Go to Miracle League of Whitfield County for more information and learn how to join at 

www.whitfieldcountymiracleleague.com

Vaya a La Liga de Milagro del Condado para más información y aprenda a unirse en 

www.whitfieldcountymiracleleague.com

Or.... Read or Click On the Flyer Below to Learn More About It!

CMS Telemedicine Genetics (Dalton)

Georgia Department of Public Health announces the start of a new Genetics Telemedicine Clinic coming to North Georgia Health District 1-2 in Dalton via Children’s Medical Services & Genetics. We are currently accepting new patients or patients who would like to transfer their services from other areas within the state. The clinic will be offered every quarter beginning April 30, 2019 from 8:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. and will possibly increase to monthly as more patients are needed to be seen. Most private insurances and Georgia Medicaid will be accepted.

Below is a brief profile of the physician that will be providing the service.

Dr. Vidya Krishnamurthy (‘Dr. V.’) is Board Certified in Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She completed her pediatric training at the University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA. Dr. Krishnamurthy is also Board Certified in Medical Genetics and is a member of the American College of Medical Genetics. She completed her medical genetics training at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Dr. Krishnamurthy has over 12 years’ experience as a Pediatrician, practicing in Malaysia. She is also Board Certified in Pediatrics in the UK and is a member of the Royal College of Physicians, MRCP.

To make a referral, please fax a completed referral form along with medical notes to (706) 529-5767. For more information, please contact Children’s Medical Services at (706) 529-5763 or (888) 276-1558.

CMS Telemedicine Genetics (Dalton)

More about Telemedicine Services

Sometimes the best doctor to care for your child's special health care needs is not in the area where you live. Children's Medical Services (CMS) has a program that may help. The CMS Telemedicine Program allows a child to see an expert specialty doctor who is in a different location without taking up a lot of time for travel.

Telemedicine is the use of special computer equipment with cameras and secure telephone lines that so children and youth who are at a different location from their specialty doctor can still get the care and services they need.

Telemedicine is a way for a child to easily see a doctor who may be hours away. A CMS nurse helps the child and family during the telemedicine visit while allowing doctors and other health care providers to talk to a parent and child about health concerns, to answer questions, to make recommendations for a plan of care, or follow-up on past care. Telemedicine is safe, secure, and private with only the people in the room with the child and the doctor able to see what is going on.

For more information on telemedicine and to find out if telemedicine may work for you and your child, contact your local CMS Office in North Georgia.

You're Invited! 

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

Georgia Department of Public Health

State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC)

Meeting April 18, 2019

Macon District Health Office

201 Second Street

Macon, Georgia 31201

9:30 am - 12 noon

Georgia’s Part C Program | Babies Can’t Wait (BCW)

Public Comment begins 11:00 am

The mission of the Georgia SICC for Early Intervention Programs is to advise the Department of Public Health and other agencies responsible for serving infants and toddlers, birth to age three with developmental delays and disabilities and their families, with an appropriate family-centered, comprehensive service delivery system which promotes optimal child development and family functioning.

VOICE YOUR OPINION!  We want to hear your thoughts, ideas, and concerns about the Babies Can’t Wait Program.  Would you like to attend the State ICC Quarterly Meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday, April 18, 2019 from 9:30am – 12:00pm? Ask your local BCW Service Coordinator about limited financial assistance available to help you with related expenses.

Public Comment 

Time is set aside for public comment during each quarterly meeting of the State Interagency Coordinating Council. If you would like to share any thoughts or ideas about Babies Can’t Wait with the Council please choose one of the options below. 

1. Written Comment:  

Send written comments, clearly marked “PUBLIC COMMENT” to fax number 770-342-7699 or email to Phyllis Turner, SICC Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than Wednesday, April 17, 2019. Your comments will be read aloud during the Public Comment portion of the meeting.

2. Remote Participation:  

Pre-Register to make Public Comment via remote participation by conference line or telehealth during the meeting. (See instructions below for remote participation.) Email Phyllis Turner, SICC Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than Wednesday, April 17, 2019. Your name will be announced to provide public comment remotely during the Public Comment portion of the meeting.

3. In person

At registration sign-in on the day of the meeting check “Yes” to the question, “Would you like to make public comment?” Your name will be announced to provide public comment during the Public Comment portion of the meeting. 

 For more information, please email Phyllis Turner, SICC Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 REMOTE PARTICIPATION

For remote participation during the SICC meeting, please use one of the following options:

Free Conference Line

• Participants can listen to the public portion of the meeting and make public comment by telephone when announced by the Council Chairperson at the time set aside for Public Comment on the meeting agenda.

  Dial (641) 552-9446, enter access code: 988041 

Telehealth Network

The Telehealth Network allows participants to view and listen to the public portion of the meeting by going to one of the following locations around the state. Participants who pre-register can make a public comment when announced by the Council Chairperson at the time allotted for Public Comment on the meeting agenda. See pre-registration instructions under Public Comment via remote participation. District Early Intervention Coordinators and Local Interagency Coordinating Council members will be given an opportunity to provide updates and information in the order listed on the meeting agenda. 

About Babies Can’t Wait

The Babies Can’t Wait (BCW) program is Georgia’s statewide early intervention system for infants and toddlers from birth to age three with special needs and their families. BCW enhances families’ ability to meet the special needs of their child to ensure each young child with significant developmental delays reaches his or her maximum developmental potential. To learn more about DPH Babies Can’t Wait program, please call (404) 657-2850 or (888) 651-8224 or visit http://dph.georgia.gov/Babies-Cant-Wait.

 About the Georgia Department of Public Health

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is the lead agency in preventing disease, injury and disability; promoting health and well-being; and preparing for and responding to disasters. DPH’s main functions include: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Maternal and Child Health, Infectious Disease and Immunization, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Emergency Medical Services, Pharmacy, Nursing, Volunteer Health Care, the Office of Health Equity, Vital Records, and the State Public Health Laboratory. For more information about DPH, visit http://dph.ga.gov.

DPH’s main functions include: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Maternal and Child Health, Infectious Disease and Immunization, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Emergency Medical Services, Pharmacy, Nursing, Volunteer Health Care, the Office of Health Equity, Vital Records, and the State Public Health Laboratory.  For more information about DPH, visit http://dph.ga.gov.

 Available at Cherokee County Health Department!

 Click flyer to download and print!

Rabies exposure is an occupational hazard for the veterinary healthcare team and other animal care workers, and preventive measures are necessary to protect personnel. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination provides additional protection for at-risk veterinarians, vet techs and other staff.

Rabies pre-exposure vaccinations and titer testing are available at the Cherokee County Health Department. Contact Julia Hewgley at (770) 928-0133 for more information and to make an appointment.

For more information about rabies prevention for veterinarians from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), log onto www.cdc.gov/rabies/specific_groups/veterinarians. 

The numbers are in and the fact is this: sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are surging across the United States, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Not only should the public be aware of the prevalence of STDs and how to take preventive measures to protect against them, but healthcare providers should also ensure people are well-informed.

*Staff at each County Health Department in the North Georgia Health District and at both Living Bridge Center HIV Clinics are educating clients and the public about STDs and STD prevention.

Anyone who has sex is at risk of infection, so what can be done? Two important actions can have big payoffs:

• Individuals can arm themselves with the facts about STDs;
• Healthcare providers and patients can consistently talk about sexual health.

“At a time when STDs are at a record high, it’s never been more important to protect your patients’ sexual health as a provider, or stand up for your own sexual health as a patient,” says Gail Bolan, MD, Director of STD Prevention at CDC. “Having a strong patient-provider relationship is always important, and the stronger these relationships are, the weaker STDs will become.”

Enter Treat Me Right – a campaign with resources and materials for patients and providers to improve communication and increase the productivity of office visits.

Treat Me Right: Tips for Patients to Work with their Healthcare Providers

By talking to a provider about what to do—and how to work together—patients can be proactive in safeguarding their sexual health. Here are some ways patients can stand up for themselves and their health in and out of the exam room:

• Prepare to honestly answer provider’s questions about sex.
• Get tested – many STDs are curable, and all are treatable. Getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have an STD.
• Get treated – prevent long-term, irreversible damage by starting treatment immediately.
• Know the benefits of expedited partner therapy (EPT) in which a provider may be able to give medicines or a prescription to partners of someone with an STD without seeing them first.
• Get retested –STDs can occur more than once, so getting retested in 3 months is important, even if you and your partner took medicine.
• Communicate, communicate, communicate – with sex partners and providers.

Protecting Our Nation’s Health: Healthcare Providers’ Key Role in Keeping People Healthy

In addition to offering the basics of STD diagnosis and treatment, Treat Me Right can help providers engage in a way that makes their patients feel heard and respected, especially around sensitive issues. For example:

• Take a thorough sexual history—ask essential sexual health questions in a welcoming, relaxed tone.
• Build trust with the patient— for example, make your office teen friendly to put younger patients at ease.
• Reassure patients that their information is confidential—especially before asking sensitive questions.
• Ensure that the patient understands all terms used to avoid confusion.
• Determine which STD tests the patient needs—information from the sexual history also helps in selecting the anatomical sites that should be tested. Some patients, such as gay or bisexual men or pregnant women, may have special testing considerations.
• Follow CDC’s STD Treatment Guidelines if patients are diagnosed with an STD.
• Encourage your patients to return for follow-up testing in 3 months—reinfection is common for some STDs.

Take Control and Be Informed

When patients and providers work together, it empowers individuals to take control of their sexual health, and it allows providers to more quickly diagnose and treat any infections that occur. Let’s all work together to reduce STDs.

Please visit the Treat Me Right website for information on STDs, as well as for resources for healthcare providers and patients.

*Contact information for County Health Departments in the North Georgia Heath District is as follows:

Cherokee County Health Department: 1219 Univeter Road, Canton, GA 30115, (770) 345-7371 and 7545 North Main Street, Suite 100, Woodstock, GA 30188, (770) 928-0133

Fannin County Health Department: 95 Ouida Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513, (706) 632-3023

Gilmer County Health Department: 28 Southside Church Street, Ellijay, GA 30540, (706) 635-4363

Murray County Health Department: 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705, (706) 695-4585

Pickens County Health Department:  60 Health Way, Jasper, GA 30143, (706) 253-2821

Whitfield County Health Department: 800 Professional Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30720, (706) 279-9600

*The Living Bridge Center is located at 1200 West Waugh Street in Dalton and The Living Bridge Center South is at 130 Riverstone Terrace, Suite 102 in Canton. The Living Bridge Centers are the providers of Ryan White Part B and C in the North Georgia Health District. 

Abstaining from sex, reducing the number of sexual partners, and consistently and correctly using condoms are all effective prevention strategies. Safe, effective vaccines are also available to prevent hepatitis B and some types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause disease and cancer. And for all individuals who are sexually active – particularly young people – STI screening and prompt treatment (if infected) are critical to protect a person’s health and prevent transmission to others.

More information about STDs is available at all the above county health departments in North Georgia and on the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/std.

__________________________________

Resource: www.cdcnpin.org/stdawareness

__________________________________

About STD Awareness Month: April is STD Awareness Month, an annual observance to raise public awareness about the impact of STDs on the lives of Americans and the importance of preventing, testing for, and treating STDs. It is an opportunity to normalize routine STD testing and conversations about sexual health.

About NPHW

During the first full week of April each year, the American Public Health Association (APHA) brings together communities across the United States to observe National Public Health Week as a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation's health, and the North Georgia Health District will highlight the public health work and services provided in CHEROKEE, FANNIN, GILMER, MURRAY, PICKENS and WHITFIELD COUNTIES!

Your local county health department coordinates with North Georgia Health District 1-2 of the Georgia Department of Public Health to provide the best public health services to people, families and communities in the most effective way possible. Click HERE or on the graphic to learn more! 

For over 20 years, APHA has served as the organizer of NPHW. Every year, the Association develops a national campaign to educate the public, policymakers and practitioners about issues related to each year's theme. APHA creates new NPHW materials each year that can be used during and after NPHW to raise awareness about public health and prevention.

Since the Affordable Care Act became law, the U.S. uninsured rate has dropped to record lows. But continued targeted attempts to dismantle the law include the recent repeal of the individual mandate. Our social safety net programs are being threatened with cuts and for the second year in a row, life expectancy in the United States has dropped. 

To ensure everyone has a chance at a long and healthy life, we must also tackle the underlying causes of poor health and disease risk. Those causes are rooted in how and where we live, learn, work and play. It’s the child who goes to school hungry and can’t take full advantage of the education that leads to a healthier, more productive adulthood. It’s the low-wage worker who must choose between losing much-needed income and staying home with a sick child. It’s the family that struggles to find nutritious, affordable food anywhere in their community. It’s the student who can’t walk to school because there are no sidewalks. These are the types of conditions that shape the health and well-being of our people and communities. 

Thankfully, we can do something. If we partner across public and private sectors to ensure decisions are made with people’s health in mind, we can build healthier communities and eventually, the healthiest nation. We can change our future together, but we need your help to get there. 

Join us in observing National Public Health Week 2018 and become part of a growing movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation. We’ll celebrate the power of prevention, advocate for healthy and fair policies, share strategies for successful partnerships, and champion the role of a strong public health system.

Future National Public Health Week dates:

        - April 6-12, 2020  

        - April 5-11, 2021

        - April 4-10, 2022

        - April 3-9, 2023

Questions? This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!

The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We strengthen the public health profession. We speak out for public health issues and policies backed by science. We are the only organization that influences federal policy, has a nearly 150-year perspective and brings together members from all fields of public health. APHA publishes the American Journal of Public Health and The Nation’s Healthnewspaper. At our Annual Meeting and Expo, thousands of people share the latest public health research. We lead public awareness campaigns such as Get Ready and National Public Health Week. Together, we are creating the healthiest nation in one generation. Learn more at www.apha.org.

Over 200 Attend

14th Annual Breastfeeding Conference in Dalton

Dalton, GA – From across Georgia and beyond, over 200 individuals convened Wednesday, March 27th at the Dalton Convention Center for the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition Annual Conference, which began with a warm welcome from Dalton Mayor Dennis Mock.

“Lactation consultants, registered nurses, dietitians, La Leche League leaders, peer counselors and other professionals and volunteers who work with breastfeeding moms are here from Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama,” said Patty Spanjer, coalition president.

Now in its 14th year, the annual conference is an opportunity for participants to gain new knowledge and techniques for helping mothers fully reach their breastfeeding goals.

Carol Hendrix, WIC breastfeeding coordinator for the North Georgia Health District, said, “The goal of our coalition is to promote breastfeeding as the norm, and this conference helps us further promote the education for professionals in the field of lactation so that they can better serve breastfeeding families.”

According to Spanjer, breastfeeding is one of the most important gifts a baby can receive; and this year’s conference speaker, Marsha Walker, agrees.

“Human milk is the foundation of a person’s health,” explained Walker. “It’s important from the very beginning that we start off a baby with their immune system, brain development and other factors on the right trajectory, because whatever we start from the beginning, follows that person their entire life. In other words, we’re programming babies for health.”

An international board-certified lactation consultant to breastfeeding families since 1976, Walker spanned a wide range of subjects at the conference, including clinical challenges, advocacy, systems changes, and breastfeeding as a public health issue.

Executive Director of the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy, Walker is a prominent speaker and author of numerous publications, including works on the hazards of infant formula use and the book Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician: Using the Evidence.

For more information about the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition and the annual breastfeeding conference, log onto https://nwgabfcoalition.com.

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Marsha Walker Bio

Walker is a registered nurse and international board-certified lactation consultant. She maintained a large clinical practice at a major HMO in Massachusetts, is a published author and an international speaker. Consulting with hospitals, providing in-service presentations, speaking at conferences and workshops and advocating for breastfeeding at the state and federal levels occupy her professional time. She is currently on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Lactation Consultant Association and is the Executive Director of the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy.

About the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition. The coalition began on March 11, 1993 when the first official meeting was attended by 16 interested persons in Dalton, Georgia. The NWGABF Coalition has produced two DVDs. “Getting Started with Breastfeeding” and “Breastfeeding: A Guide to Success” See sales section. The NWGABF Coalition plans and hosts an annual conference for lactation specialists and professionals. The Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition meetings are attended by La Leche League Leaders, IBCLCs, WIC employees, doctors, dietitians, nurses and anyone interested in promoting breastfeeding. We meet once a month.

Pictured in the above photo from left to right: Carol Hendrix, IBCLC, WIC Coordinator for the North Georgia Health District poses with conference speaker Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and Patty Spanjer, LLLL, IBCLC, President, Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition at the coalition’s 14th Annual Breastfeeding Conference at the Dalton Convention Center on March 27, 2019: http://nghd.org/pr/34-/1083-programming-babies-for-health.html

About Us: The North Georgia Health District is part of the Georgia Department of Public Health. One of 18 health districts in the state, the North Georgia Health District (District 1-2) is comprised of six counties: Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield. Many public health programs and services exist throughout the district, all of which are designed to meet the needs of the people of North Georgia. Learn more about us at www.nghd.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Your One-Stop-Spot for School Students’ State Health Requirements!

Prepare your child for the upcoming school year! The Pickens County Health Department is conducting a Kindergarten Round-Up Health Clinic on Tuesday, April 9th from 1 to 6 p.m. The health department address is 60 Health Way in Jasper, GA. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and Body Mass Index (BMI) / Nutrition Screenings will be offered, and Immunizations for School-age Children will be provided. Medicaid (including Amerigroup, CareSource, Peachstate and Wellcare) and Peachcare for Kids will be accepted. For more information or to check on additional insurances accepted, contact the Pickens County Health Department at (706) 253-2821. See YOU at the Kindergarten Round-Up Health Clinic on April 9th at the Pickens County Health Department!

 Vaccines Available at County Health Departments in North Georgia

North Georgia - Vaccinate your preteen today so they can have a healthy tomorrow.

In an effort to protect every adult and child, the Georgia Department of Public Health recognizes March 11 – 15, 2019 as Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week. This week serves as a reminder for parents to talk with their preteens and teens about getting immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Public health departments located in the North Georgia Health District in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties encourage parents to make vaccinations a priority. Vaccines protect children from the dangers of preventable diseases and are available at health departments in each county. See contact information below.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health Rule (511-2-2), all students born on or after January 1, 2002, entering or transferring into seventh grade and any “new entrant” into eighth -12th grades in Georgia need proof of an adolescent pertussis (whooping cough) booster vaccination (called “Tdap”) AND an adolescent meningococcal vaccination (MenACWY). This law affects all public and private schools including, but not limited to, charter schools, community schools, juvenile court schools and other alternative school settings (excluding homeschool).

Vaccines are the best defense we have against serious, preventable and sometimes deadly contagious diseases. They help avoid expensive therapies and hospitalization needed to treat infectious diseases like influenza and meningitis. Immunizations also reduce absences both at school and after school activities and decrease the spread of illness at home, school and the community.

The CDC currently recommends the following vaccines for preteens and teens:

• Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap)
•  Influenza (flu)
•  Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
•  Meningococcal Disease (MenACWY)

Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week is an opportunity to raise awareness through schools, health care providers and the media regarding preteen immunizations, particularly Georgia’s pertussis and meningococcal requirements for incoming seventh-grade students. Speak with your health department or healthcare provider today to find out if your preteen is up-to-date.

For more information, click here. 

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North Georgia Health District County Health Departments’ Addresses and Phone Numbers:

Cherokee County:  1219 Univeter Road, Canton, GA 30115, (770) 345-7371; and

                                  7545 North Main Street, Ste. 100, Woodstock, GA 30188, (770) 928-0133

Fannin County:       95 Ouida Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513, (706) 632-3023      

Gilmer County:       28 Southside Church Street, Ellijay, GA 30540, (706) 635-4363       

Murray County:      709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705, (706) 695-4585

Pickens County:      60 Health Way, Jasper, GA 30143, (706) 253-2821

Whitfield County:   800 Professional Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30720, (706) 279-9600

Cherokee County Health Department presents

Kindergarten Round-Up Health Clinic

March 19

Your One-Stop-Spot for School Students’ State Health Requirements!

Prepare your child for the upcoming school year! The Cherokee County Health Department is conducting a Kindergarten Round-Up Health Clinic on Tuesday, March 19th from 2 to 6 p.m. Locations for the health clinic will be at the public health department offices in both Canton and Woodstock. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and Nutrition Screenings will be available for a total of $50. Immunizations will be provided to school-age children for $21.90 each (for uninsured or underinsured). Medicaid (including Amerigroup, CareSource, Peachstate and Wellcare), Peachcare for Kids, HUMANA, AETNA, United Health Care, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Ambetter, CIGNA and Coventry are accepted. The health department location in Canton is 1219 Univeter Road and the address in Woodstock is 7545 North Main Street. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton or (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.