July - August 2009
Advisory Board of Health (ABOH)
The Advisory Board of Health (ABOH) advises and makes recommendations on the health functions of the district to the Director of Health and to the governing bodies of the City of San Antonio and Bexar County.
The board is composed of thirteen (13) members, eleven (11) of which are appointed by the City Council and two (2) members are appointed by the Bexar County Commissioners' Court. Membership includes four physicians, one dentist, one veterinarian, one member of the local Restaurant Association, one member of the local chapter of the Texas Nurses Association, one member involved in the delivery, administration or coordination of health services, one at-large member and one member of an AIDS Service Organization or a person living with AIDS. Members serve 3-year terms.
ABOH meetings are held bi-monthly from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month; locations vary, but meetings are typically held at the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Offices, 332 W. Commerce. The meeting duration is usually one and a half hours to two hours. Special meetings may be called as needed.
The current ABOH includes the following:Steve Enders, Chairman
Unviersity Health System
Dr. Valerie Hernandez
Physician
Steven J. Jewell
Baptist Health System
Margo E. Layman
Nurses Association
Dr. Gerardo Ortega
Physician
Jill Rips
San Antonio AIDS Foundation
Wayne Shirley
San Antonio Restaurant Association
Dr. Andre Xavier Smith
Dentist
Dr. Tobie-Lynn Smith
Physician
Dr. William Steinhauer
Dentist
Dr. Fernando A. Guerra
Ex-Officio
In the Community
Metro Health team members joined other members of the City Volunteer Corp for the 2nd Annual Pet Spa Day at Animal Care Services this spring. The volunteers bathed dogs and prepared pets for adoption. They also planted trees, painted, and performed other 'home improvement' tasks for ACS' one-year old facility. Thanks team for your
time and concern for our
four-legged friends!
Featured Employee
Erica Haller Stevenson is a
Senior Management Analyst with the Steps to a Healthier San Antonio program and the braintrust behind our new newsletter name. Meet Erica...
Did you know...?
Metro Health produced its inaugural annual report for fiscal year
2007-2008. The publication highlights the department's programs, services and accomplishments.
Metro Health has an Advisory Board of Health which advises and makes recommendations on the health functions of the department to the Director of Health and the governing bodies of the City and County.
Current ABOH members include...
Metro Health routinely hosts medical students for public health clinical rotations. Meet the current visitors from the Netherlands.
In the News
New food handler rules take effect in January 2010.
Read more or watch the KENS 5 video
New weight gain guidelines for pregnant women. Read more...
Snapshot of Health
Congratulations to
Executive
Secretary Theresa (Tessie) Medina, a role model for a healthy pregnancy and weight gain. Tessie gave birth to her second child, Madeleine Nicole, on June 9.
20-inch long Madeleine weighed
8 lbs. and 4 oz.
Healthy Link
Join Metro Health for a two-day comprehensive conference.
The Changing Face of STIs, HIV & TB:
Issues from a Clinical, Behavioral and Partner Services viewpoint.
September 17-18
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn, 318 W. Durango
More info here...
The Health Collaborative, in
partnership with the San Antonio Zoo, will host a Fitness Safari on
Friday, July 17 from
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
All children visiting the zoo during the safari can participate in nine fitness activities that relate to fitness attributes of certain animals.
Children receive a token after completing each activity. Youngsters with five or more tokens can redeem them for a fitness-related toy.
Dedication on Display
Assistant Social Services Manager Yolanda Alvarado retired after three decades of service to the WIC program. She and several of Metro Health's team members are living proof that public health is
not just a job, it's a commitment.
Read more...
The Artwork
In 2007, the Steps to a Healthier San Antonio Program (Steps-SA), in collaboration with San Antonio ISD and the Southwest School of Art and Craft, presented "A Healthy Community Through the Eyes of a Child" in which children from local schools expressed their creative vision of health
concerns and issues affecting their community through the use of art.