DIRECTORS' CORNER

Sept. 19-23, 2022 is SepticSmart Week, an annual event hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency focused on educating homeowners and communities on the proper care and maintenance of their septic systems. This SepticSmart week, Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) wants to make sure all the septic system owners in the county have a full set of tools in their toolbox to be good septic owners.

For more information on onsite wastewater treatment systems in Jefferson County, including information on care, maintenance and permitting, visit JCPH On-Site Waste Water Treatment Systems. To learn more about SepticSmart week, visit EPA SepticSmart week.

Together,
Jim Rada
Director of Environmental Health Services
Jefferson County Public Health

COVID-19 UPDATES

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available at JCPH

JCPH is excited to announce the availability of a new kind of COVID-19 vaccine at our clinic in Lakewood (645 Parfet St.). The new vaccine, called Novavax, is a protein-based vaccine, like other routine immunizations such as pertussis, tetanus, shingles and hepatitis B. This is different from the other COVID-19 vaccines, which are viral vector or mRNA-based.

Our COVID-19 walk-in clinic is open Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. Other COVID-19 vaccines, including Pfizer and Moderna (ages 6 months and older) and Johnson & Johnson (ages 18 and older) are also available.
To learn more about the Novavax vaccine, please visit CDPHE’s website or see full JCPH Novavax release.

New Omicron Boosters Available at JCPH Clinic

To continue to provide the best protection from the COVID-19 virus and its variants, JCPH is excited to announce the availability of new, bivalent booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at our clinic in Lakewood (645 Parfet Street). These updated booster doses, also known as omicron doses, have been updated to include spike protein components from the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants, which will help ensure better protection from the virus.

The updated boosters are a combined dose of the original vaccine and the new formulation, which is why they are called bivalent. All authorized COVID-19 vaccines, including pediatric doses for all people ages 6 months and older, and all types of vaccine, including Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax and Johnson & Johnson, are available at JCPH. Our COVID-19 walk-in clinic is open Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.

To learn more about the omicron booster, please visit the JCPH website or the CDPHE website.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Monkeypox Data Dashboard

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has published a monkeypox data dashboard to provide Coloradans with the latest information about monkeypox in Colorado. CDPHE created this dashboard with extensive input from stakeholders, including trusted community leaders, LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations and local public health agencies to ensure data transparency while protecting patient privacy.
This dashboard will include data at the state and county level, demographic info will only be displayed on a summary basis at the state level to ensure no potentially identifiable information is shared. Statewide demographic data will include summary data on race, ethnicity, age, gender and sexual orientation.

National Suicide Prevention Month

Suicide is never an easy topic to discuss, but just as Jefferson County’s population continues to grow, so has the number of people suicide affects in our county. In fact, in 2021, suicide was the eighth leading cause of death among Jeffco residents, with 154 people losing their lives to suicide just last year. Sadly, Colorado continues to have one of the top ten highest suicide rates in the nation.

Like many mental health topics, suicide is frequently stigmatized and left in the shadows. At JCPH, we understand that it’s not a comfortable topic and we want to take an opportunity to start and continue the conversation. September is National Suicide Prevention Month and Sept. 4-10 is National Suicide Prevention Week. These observances provide us with an opportunity to discuss how we can better support all people in our community. Find more resources and how to be involved in suicide prevention.

Highlighting the Needs of Jeffco Youth

As families in our community adjust to new routines of a new school year, JCPH knows this season can be stressful and complicated. To help our community get a good start to the fall semester, JCPH is excited to announce the release of a new report, titled "Helping Jeffco Kids Thrive: A review of Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data and exploration of public health resources available for families" [PDF]. This report offers insight, research, tips and resources around some of the important health considerations for families and youth.

Environmental Justice Action Task Force

CDPHE wants additional feedback from community members on the Environmental Justice Action Task Force’s third draft of recommendations that it will send to the legislature, governor and CDPHE in the fall. The task force’s full draft recommendations are available online. Ideas and feedback can be shared with the task force in English, Spanish or any other language by using one of the following outlets:

Fill out this survey to share your ideas about some key questions.
Download and edit the Word document of the draft recommendations, available here, and send edits to [email protected].
Send written comments to [email protected].
Attend a small group conversation (or Cafecito) in Commerce City or Pueblo to discuss the draft recommendations with CDPHE staff in September.

The deadline for the public to submit feedback on the third draft of the Task Force's recommendations is Oct. 14, 2022. The group will hold its final public meeting in early November. Interested? Learn more and view the Task Force recommendations.

Health Navigator Program Expanded to Reach Aging Adults

CDPHE has added the Multidisciplinary Center on Aging at the University of Colorado as a Recognized Health Navigator Training Program. This exciting announcement not only creates new opportunities for healthcare providers, but also fills gaps in our communities to create a more holistic care for aging adults. The health navigator training program is specifically developed to engage older adults, and completing the health navigation training can lead to fulfilling volunteer and paid opportunities to serve as health navigators with affiliated healthcare systems and partners.

Those who complete the health navigator training are also eligible for additional training to serve as older adult research specialists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus supporting the inclusion of older adults from diverse backgrounds in research.

National Preparedness Month

With the beautiful summer and soon to be fall we’ve been experiencing; it can be hard to remember that winter is just around the corner! Are you prepared for the winter storms? Check out tips for preparing your vehicle and home, and how to handle snowstorms before, during and after they come your way. Learn more about how you can prepare yourself, your home and those you love for winter.

GET INVOLVED

Attend the September Board of Health Meeting

Join the Jefferson County Board of Health for their monthly meeting. Public comment for this meeting can be submitted through form or email, or you can use the form to sign up to provide comment during the live (virtual) meeting. This month, the Board of Health meeting is on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, beginning at 3:30 p.m. The agenda and dial-in information will be available on the JCPH website.

Take Steps to Prevent Overdose and Create a Safer, Healthier Jeffco

Overdose affects the entire Jefferson County community. Many people in our community have lost or nearly lost someone to overdose, have experienced an overdose themselves or know someone who uses drugs. Alongside those immediately impacted, our entire community grieves with each loss of one of our residents. To honor the lives lost and to reduce the toll of overdose for all people in Jeffco, in August JCPH observed International Overdose Awareness Day. JCPH also hopes to use this opportunity to remind all our residents that they can take to prevent overdose.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nationwide deaths from drug overdose have continued to rise, as well as health inequities surrounding overdose. From 2019 to 2020, deaths from drug overdose throughout the nation increased by 30 percent. In Jefferson County alone, 156 people died from overdose in 2020 (the most recent year data is available).

To learn more about efforts at JCPH to prevent overdose, visit our website.

PARTNER PROFILE

Aging and Disability Resource Center

The Aging and Disability Resource Center for Colorado (ADRC) provides information and assistance as well as options counseling for both older adults and adults 18+ living with a disability. This program helps streamline access to long-term services and supports in the community. Options counselors are available to offer personalized education and decision support around local resources for individuals and their caregivers. Learn more about ADRC and how they support our community.

Join the conversation! Follow Jefferson County Public Health on Facebook at @jeffcopublichealth and on Twitter and Instagram at @jeffcoph. Visit our website at www.jeffco.us/public-health.

September 2022 // Volume 4, Issue 9