Public Health Week emphasizes coordination of private and public efforts to stimulate awareness of health risks and focus on disease prevention and health promotion. Three Stanislaus County agencies as well as a local community agency, have joined efforts in promoting Public Health Week with a variety of community services and special educational events. The Health Services Agency, Department of Mental Health, Department of Environmental Resources and the YMCA are proud to sponsor the following calendar of events during this week long celebration: see attached calendar

Public Health Week will feature: the announcement of the Stanislaus County Community Health Report Card; the launching of a new food safety brochure that will be distributed through school systems and the Stanislaus County Food Advisory Committee members; and various educational programs and events throughout the community. The week will also feature an information table display at the Stanislaus County Administration Building located at 1100 H Street in Modesto.

Community Health Report Card Scores Give Further Reason to Celebrate

As a precursor to Public Health Week, Stanislaus County generated a Community Health Report Card. The report card reflects a limited analysis of county births, deaths, and disease incidence. Results are compared with California statistics and with the national Healthy People 2000 objectives.

"Stanislaus County has a good deal to celebrate during Public Health Week" states Alvaro Garza, M.D., M.P. H., Public Health Officer. "Our Community Health Report Card for 1999 reflects that in comparison with statewide results and national health objectives, we are doing well with immunization of children, with births to teens 15 – 17 years old, with deaths from breast cancer and suicides, and with some sexually transmitted infections." Garza continues, "On the other hand, we need special attention to reducing cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes), deaths from injuries, chlamydia infections and infant deaths in the African American community.

"The results of the Community Health Report Card reinforce the goals we have already defined for community health improvement in Stanislaus County," states Dr. Garza. "We look forward to conducting a yearly report card on our community's health, and then tracking our annual improvements. The comparative data will be helpful for our long range plans."

For more information on the Community Health Report Card, please contact Kyle Luman, Stanislaus County Epidemiologist, at 558-7526

For more information on the schedule of activities planned for Public Health Week, please contact David Jones, Director of Marketing and Development, Health Services Agency at (209) 558-5636.