Health Equity and Community Engagement

The Health Equity and Community Engagement program is designed to reduce health disparities amongst residents of Hays County. The program identifies the health needs and wants of the community. The program compiles these results to collaborate with community partners to provide resources that improve the health literacy of residents and healthcare resources available.

The primary goals of the Health Equity and Community Engagement Program are to increase community engagement, increase partnerships to promote public health, improve information sharing and learning efforts, and to implement intervention designs.

Areas of focus:

Healthy Hays Discussion Series

The Healthy Hays Discussion Series is a program focused on promoting health literacy. The series provides meaningful opportunities for residents to learn about varying health topics from health professionals. During community listening sessions residents can also provide feedback about their healthcare experience to staff members.

Back-To-School Immunizations Task Force

The task force will utilize social marketing efforts to motivate agents to complete back-to-school immunizations prior to the month of August. The task force will be compromised of LHD staff, local ISDs, and TVFC partners.

Biannual Health Fair

The HCLHD HECE team hosts two fairs a year, including the annual Back-To-School Vaccination Fair. These health fairs offer community health services to attendees. Residents can also find information about local resources to help improve their health.

Community Health Assessment

The Community Health Assessment provides an in-depth analysis of the community health needs and issues. The CHA provides a compressive plan for community members to work on systematic efforts towards improving community health. Read more...

Public Health Emergency Preparedness

The Hays County Local Health Department’s Emergency Preparedness Program coordinates the countywide public health response to large-scale emergencies and disasters – from naturally occurring ones such as a flu pandemic to those caused accidentally, such as chemical spills, or intentionally by terrorist attack. The program is responsible for disaster planning, response, recovery and training as it relates to public health.

Planning for large-scale disasters efficiently means that many volunteers will be necessary to provide medical, nursing, security and clerical functions, among other tasks. If you are interested in learning more about being a volunteer during an emergency, please visit the Hays County CERT webpage or email Braydon .

During emergencies, tune to your local cable or satellite TV provider’s emergency information station for important announcements. You can also visit HaysInformed.com or the Hays County Official Facebook page.

Recommended Links

HaysInformed

Hays County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Register your address for emergency notifications at WarnCentralTexas

Hays County Office of Emergency Services

Hays County Emergency Preparedness Fair

Additional Links

Texas Department of State Health Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Texas Division of Emergency Management

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

Department of Homeland Security

American Red Cross

National Weather Service

City of San Marcos Office of Emergency Management

Zika

Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of the incidence, distribution, and determinants of disease in a population. A key tenant of epidemiology is that disease does not occur at random; there are many factors that increase or decrease the likelihood of an individual contracting a disease.

The job of epidemiologists is to identify diseases, search for the cause, identify who is at risk, and find ways to control or stop the spread of the disease. We are continuously surveying and monitoring a variety of diseases in Hays County.

There are many common illnesses that are constantly circulating through the population. Many other illnesses are seen on a much lesser basis. In Texas, there are 88 illnesses (called notifiable conditions) that providers (physicians, hospitals, labs, schools, etc.) are required to report to the health department. The list of notifiable conditions, along with the required timelines for reporting, can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services website. In addition to these conditions, any outbreaks, exotic diseases, or unusual group expressions of disease should be reported in a timely manner. When reporting, please include the patient name, age, sex, race/ethnicity, DOB, address, telephone number, disease, date of onset, method of diagnosis, and name, address, and telephone number of the person reporting.

Hays County Epidemiologists

Juli Barksdale, MPH Epidemiologist Phone: 512-393-5534 Fax: 512-393-5530 juli.barksdale@co.hays.tx.us

Ian Harris, CIC Epidemiologist Phone: 512-393-5524 Fax: 512-393-5530 ian.harris@co.hays.tx.us

Epidemiology after-hours number is 512-216-0162, leave a message and someone will respond within 48 hours. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.

Mosquito Surveillance

Mosquitos are more than just annoying – they can carry serious diseases that can affect you, your family, your pets, and your livestock!

Viruses of Concern

Arbovirus is a term used for a group of viruses transmitted by arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes. In Texas our concern includes West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Western Equine Encephalitis, Dengue virus, La Crosse Encephalitis, Chikungunya virus, Rift Valley Fever virus and Zika.

Learn more from the CDC about the Zika virus transmission and specific health and travel precautions

Who can be infected?

Anyone can get an arboviral infection, but young children and the elderly may be more susceptible. Most arboviral infections are spread by infected mosquitoes, but not all mosquitoes have these viruses. Only female mosquitoes will take a blood meal and have the potential to pass along the harmful viruses. Migrating birds may aide in transmitting disease but humans cannot become infected with arboviruses directly by birds, only by mosquitoes. Not that while some jurisdictions participate in collecting and testing dead birds in order to track these diseases, Hays County does not. For more information on dead bird testing, visit the Texas A&M University webpage

Symptoms of infection

Most infections do not result in any symptoms. If a patient experiences symptoms, they may occur days to weeks after a bite from an infected mosquito. Health care providers can provide supportive care but there is no specific treatment available for arboviral infections. Mild cases may occur with only a slight fever and/or headache and body aches and resolve with no complications. Severe infections are marked by a rapid onset, headache, high fever, disorientation, tremors, conjunctivitis, convulsions, meningitis, encephalitis, flaccid paralysis, coma or death. There have been reports of a link between the Zika virus and birth defects such as microcephaly and between the Zika virus and Guillian-Barré syndrome.

What should I do to prevent mosquitoes and in turn, infection?

Use the Four Ds – Drain, Dress, Dusk, and Defend – to prevent mosquitoes from biting you.

1. Drain* all free standing water. Mosquitoes can lay eggs in less water than fills a bottle cap!
2. Dress in long sleeves and long pants so they can’t bite you as easily.
3. Dusk and dawn is when many mosquito species mosquitoes are out feeding, but some species, such as those that carry the Zika virus, feed throughout the day and night. See page 2 of this report for information about times that mosquitoes feed and their flying ranges.
4. Defend using EPA-approved repellents such as DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. For a complete list of repellents and their repellency visit the EPA website.

*If you have large pools of standing water such as ponds and large water troughs, Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) can be used as a biological mosquito control instead of using insecticides. These fish are an attractive and effective alternative. Refer to a pet supply store for more information on obtaining compatibility charts and proper care of Mosquitofish. Ornamental ponds should have 6-10 fish per pond (depending on size), out-of-order swimming pools 15-30 fish per swimming pool; the number for animal watering troughs depend on the size of the trough. Ask your supply store for more information if the above dimensions do not provide an adequate example.

Hays County Mosquito Surveillance Program

Hays County Development Services (HCDS) is providing mosquito surveillance within the county to monitor and track mosquito-borne illnesses. Some mosquitoes have the capability to transfer potentially deadly diseases – known as arboviral diseases – to humans. HCDS is collecting mosquitoes in order to determine which areas are harboring disease-carrying mosquitoes. HCDS will set up collection traps to capture samples of several species of mosquitoes that will be sent to the Department of State Health Services in Austin for identification and determination of the type(s) of illness the mosquitoes could be spreading. Monitoring species, mosquito density and geographic breeding sites will provide critical early predictive data to help monitor, prevent and combat mosquito populations and mosquito-borne illnesses.

HCDS uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gravid-trapping method to collect mosquitoes. This trap is designed to attract female mosquitoes that are ready to lay eggs. The trap uses a fan to draw in mosquitoes that approach the liquid in the bottom of the bucket and keeps them in a collection bag until the trap is collected. Collection is typically carried out from May until November throughout Texas.

§ (Left: Currently, there is a photo on the LHD website) A typical CDC gravid mosquito trap. If you see one, please do not touch or disturb it. Hays County will place and monitor 8 traps per week throughout the county during prime mosquito season.

For questions about mosquito diseases, please contact:

Ian Harris, CIC Epidemiologist

Phone: 512.353.5524

Jonas Rosenthal, Environmental Health Specialist

Phone: 512.393.2196

Nick VandenBroek, Environmental Health Specialist

Phone: 512.393.7779

Read the Texas Health and Safety Code: Chapter 81, 84, and 87

Read the Texas Administrative Code: Chapter 97, Title 25

Immunization Registry

ImmTrac is the Texas immunization registry, a free service of the Texas Department of State Health Services. It is a secure, confidential registry that stores your child’s immunization information electronically, in one centralized database.

Only authorized professionals such as doctors, nurses, and public health providers can access your child’s vaccination history. Schools and licensed child care facilities can also access this database. ImmTrac allows you to request your child’s shot record anytime, at no cost.

ImmTrac is a great high-tech tool that helps parents and doctors ensure that children are vaccinated on time. It can also help avoid unnecessary vaccinations. If your child changes doctors or schools, their immunization history remains conveniently available in ImmTrac.  

But ImmTrac is not just for children! If you are over 18, you can register your immunization history for life. Universities, colleges, and vocational schools require students to be current on immunizations. Immunization records are also often required for jobs, including health care, emergency services, military, and many other careers.

NOTE: If you were registered as a child, you must sign an adult consent form when you turn 18 for your record to continue to be kept in the immunization registry. If this consent form is not signed by your 19th birthday, your immunization record will be deleted from ImmTrac.

For more information about immunizations please visit the state health department's website.

Texas Vaccines for Children (TVFC) / Adult Safety Net (ASN)

What should go here?