DIRECTORS' CORNER

JCPH Earns Accreditation Status

After four years of hard work and a rigorous assessment process, I am so pleased to share that Jefferson County Public Health has been nationally accredited! We are one of only eight health departments in the state to achieve this status.

For Jeffco residents, this means you can feel confident that your local health department is doing top-quality work to help keep you and your family safe and healthy. The Public Health Accreditation Board accredits health departments across the country that demonstrate a certain level of standards and measures across their services and programs to positively impact their communities.

We are honored to be part of this distinguished group, and thank partners and community members who were involved in this process. We greatly appreciate your input and support along the way.

Sincerely,
Jody Erwin
Deputy Director and Director of Administrative Services
Jefferson County Public Health

NEWS YOU CAN USE

One of the Public Health Champions awardees

JCPH Awards Public Health Champs

During National Public Health Week, April 1-7, 2019, Jefferson County Public Health recognized this year’s Public Health Champions. The awardees were honored for their incredible efforts to make Jefferson County a healthier, safer community — even though it is not their primary profession. There are seven awardees spanning a variety of focus areas, including opioid misuse prevention, emergency preparedness, food insecurity, tobacco use prevention and more. Learn about the awardees and watch videos of their stories.

Third Child Flu Death Reported in Colorado this Season

This year’s flu season claimed the life of a third child in Colorado last week. Since the end of September, more than 3,300 people have been hospitalized due to flu in the state. Read more from Denver 7.

Jefferson County Ranked 8th in Health Outcomes in the State

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute recently released their annual County Health Rankings and Roadmaps report, where they ranked Jefferson County the 8th healthiest county in the state based on health outcomes.

DATA ROUNDUP: RABIES

26 animals tested positive for rabies in Jeffco in 2018

325 animals from Colorado tested positive for rabies in 2018

29 animals from Colorado have already tested positive for rabies in 2019

Take Steps to Protect Your Family and Pets

A skunk found in the foothills area of unincorporated Jefferson County, near I-70 and Paradise Road, tested positive for rabies on March 20. This is the first animal to test positive for rabies in Jefferson County in 2019. Rabies season is officially here, and it’s important to take steps to protect your family — including pets. Here’s what you can do.

GET INVOLVED

Explore JCPH’s 2018 Report to the Community & Take Our Quiz!

Jefferson County Public Health is pleased to release our 2018 Report to the Community, Insights: Using Data to Create a Healthier Jeffco. The report showcases important work across JCPH, including how JCPH uses data in its day-to-day work to improve public health services and programs. Read the full report. How well do you know the data? Take this online quiz to test your public health knowledge!

Join Us for the April Board of Health Meeting

This month’s Board of Health meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, 2019, beginning at 4 p.m. at Jefferson County Public Health (645 Parfet St., Lakewood, CO 80215).

Get Your Kids Out of the House and Into the Wild this Summer!

Registrations are now open for ENOR Environmental Discovery Camp, which connects 3rd-6th graders with the cultural and natural history of Colorado! ENOR is celebrating 45 magical years of educating and inspiring our youth in open space parks and public lands. Space is limited, so register now.

PARTNER PROFILE

Foothills Animal Shelter

Foothills Animal Shelter cares for more than 7,000 cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and critters every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers. The shelter is a true community resource and offers a variety of services including pet adoption, Jefferson County pet licensing, affordable spaying and neutering, vaccinations (including rabies), microchipping and lost and found pets. Looking to help a pet find their forever home, or need an affordable place to get care for your pet? Learn more.

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.

April 2019 // Volume 1, Issue 4