Mission

The Snohomish Health District’s mission is to spearhead efforts to protect, promote and advance the collective health of our community. It will continue to do this by focusing on activities that are grounded in a set of foundational public health services, which include: 

• Communicable Diseases & Notifiable Conditions
• Chronic Diseases & Injuries
• Environmental Health
• Maternal, Child & Family Health
• Vital Records
• Ongoing, Critical Public Health Issues
• Access to Medical, Dental & Mental Health Care
• Build a Sustainable Organization

SHD Health Officer Announces Resignation 

After 24 years with the Snohomish Health District, Dr. Chris Spitters has announced his resignation. His last day will be June 30, 2022. Dr. Spitters says his reason for resignation is so that he can focus on commitments to his family.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked here all these years with such a committed group of public health professionals, local health care system colleagues, and other partners in local government and the community. Thanks for your support and efforts throughout.”

 - Dr. Chris Spitters

Division Updates

A Note From Shawn

Well, we have made it through another year hear at the District. The 2022 Budget has been adopted and the District is poised for a year of growth and modernization. In the new year, we will quickly realize that we’ve been responding to COVID for two years and even as new variants emerge we will continue to move towards normalcy. As we grow, we’ll see many new faces and have opportunities to innovate how we do our work.

I’m grateful for all you and all of your hard work, your compassion, kindness, and fellowship. Happy Holidays!
 
Shawn

Human Resources

Oftentimes, I have conversations with coworkers and they share their experiences with the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefit. As a reminder ALL employees, spouses, domestic partners, and children up to age 26 are eligible to use this program. This program is available 24/7 to help when you’re facing issues that interfere with your health, well-being, and productivity at home or at work. You are provided with 6 face-to-face visits with a qualified clinical expert who can assess your concerns and develop a plan of action.
In addition to the clinic expert visits, EAP has a website with trainings and webinars. You can find resources on resilience, personal growth, and emotional well-being. Every month, they come out with a newsletter that I forward to all staff. I highly encourage you read through those and take advantage of this great program. As a reminder, you can go to their website at https://www.fchn.com/Members/EmployeeAssistance. The username is wcif.

-Pam Aguilar

Environmental Health

• The Environmental Health Division is finally getting a new Assistant Director!  JR Myers will start in his new role on 12/20 and will be located in the office next to Ragina’s in suite 204. Please stop by and say hi!
• The Food Safety Program is happy to announce that Alicia Susinger has accepted the Food Tech Lead position. Congratulations to Alicia! Food Safety Leadership is continuing to work on developing external messaging and guidance materials for foodservice operators in anticipation of the new code adoption in March 2021.  The program also held their fourth quarter Food Advisory Committee (FAC) meeting last week and discussed the final fee schedule, an update of our enforcement process revision, food code revision update, and Food Excellence Award nominations.
• The Pollution Prevention Assistance Program (PPA) has just concluded 113 technical assistance visits in the city of Lake Stevens. The visits involve educating businesses in the automotive, restaurant, and property management sectors about hazardous waste and stormwater protection. The PPA program is scheduled to start its next outreach in the city of Marysville with over 260 businesses to inspect.
• For July-Oct 2021, the Vital Records Team has issued 4.1 % more birth certificate copies and 9.3% more death certificate copies than in July-Oct 2020.  Taylor Walpus starts with the team on 12/16, making us officially fully staffed!  The kiosks in the lobby are up and running, although some glitches the past week or so have made one or both of them out of order at various times.  We’re working through the kinks and they should be all fixed up shortly.  The public seem to really like the option, and birth certificate fulfillments through the kiosks are much easier for staff to process.

Prevention Services

As we come closer to the end of 2021, it’s a good time to reflect on all that has happened. In Prevention, we have had some staff move on to new roles or retire to go do fun things. We have fresh new faces around which is awesome. We also brought back our Lead work thanks to the efforts of a lot of staff to get that grant, we have a COVID focused health literacy grant, we have new staff in STD to help combat the rising rates of syphilis, and we also have a full-time DIS back in TB. 2022 is going to bring us different challenges but is also going to bring us so much opportunity to collaborate and work together here in the Division. It’s an exciting time.

A Note From Dr. Spitters

Look to the latest update on the omicron variant from CDC’s ACIP meeting of December 16.
 
In case you’re not getting enough to digest on COVID at work, this book is an interesting read—albeit somewhat sensationalized oversimplified here and there. The book is about the science and politics underlying dysfunctional aspects of the response during the first few months of the pandemic: The Premonition by Michael Lewis. 

Kind Words for COVID Vaccine School Clinic

A kind parent who got her child vaccinated at a Lake Stevens school clinic has expressed these kind words to us about her experience.

"I just wanted to send a thank you to the volunteers who put on the 5-11 COVID vaccine clinic on 12/3 at Lake Stevens Middle School. We arrived to protesters out front, and yet every other aspect of our experience quickly made us forget that unpleasantness.
Nurse Luanne, who helped us, was a calm presence and ensured my daughter felt comfortable. This included taking her mind off her own shot and focusing attention to her doll Mia who also needed a shot. She helped her give a “shot” and even gave Mia a band-aid. The jokes while we waited the 15 minutes were also a hit!"

All Staff Meeting Recording

Health Literacy Corner

As COVID-19 began to overwhelm the world, the technology that once seemed supplemental to our daily lives became more of a necessity. In order to follow public health recommendations and stay home when possible, people around the world began to depend more heavily on technology than ever before.

How did this change your daily life? How did this change the way you work and how you provide information to the public? How did this change the way you communicate with your doctors?

For many, seeing their doctor now requires use of technology, and finding health information is done primarily online. Difficulties identifying credible sources and challenges navigating the technology available today highlight the importance of digital health literacy, or eHealth literacy.

The CDC describes digital health literacy as, “the ability to appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained in addressing or solving a health problem” (Norman and Skinner, 2006). So, how can we, as public health professionals, help community members increase their understanding of online health information? Here are a few ways:

• Put the most important information first and simplify webpage navigation
• Write online health materials with limited-health literacy users in mind
• Virtually disseminate information at a 6th grade reading level or below
• Learn from individuals with limited digital health literacy to identify barriers to understanding and using online health information.

For more information and actionable items on digital health literacy, please see Health Literacy Online: 2nd Edition by following this link: Table of Contents - Health Literacy Online | health.gov

Comms Corner

Winter Activities

Have some fun with your little ones while being warm and cozy inside by making one of our winter activities! Simply color, cut, and paste to make a wonderful snowglobe. Happy Snoho-Holiday! Download the activity at www.snohd.org/activities

Have a request to promote content on social media?

If you have any social media content you would like us to promote on social media, let us know at communications@snohd.org. We have previously promoted opioid and suicide prevention as well as SIDS Awareness Month campaigns. The Communication Team is always eager to help you promote the latest health information.

Are you following SHD?

Take a minute to hit like and follow on our social channels! You can find us on Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. This is a great way to keep up on the latest info on all things public health.

Last Newsletter of the Year

With the holiday season coming up, this will be our last employee newsletter of the year. Look for the next issue the beginning of January. We wish you a wonderful and restful holiday! 

News You Can Use

How to Celebrate the Holidays Safely This Year
Omicron variant surging rapidly in Washington state, UW testing indicates
4 Mindful Tips to De-Stress This Holiday Season

Resource Section

• All Staff Meeting Recording Password: SHDdec821
• Find Your Flu Shot
• Register for Your Booster Shot
• Blood Drive Registration

Upcoming Events

• Holiday - 12/24
• Holiday - 12/31
• Timesheets Due - 12/31