July - August 2009

Metro Health Online | Dr. Guerra's Corner | Calendar of Events | News Releases

Welcome to the Debut of Health e-News!

It's an exciting time for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District
(Metro Health). Your public health department is in the midst of some critical initiatives aimed at improving this community's overall health. Simultaneously, we are continuing to reinvent ourselves - who we are, what we do, and how we can better serve the nearly 28 million people who either reside in or annually visit San Antonio and Bexar County.

As we take these strategic steps, our country is facing challenging public health issues. Topping the list are health care reform, obesity, diabetes, and the novel H1N1 or swine flu outbreak. Your public health team is playing a vital role in these areas.

Read all about it in this debut edition of our electronic newsletter appropriately titled Health e-News. Also, stay abreast of some of the important issues garnering the attention of the Director of Health in Dr. Guerra's Corner (click on the link at the top of this page). After you have checked out our introductory edition, let us know what you think and then keep an eye out for future bi-monthly releases.

Level I of Heat Plan Now in Effect

San Antonio and Bexar County are officially in a Level I Hot Weather Health Watch. Avoid dehydration and heat-related illnesses, especially among vulnerable populations such as the elderly and young children, by following recommended precautions. Read more...

H1N1 (Swine Flu) Outbreak and Response

It began with a couple of cases in California and in short order public health departments and communities in Texas and every other state in the nation had to respond to an outbreak of H1N1, or swine flu. Locally, Metro Health handled the impending pandemic in true preparedness fashion. Read more...

Diabetes Registry Yields More Than Expected

When Metro Health officially announced a plan to gain a sharper focus on the diabetes epidemic that is impacting our community, leaders conservatively estimated 50,000 entries in a diabetes registry. Those estimates changed as the department began receiving data from four local laboratories. Read more...

New State-mandated Immunization Requirements

With less than six weeks left of summer vacation, parents need to prepare now for their youngsters return to school, especially in light of new state-mandated immunizations. Five new requirements will affect up to 50,000 local students. Read more...

Online Food Establishment Inspections Now Available

Residents and visitors frequenting a local food establishment can now go online to check out the facility's inspection scores.  The online inspection system is part of Metro Health's Digital Health Department initiative aimed at improving service and efficiency. Read more...

Get Rid of Disease-carrying Pests

Local residents may find themselves battling two different pests during this hot summer. Weather conditions and water issues could help mosquito and flea populations grow. Read more...

An award-winning department

Accolades are sometimes hard to come by but your public health team is receiving recognition for its accomplishments. The Immunizations Division and Dental Division are the latest to be honored. The awards they received follow a great year of tribute for Metro Health and individual members of our team in 2008. Read more...

WIC Celebrates 20 Years of Farmer's Market Benefits

Metro Health's Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is marking its 20th year of issuing annual Farmer’s Market benefits to eligible WIC participants. Read more...

Have you seen the redesigned website?

Metro Health unveiled a redesigned website that feels and looks different than our previous version. The design is more efficient, user friendly and includes new features such as online food inspections. Swing through the web and tell us what you think.

How do you stay in shapeMetro Health team member Carlos Collins shares his personal philosophy...

Carlos has worked for Metro Health for about a year and a half. As the department’s manager for information technology, he stays quite busy providing IT support for the entire department and managing critical technology infrastructure needs. Carlos also serves as the liaison between Metro Health and the City's Infrastructure Technology Services Department.

Carlos' job keeps him on the move constantly. To stay in shape, he visits the gym three times a week to lift weights. On the weekends, he plays basketball with a group of college-level and semi-pro aspiring players. While Carlos adheres to his three-times-a-week regimen, he admits that juggling work and home life in order to make time to exercise can be challenging. He advises others attempting to stay in shape to set up a regular exericse schedule and stick to it.

More about
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Our Vision
Optimal health for our communities and our environment

Our Mission
Provide leadership and services for San Antonio and Bexar County to
prevent illness and injury, promote healthy behaviors, and
protect against health hazards.

 

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 photo
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.
Photo of Tessie

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

A Good Weight

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.