ARC hosts pet food pantry
The Galveston County Animal Resource Center (ARC) partnered with the Houston Humane Society to host a pet food pantry event on Wednesday, March 20 at the Galveston County Health District. 150 vehicles attended the event which assisted 176 households and filled 669 pets' bowls! We are so grateful to have this opportunity to help our residents. We will have another Pet Pantry event on May 1st from 9-10am. More information will be provided soon.
Meet the Team Shout Outs
Meet the team! Every week an employee from GCHD is highlighted on all platforms.
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Meet Lacey Venable! Lacey is IT Network Security Engineer II for Galveston County Health District (GCHD). She joined the GCHD team about five years ago. She has been working in IT for 15 years.
Where are you from?
"Galveston County"
What is your favorite part of your job?
"I enjoy the multitasking my job requires, the continuous learning, and seeing the positive impact the IT team has on the organization."
What is one fun fact about you?
"I enjoy anything outdoors."
The zombie apocalypse is coming. What three coworkers do you want on your team?
"I would take the whole IT crew, what?s a few more going to hurt."
We asked Lacey what she would like everyone to know about her job/ department that they may not know. She said, "Each member of the GCHD IT team wears multiple hats and is not a siloed entity. We oversee technology-related tasks and responsibilities from managing multiple systems to cybersecurity; each individual plays an important role in our overall success."
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Meet Derrick Warminski, LP!?Derrick is a Training Officer/Licensed Paramedic for the Galveston Area Ambulance Authority (GAAA). He joined us around 2 years ago in August with over 20 years of experience in EMS, both with ground EMS and flight EMS.
Where are you from?
?White Deer, TX?
What is your favorite part of your job?
?Being part of a team that can make an impact on the EMS providers to continually learn new skills and best practices for the latest advancements in pre-hospital care.?
What is one fun fact about you?
"I'm a High School State Champion High Jumper."
If you had a time machine, would go back in time or into the future?
"I would go back in time to important historical events to witness them firsthand."
We asked Derrick what is something you would like everyone to know about your job/ department they may not know. This is what he said, "The GAAA EMS personnel are highly trained and dedicated individuals willing to advance their knowledge and skills with the evidence-based research and development that is a constant within the pre-hospital industry."
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Meet Ashley Gardner! Ashley is a Certified Medical Assistant for Coastal Health & Wellness, a Community Health Center under GCHD. She joined us around 6 years and 2 months ago. She has been working in her field since she started here.
Where are you from?
?Raised in La Marque, TX?
What is your favorite part of your job?
?My Patients!! Being able to interact and provide quality care to them makes my heart smile.?
What is one fun fact about you?
"I love to bake, and I like making people laugh.?
What Netflix show did you binge-watch embarrassingly quickly?
"Ozark, Echoes, & Beef."
We asked Ashley what is something you would like everyone to know about your job/ department they may not know. This is what she said, " We provide compassionate care beyond our clinic doors by making sure patients get the help they need even when we are out at events or doing community outreaches.?
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Meet Monique Ryans! Monique is the Director of Animal Services for the Animal Resource Center, an animal shelter under GCHD. She joined the ARC team about nine and a half years ago and has worked in animal welfare for over twenty years.
Where are you from?
?Pearland, Texas?
What is your favorite part of your job?
?Making a difference in many lives of the animals that come into our shelter, seeing them leave into new homes and off to rescue.?
What is one fun fact about you?
"I love the outdoors and enjoy outdoor activities."
If you could use magic to do one mundane task for the rest of your life, what would it be? (Bonus question: What would you name the spell?)
Cook healthy meals and keep a clean house, including washing, folding, and putting away laundry. The spell would be called the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Spell.
Monique wants everyone to know about the crucial services the Animal Resource Center provides. "All dogs and cats need a microchip and county registration if you are in one of our servicing cities, and a Rabies Vaccine is required by law in the State of Texas for your pets to have. We're here to help with these essential services."
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GCHD, CHW celebrate National Community Health Workers Day, April 5
Happy Community Health Worker Day! Thank you Angela Mendoza, LaQuinta Harris, Vanessa Kelley, Sandra Puga, and Itzel Nieto?for your outstanding work, unwavering commitment, and relentless pursuit of a healthier, more equitable future for all!
Your unwavering dedication and passion for serving others serve as a shining example for all of us. As a community health worker, your role is pivotal in bridging the gap between healthcare services, local resources, and those who need them most. Through your tireless efforts, you have become the beacon of hope for many individuals facing challenges and barriers, especially those from marginalized and underserved populations.?
GCHD celebrates National Public Health Week?
GCHD celebrated National Public Health Week, April 1-7. We want to take a moment to recognize our amazing staff and departments for their hard work and dedication in keeping our community healthy. From our healthcare providers to our administrative team, every member plays a vital role in promoting public health. Your commitment to improving public health is truly inspiring. Thank you for all that you do!?
  
Heart Cart rolls through GCHD for National Public Health Week
Public health is all about preventing disease, diagnosing health conditions, and encouraging health and well-being. This National Public Health Week, our public health nursing staff went around taking blood pressure and blood sugar checks with the heart cart.?
Community Health Services Programs Manager explains naloxone vending machines
Public Health is all about preventing disease, diagnosing health conditions and encouraging health and well-being. However, achieving these goals wouldn?t be possible without the help of new tools and innovations in public health. Vending machines are an older technology that is being transformed to deliver lifesaving tools like Narcan and fentanyl strips. Advancements in public health can help us in the fight towards equity, so all people and populations can thrive.
Watch Gretchen Gray, RN, talk about the GCHD naloxone initiative and the vending machines placed around Galveston County.
Maritime Infectious Disease Tabletop Exercise
Galveston County Health District and Department of State Health Services Region 6/5s held a maritime infectious disease tabletop exercise with federal, state, and local partners coordinating and responding to communicable diseases onboard a cruise ship.
The CDC, DSHS CHEPR (central office), DSHS 6/5s, SETRAC, UTMB, GAAA, Chambers County Public Health, and GCHD were all in attendance.
Happy Doctors Day!
Happy National Doctor's Day!
On March 30, we celebrated our dedicated doctors: Board Member Peter C. Melby, MD; Chief Executive Officer Philip Keiser, MD; Chris Garcia, MD; Tandace McDill, MD; and Leonard Nagorski, MD.?
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Peter C. Melby, MD
Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch
Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Biological Sciences, Colorado State University
Doctor of Medicine, University of Colorado
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Philip Keiser, MD
Professor of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Morgan State University in Baltimore
Doctor of Medicine, University of Maryland
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Dr. Chris Garcia, MD
Coastal Health & Wellness
Specialty: Family Medicine
Medical School/Residency: UTHSC Houston, John Peter Smith Hospital
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine
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Dr. Tandace McDill, MD
Coastal Health & Wellness
Specialty: Family Medicine
Medical School/Residency: Universidad Aut?noma de Guadalajara, LSU School of Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine
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Dr. Leonard Nagorski, MD
Coastal Health & Wellness
Specialty: Pediatrics, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
Medical School/Residency: Creighton University School of Medicine
Board Certifications: American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Nuclear Medicine, American Board of Radiology.
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GCHD, CHW celebrate Dental Hygienist Appreciation Week, April 8-12
Happy Dental Hygienist Appreciation Week! We want to take a moment to recognize the incredible work that our hygienists do every day to keep our smiles healthy and bright. Thank you Steffin John, RDH, Kimberly Doraty, RDH, and Jamie Trinh, RDH for all you do! Your dedication to oral health is truly inspiring.
National Stress Awareness Month
April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month to bring attention to the negative impact of stress. Managing stress is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Knowing how to manage stress can improve mental and physical well-being as well as minimize exacerbation of health-related issues. It?s critical to recognize what stress and anxiety look like, take steps to build resilience and know where to go for help. Coastal Health & Wellness provides confidential one-on-one counseling sessions for adults and children. If you need help, don?t hesitate and don?t be afraid. For more information, visit www.gchd.org or www.coastalhw.org.
GCHD recognizes Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17
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