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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8183 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY C:.,oUNCIL MEMBERS No. 3183 TEq To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 6, 1 Page 1 of 4 cm- Nxx Subject: UPDATE ON PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS As of October 1997, the City of Fort Worth Public Health Department initiated new community-based programs to respond to issues identified by residents and address gaps in services provided to the community. This report provides an update on the activities of the Public Health Department's Neighborhood Outreach Teams and the Assessment staff. During the initial fiscal year, activities focused on hiring staff and establishing a structure for the new programs. Staff also undertook and completed the 1998 Community Needs Assessment, the most comprehensive, scientifically based community health needs assessment in the city's history. During the assessment, 3,201 residents were interviewed face-to-face about their personal health habits, medical care issues, and overall quality of life. These results were presented to City Council August 11, 1998, and have been shared with the community through electronic means (CDs and internet) and staff presentations. Assessment and Outreach activities have been divided into three separate categories: Neighborhood Concerns, Service Gaps, and Department Programming. NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: These projects respond to health issues identified through the Needs Assessment or through specific requests from community groups. Neighborhood residents have requested assistance with diverse issues, and the Outreach Teams have worked with them to devise solutions. • The "Kid's Club" was initiated in response to a request from the Peppertree Apartment Complex in NPD 11. The complex manager and residents were concerned about the latch-key children in the complex and their tendency toward destructive behavior because of boredom and lack of after-school activities. The Outreach Team developed the first after-school program for this apartment complex and brought together other agencies to manage the day-to-day aspects of the program. The program targets children in third to eighth grades and provides structured study time, nutritional snacks, health education, and adult role models. The Outreach Team now provides assistance and monitors the program on an ongoing basis. Other apartment complexes are requesting assistance in establishing similar programs. • Through the Needs Assessment, the need for CPR training became evident. The Outreach Teams are working with the Hispanic Firefighters Association to offer free CPR training in NPDs 4, 5, and 8. • When residents asked where they could receive flu shots, Outreach Team members arranged for Huguley Hospital to provide low-cost flu shots to 39 people at the Fairway Estate Apartments. r ov ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY .ONCIL MEMBERS No. (D.- Subject: To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 6, 1999 Page 2 of 4 UPDATE ON PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS • The various Outreach Teams field numerous requests for individual assistance and provide referrals to health care, social service agencies, city departments, and other organizations. These have included helping a family whose children were diagnosed with lead poisoning, assisting an elderly couple who were no longer able to care for themselves, and making arrangements so that a diabetic parolee had insulin and medical care upon his release. • The Outreach Team for NPDs 2 and 3 has been a lead agency in the establishment of an Inhalant Awareness Coalition. The coalition has held two community forums and coordinated educational activities for students. SERVICE GAPS: These activities often involve working with an existing coalition or agency to improve the level of service provided within the community. In other instances, a new coalition may be developed to address a specific issue. • The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas asked the Public Health i Department to help address the lack of data on non-fatal drug overdoses that received care in local emergency rooms. The Public Health Department arranged an initial meeting of representatives from hospitals and law enforcement agencies to discuss possible solutions. A task force, chaired by Department staff, has been created to address the situation. The result is expected to be a model program that can be replicated by other U.S. Attorneys. The new structure and focus of the Public Health Department facilitates the creation of a leading-edge collaboration that will have significant benefit to the community in the areas of prevention and enforcement. • The Harris Methodist Health Foundation sponsors two volunteer-based programs that provide essential health and social services to seniors who may or may not have disabilities. The program requested that the Outreach Teams perform the initial intake assessment on an as-needed basis for seniors who may qualify. The involvement of the Outreach Teams assures that seniors who need assistance from the program receive it in a timely manner. • The Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Tarrant County requested classes on hygiene for their program participants, ages 7-12. Schools and community agencies request this topic regularly for this age group. Outreach Nurses use a curriculum that was developed by the Department last year to improve the participants' physical hygiene practices. • The Outreach Teams have been a crucial element to the continued success of several � coalitions. The Teams have become a primary distribution me f F5�1? �` ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER S INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY CUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8183 T To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 6, 1999 Page 3 of 4 X Subject: son UPDATE ON PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS seats and bicycle helmets provided by the Tarrant County 'SafeKids Collaboration. Two Community Health Aides have become Registered Certified Technicians with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, allowing them to train others how to teach child car seat safety classes. The Immunization Collaboration of Tarrant County has been rejuvenated, due in part to the involvement of the Outreach Teams. • Assessment staff has analyzed data from the Community Needs Assessment by race/ethnic group. These results were presented to University of North Texas Health Science Center, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and other agencies planning the upcoming Hispanic Wellness Fair to identify concerns among Fort Worth's Hispanic population. The all-day event will be held, Saturday, June 5, at Will Rogers Memorial Complex. A similar event focusing on African-American health issues is tentatively planned for February, 2000. DEPARTMENT PROGRAMMING: The Public Health Department sometimes initiates programs that will be implemented city- wide by all Outreach Teams. • The Department was awarded a grant from the Texas Department of Health/Texas Diabetes Council to implement a program to raise Diabetes Awareness and Education in the Community. This grant provides nearly $100,000 a year, for the next five years, to address this health issue. The Department has hired a Diabetes Coordinator with these funds and is developing programs to target Hispanic and African- American populations. Diabetes was identified as a top health concern through the Community Needs Assessment. Minority populations are at higher risk from complications of the disease. • The Department also received a $40,000 grant from the Texas Department of Health to decrease the incidence of cardiovascular disease. The staff has used the funding to initiate programs that encourage physical activity. In a partnership with the Parks and Community Services Department, the Department has assessed neighborhood parks and measured the distance of existing walking trails. The walking trail information will be publicized to encourage residents to increase their level of physical activity by taking a walk in their neighborhood park. Funds are also being used to install concrete distance markers at selected parks. • The Department is initiating partnerships throughout the community with numerous C) entities. For example, the Congregational Health Promoter program recognizes that community organizations, such as social groups and faith-based institutions, play a 0� unique role in the community. After a community organization commits to the pe, program, a representative attends a series of training session ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER E S INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY UNCIL MEMBERS No. 8183 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 6, 1999 1 Page 4 of 4 0x . subyect: rats UPDATE ON PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS will help the group or congregation identify its health concerns and develop an action plan to address those concerns. These activities will be accomplished with the support of the Outreach Teams. Nine community organizations have confirmed that they will participate in the program, and training sessions will begin in April. SUMMARY: Assessment staff uses data from various sources, including birth and death records, to better identify the health issues facing our community. Having this information about the health status of the community available at a local level allows us to focus resources more effectively and enables the City of Fort Worth to earn a higher return on its investment in public health. The Outreach Teams allow the City of Fort Worth to mobilize quickly to respond to health issues, such as distributing fans to residents during the 1998 heat wave, while proactively addressing day-to-day health issues. They are closely involved in the neighborhoods they serve and can address concerns specific to those areas or provide a comprehensive approach to city-wide issues. o f An evaluation plan is being developed to assure that each activity is monitored for its impact on the health of the community. It is through these small, and sometimes intangible steps that long-term progress is made and the health status of the community improved. o e e City Man er ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS