NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT

Healthy people, families, and communities.
  • NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

    NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Vaccines are available at health departments in North Georgia! 

2 Pre teen vax photoNorth GA Think about it. Which seems better? The quick sting of a vaccination or the painful consequences of a disease that last much longer? 

In an effort to protect every adult and child, the Georgia Department of Public Health established Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week, observed March 12-16, 2018, to serve as a reminder for parents to talk with their preteens and teens about getting immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccines for preteens and teens are available at public health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties. 

“Often, parents don’t realize that the health of a preteen or teen is still a priority, and though adolescents may become increasingly aware of their health and the need for vaccinations, many don’t take it seriously enough to pursue going to their doctor or local health department,” said Ashley Ridley, RN, BSHA, Immunizations Coordinator for North Georgia Health District 1-2 of the Georgia Department of Public Health. "It’s up to parents to make it a priority to have their preteen or teen vaccinated against preventable diseases.” 

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health Rule (511-2-2), all students who are born on or after January 1, 2002, are entering or transferring into seventh grade or are “new entrants” into eighth through twelfth 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. To find out if a preteen or teen is up-to-date on all vaccinations, see a physician or contact the nearest county health department in North Georgia at:

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) 226-2621  

For more information, click here to the immunization section on the Georgia Department of Public Health website.

 

 

PUBLIC NOTICE

 

Georgia Department of Public Health 

Babies Can’t Wait Program Seeks Public Comment

   Public Comment Period Until May 2, 2018

 

ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Babies Can’t Wait (BCW) program invites interested persons to participate in a 60-day public comment period for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2018 Annual State Application under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Stakeholders, early intervention providers, parents and members of the public are encouraged to comment. The grant application and revised policy may be reviewed online or at locations throughout the state.

 

Participants can submit comments by mail, email, fax or in person: 

 

    1. Written comments will be accepted by mail until May 2, 2018: 

      Babies Can't Wait 

      Attn: Lisa Pennington, Deputy Director Early Intervention 

      2 Peachtree Street NW, 11th Floor 

      Atlanta, GA 30303-13422 

 

    1. Email comments will be accepted until May 2, 2018: 

            This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  (Subject line: Part C or Public Comment) 

 

    1. Fax comments will be accepted until May 2, 2018:  

            State BCW office fax: (404) 657-7307 

 

    1. In person comments at a public hearing: 

See available locations below. 

 


District

Date/Time

Location

Contact

Cobb-Douglas

(3-1)

March 15, 2018

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Cobb County Board of Health

1738 County Services Road Suite 200

Marietta, GA 30008

Yvette James

Early Intervention Coordinator

(770) 319-4717

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

Rome

(1-1)

March 22, 2018

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Northwest Health District

1309 Redmond Road, NW

Rome, GA 30165

Scottie Worthington

Early Intervention Coordinator

(706) 802-5076

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

Valdosta

(8-1)

March 29, 2018

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

South Health District

206 S. Patterson Street, 3rd Floor
Valdosta, GA 31603

Judy Threlkeld

Early Intervention Coordinator

(229) 245-6565

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

  

DPH invites interested persons to attend public hearings and present public comments. To allow an opportunity for all to be heard, comments will be limited to five minutes.

 

About Babies Can’t Wait

 

The Babies Can't Wait (BCW) program is Georgia’s statewide early intervention system for infants and toddlers with special needs, from birth to age three, and their families. BCW enhances the capacity of families to meet the special needs of their child to ensure each young child with significant developmental delays achieves 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 dph.ga.gov.

 

PUBLIC NOTICE

 

Georgia Department of Public Health’s  

Maternal and Child Health Section 

Title V Program Seeks Public Comment

March 1 - April 15, 2018

 

ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH), Maternal and Child Health, Title V Program invites interested persons to participate in a 45-day public comment period for updates to the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2019 Annual State Application Guidance. Healthcare and community partners, families and members of the public are encouraged to comment and may review the proposed grant application’s revised guidance online.

 

Comments will be accepted in three ways: 

 

    1. Email comments will be received until April 15, 2018:

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

                   (Subject line: Title V Public Comment)  

 

    1. Fax comments will be received until April 15, 2018

       State Title V Office fax: (404) 657-7307

 

    1. Personal comments will be received at a Public Hearing Webinar: 

DPH invites interested persons to attend a Public Hearing Webinar at which proposed changes to national and state performance measures will be discussed. To allow an opportunity for all to be heard, comments will be limited to five minutes.

 

The Title V Block Grant is a federally funded grant provided to 59 U.S. states and jurisdictions. The mission of Title V legislation is to promote the health of women, infants, children and youth, including those with special health care needs, and their families. Activities for the block grant are grouped into five (5) domains or focus areas. These include:  women/maternal health, infant/perinatal health, child health, adolescent health, and children with special health care needs. The Maternal and Child Health Section of the Georgia Department of Public Health administers the Title V Block Grant in Georgia.  

 

To learn more about DPH’s Maternal and Child Health Title V Block Program, please call (404) 657-2850 or (888) 651-8224 or visit http://dph.georgia.gov/TitleV 

Date/Time

Webinar Title

Contact

March 15, 2018

Noon – 1 p.m.

MCH Title V Guidance Changes for FFY2019 Performance Measures

Sherry Richardson, Title V Team Lead

(404) 651-7692

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

March 27, 2018

Noon – 1 p.m.

MCH Title V Guidance Changes for FFY2019 Performance Measures

Sherry Richardson, Title V Team Lead

(404) 651-7692

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

  

To access the Adobe Connect webinar, please follow the two steps below.  You will need to complete both steps to join the webinar. 

 

            1. Click on the following link:

     https://join.freeconferencecall.com/sherry_richardson

    You will be prompted to enter your name and email address, then enter the room.

 

2. To join the conference line, please dial the number listed below: 

    Dial in number      1 (605) 475-4764 

    Access Code        856767#

 

Due to the high volume of participants who are expected to join this webinar, we recommend that you call in 10 minutes before the start of the webinar. If you get a busy signal, please hang up and call again.

 

Questions and Comments are encouraged. Please feel free to email your questions to the Georgia Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Agenda

Noon                  Welcome Remarks 

12:05 p.m.          Revisions to Program Guidance – Overview/Rationale 

12:10 p.m.          National/State Performance Measure Updates 

12:15 p.m.          Comment Period (40 minutes) 

12:55 p.m.          Closing Remarks

 __________________

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 from a health perspective. 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
www.dph.georgia.gov.

 Honoringnwghaad logo en md copy

Free Rapid HIV testing in Dalton on March 9th FlyerDalton, GA Free Rapid HIV Testing will be available in Dalton, Georgia at The Living Bridge Center and at the Whitfield County Health Department’s Medical Access Clinic and Women’s Health Clinic on Friday, March 9th from 8 AM to 12 PM. No appointment is necessary – walk-ins are welcome! This event is being held in observance of the annual *National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Currently, about one in four people living with HIV in the United States is female. Only about half of these women and girls are getting care, and only four in 10 have the virus under control. The first step in treating HIV is to GET TESTED! The Living Bridge Center is located at 1200 W. Waugh Street in Dalton, and the Whitfield County Health Department is at 800 Professional Boulevard in Dalton. For more information about the Free Rapid HIV Testing event at these locations on March 9th, call (706) 281-2360.

__________________ 

*National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD) is an annual observance that sheds light on the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls. Every year on March 10, and throughout the month of March, national and community organizations come together to show support for women and girls impacted by HIV and AIDS. NWGHAAD is led by the Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more at https://www.womenshealth.gov/nwghaad.