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During hurricane season, it's essential for older adults to take proactive steps to ensure their safety and well-being. This guide is a comprehensive checklist to help you storm-proof your health and stay safe during hurricane season. 

Disaster Recovery Center open in Mid-County Annex

Residents and businesses seeking support and resources after Hurricane Beryl can visit this Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) beginning Thursday, August 1 at 1:00 PM at the Mid-County Annex Community Room located at 9850-A Emmett F. Lowry Expressway, Suite A-104. The DRC will be open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and closed on Sunday.

Representatives from both the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) will be available to answer questions and assist residents with their applications for disaster assistance.

If you or someone you know has been affected, please take advantage of this resource to aid in your recovery process.

For additional locations of Disaster Recovery Centers, please visit the DRC Locator on FEMA's website or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.

Meet the Team Shout Outs

Meet the team! Every week an employee from GCHD is highlighted on all platforms.

Meet Sigrid Glover! Sigrid is the Accounts Payable Specialist for Galveston County Health District (GCHD). She joined the GCHD team 16 years ago next month and has been working in her field for 11 years. Sigrid loves sunflowers, spending time with her children and grandchildren, and listening to her 94-year-old father tell stories. She is also a big sports fan! Where are you from? "Texas City, TX" What is your favorite part of your job? "I love paying bills." What is one fun fact about you? "I got to travel to Europe and would love to go back." If you could only watch one genre of movies for the rest of your life, what would it be? "I like Action and Romcom. I have a large collection of movies. It's one of my favorite hobbies." We asked Sigrid what is something you would like everyone to know about your job/ department they may not know. This is what she said, "We as a department strive to work very hard for the organization."

Meet Abby Hernandez! Abby is Business Center Specialist - Team Leader for Galveston County Health District (GCHD). She joined the GCHD team 18 years ago and has been working in her field ever since. Abby is a Sunday School teacher for the children's class (ages 5-12) at her church. Where are you from? "I am a BOI and grew up in West Texas City/LaMarque. I am a family of 6, including my husband and our four kids." What is your favorite part of your job? "To assist customers in retrieving their important documents, especially when it's their first time viewing their children's birth certificates. It's an excitement that I enjoy seeing. I also enjoy my department; we work very well together and I have an amazing supervisor." What is one fun fact about you? "I am loud; the more excited I am, the louder I can get." If you could switch lives with any fictional character for a day, who would it be and why? Bubbles from the Power Puff Girls - I like girl power & to fight the bad/evil. We asked Abby what is something you would like everyone to know about your job/ department they may not know. This is what she said, " Vital Statistics is an essential department that everyone once or twice has to visit. Birth records are important documents that one needs to identify themselves for school, ID/DLs, travel, passports, employment, or even genealogy for your family tree and death records to prove inheritance, close out accounts for loved ones, or for closure for the family. We only issue birth records for Texas only and death records for Galveston County only. Birth records are restricted for 75 years and death for 25 years, and you must be a qualified applicant with proper documentation to apply."

Meet Latricia Battles! Latricia is the HIV Prevention Specialist for Galveston County Health District (GCHD). She joined the GCHD team one and a half years ago and has worked in her field for five months. Latricia loves gardening; she can be outdoors with her plants and flowers all day. Where are you from? "I’m from Tacoma, WA, and live in Texas City. I have two sons and will officially be an empty nester this coming September. It will be myself and my two dogs." What is your favorite part of your job? "Knowing what I do is important and helps keep the community safe and healthy." What is one fun fact about you? "I love EDM music and love going to festivals. I will see ZEDD in September and be at ACL in October." If you could invent a holiday, what would it be called, and how would we celebrate it? "I can't think of one." We asked Latricia what is something you would like everyone to know about your job/ department they may not know. She said, "We are very passionate about what we do and enjoy educating the community and others about STI prevention."

Meet Rayson Johnson! Rayson is an Animal Control Officer for the Animal Resource Center, an animal shelter under GCHD. He joined the ARC team about eight months ago and has worked in animal welfare since then. He loves animals! Where are you from? “Kansas” What is your favorite part of your job? “The animals.” What is one fun fact about you? "I am fun."

Meet Bethany Hansen! Bethany is a Public Health Nurse for Galveston County Health District (GCHD). She joined the GCHD team one year ago and has worked in her field for four years. Where are you from? "Lake Jackson, TX." What is your favorite part of your job? "Being able to provide a safe space for patients who may be going through a hard time- whether it be in the Healthy Concepts Clinic or during an outreach." What is one fun fact about you? "I have a BUNCH of plants (Even though I don't have the greenest thumb)." If you could live in any fictional universe, where would you choose? "The Marvel universe because who wouldn't want superpowers?" We asked Bethany what is something you would like everyone to know about your job/ department they may not know. She said, "Healthy Concepts Clinic provides testing for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis C for only $10, which includes treatment for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis if needed! We are open Wednesdays in Texas City and Mondays in Galveston."

GCHD, CHW throw Back-to-School Block Party

GCHD, CHW visit overnight cooling center after Hurricane Beryl

Galveston County Health District and Coastal Health & Wellness staff visited the Dickinson High School overnight cooling center. Staff talked to the Red Cross, educated them on food safety, and provided assistance. They spoke with the Red Cross, Sheriff's Department, and Mayor Skipworth to ensure all citizens have a safe and cool place if needed.

CHW nominated for best medical clinic

Coastal Health & Wellness has been nominated as one of The Daily News’ Top 5 Finalists in the Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Medical Clinic.

Cast your vote for Coastal Health & Wellness as the Best Medical Clinic! Voting starts July 26 and is open until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 1. You may vote once a day!

Vote here for Coastal Health & Wellness as the Best Medical Clinic.

ARC hosts pet pantry event at GCHD

The Galveston County Animal Resource Center partnered with the Houston Humane Society to hold a pet food pantry event at Galveston County Health District on Wednesday, July 31. This event filled 14,400 pets' bowls! We met Princess the Chihuahua and Luna the Aussie. Sadie, the Chow Chow/ Golden Retriever mix, looked so happy to see us!

STEM camp students tour GCHD

On July 17, 6th-8th grade students from the Greater St. Matthews Baptist Church STEM Camp in Hitchcock, TX visited GCHD for Career Day. During the visit, students had the opportunity to meet with CHW nurses and COM nursing students, participate in environmental demonstrations on air and water, engage with epidemiologists to learn about outbreak investigations, take a tour of the dental clinic, interact with WIC employees for a nutrition quiz, and learn CPR from GAAA staff.

WIC nutrition consultant graduates dietetic internship

On July 19, Alexis Johnson, WIC’s Nutrition Consultant, graduated from her dietetic internship.

The Texas WIC Dietetic Internship is an ACEND- accredited program that offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in all areas of dietetics and leads to eligibility to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).

Alexis received specialized training in adult and pediatric medical nutrition therapy, school food service management, and public health strategies. She gained experience in clinical settings, school districts, and community organizations through various rotations while working alongside experienced dietitians and public health professionals.

Congratulations, Alexis! 

GCHD, CHW host Back-to-School event

On Saturday, July 27, Galveston County Health District and Coastal Health & Wellness partnered with Trinity Oaks Apartments of Hitchcock, TX to host a private back to school event for residents and their children. Parents were given information on GCHD/CHW services and children received backpacks filled with school supplies.

Add immunizations to your back-to-school list

Back-to-school prep season is here. While most supply lists include things like pencils, notebooks, crayons and other classroom items, parents still have time to ensure their children have the most important supply on hand - protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Vaccines are the best way for parents to protect their children – and themselves – from 16 potentially harmful diseases that can often be extremely serious, especially in infants and young children.

These diseases include measles, whopping cough, chickenpox and some cancers. Parents should check with their child’s doctor and school to learn about vaccine requirements.

Our immunizations clinic offers the vaccines your kids need to head back to school Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. For additional information or to obtain your child's immunization records, please call (409) 949-3459.

Upcoming Events

Save the Date! Join us for an enriching day at the Resource Navigation Expo, where you'll find a wealth of information, services, and support to help you and your family flourish. Discover local resources, connect with experts, and take advantage of free information and giveaways designed to empower our community. This event takes place on Friday, August 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Moody United Methodist Church in Galveston, Texas. 

We are excited and pleased to announce our participation in this years Mega Adoption Event at the George R Brown Convention Center in Houston, Tx hosted by Montgomery County Animal Shelter Texas and Petco Love. We, along with many other animal shelters, will be working together to promote as many adoptions as we can.

Looking for a new addition to your family? All adoptions will be $35 which include sterilization, microchipping, and rabies vaccination. The adoption event starts at 10:00 am on Saturday (Aug 17), but you can buy a "Fast Pass" that will get you in the door at 9:00am so you can have first pick! More information on this can be found on the website. 

We can't pull off such a large-scale lifesaving event without an army of volunteers- and that includes YOU!!!

If you would like to participate in this adoption event, please click this link to sign up.

GCHD 2023 Annual Report 

View the GCHD Annual Reportto see the accomplishments, progress, and public health initiatives established in 2023.

HEAL Recipe of the Month

Cherry-Berry Smoothie Bowl