment, a statewide health improvement plan, and an agency-level strategic plan. We also had to provide documentation on how we meet the standards and measures listed in PHAB's 12 domains that include community engagement, public health education, investigating health hazards and assessing public health issues.
More than 70 public health staff members participated in the site visit. Along the way, we learned many ways to improve the practice of public health in our state, which is particularly valuable as we move into public health modernization. Kudos to our Public Health Division for a job well done.
Both of these accomplishments are exciting demonstrations of implementing our mission. They are also reminders of how our everyday work touches the lives of everyone in Oregon in big and small ways. We have the power to change lives and empower people through better health. Thank you for all you do to help accomplish our goals. It is my pleasure to work with you.
Lynne
To your health: This is the time of year when baby birds make an appearance at petting zoos, community farms and even in Easter baskets. It’s very important to know that chicks and ducklings, though adorable, can carry Salmonella germs that will make people very sick. Here are some tips for safely handling baby birds:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or use hand sanitizer immediately after touching baby poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam.
- Children younger than 5 years, older adults and people with weak immune systems shouldn’t handle or touch chicks, ducklings or other live poultry.
- Don’t snuggle or kiss the birds, touch your mouth, or eat or drink around live baby poultry.
- Don’t give live baby poultry as gifts to young children.
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