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HEALTH DEPARTMENT 973-428-2484
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HEALTH
HAPPENINGS
Application for a Certification or a Certified Copy of a Vital
Record (Certificate of Birth, Marriage, Civil Union, Domestic
Partnership and Death)
Blood
Pressure Screening
Child
Health Services Available
Clinics
Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
Flu
Information
Morris County Public Health Flu Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Website For
Flu Information
CDC web site with information for Special Groups
CDC web site with information for Businesses
Pandemic
Influenza Planning: A guide for individuals and families
New Jersey: A Public Health Guide to Emergency Planning Flu Information: A Parents Guide
Steps to Fight the Flu
General Q&A on Guillain Barre Syndrome
General Q&A on Thimerosal
Goryeb KIDFIT
program
Guidance
for Emergency Action Planning for Retail Food Establish
Guidelines for Proper Disposal of
Household Medication
Health Education Programs and Health Services Provided
through Morristown Memorial Hospital and Atlantic Health
Hospital
Performance Report
Information on Arsenic in Rice
Information
on Food Allergies
Information on
Public Health Insects, Ticks, Lice, Bed Bugs and Rodents
Bats
Bed Bugs
Lice
Mosquitoes
Rodents
Stink Bugs (Part
1 &
Part 2)
Ticks
Morris County Caregivers
Coalition
Morris
Regional Public Health Partnership (MRPHP) Website
Need Help?
New Jersey's
Smoke-Free Air Act
New
Jersey State Consumer Health Care Publications
Notice
to all Retail Food Establishments
Proper Handling of Pets Exposed to Suspected
Rabid Animals
Protect
the Whippany River Watershed
Salmonellosis Associated with Amphibian-Reptile Exposures
Skin
Infections
Skin
Infections in Schools
Staph
or MRSA Infections
West
Nile Virus Activity
Wildlife Rabies Be Cautious Around Wildlife And Stay
Away If It Appears Sick
HEALTH
PROGRAMS
Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
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Guidelines for Proper Disposal of
Household Medication
Do not keep excess or expired medication around the house. Do
not dispose of medication down the drain or toilet
because wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to
remove pharmaceutical compounds and they may end up in your
local waterways and may eventually be found in drinking water.
Mix liquid medicine with undesirable substances like coffee
grinds, cat litter or dirt. Crush pills or dilute with water,
then add coffee grinds, cat litter or dirt. Place in an opaque
container like a yogurt container and secure the lid. Hide the
container in the trash. Do not recycle.
OR
Madison Pharmacy at 66 Main Street, Madison is a designated
medication disposal site. They will accept all medications
except liquids or controlled substances.
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GORYEB KIDFIT
PROGRAM
The Goryeb KIDFIT program (Goryeb
Children’s Hospital at Morristown Memorial) is a health
maintenance program created to help children at risk for obesity
and obesity-related difficulties learn to make healthier
lifestyle choices.
The Goryeb KIDFIT program has
programs for kids ages 6 to 11 and adolescents and teens ages 12
to 21, plus a family program that helps make nutritional changes
in the home, incorporate physical activity into everyday life,
and offer appropriate emotional support to help children reach
their goals.
For more
information about The Goryeb KIDFIT program, call 973-971-8824
or email
goryebkidfit@atlantichealth.org
United Way of
Northern N.J. Morris County
Caregivers Coalition
Caregivers are found in every community in the world, caring for
loved ones of all ages with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
Family, friends, or neighbors may care for an aging parent, a
sibling with mental illness, or a child or spouse with a
disability. Caregivers may provide care full-time, part-time,
or long distance.
While each caregiving situation is unique, all caregivers share
the need for up-to-date information, easy access to resources,
and available support. For information on the Caregivers
Coalition please call 973-993-1160 X 139 or visit their website
at:
http://www.uwmorris.org/ourwork/heal_cc.php
IMPORTANT
NOTICE TO ALL RETAIL FOOD
ESTABLISHMENTS
Beginning January
2nd, 2007, there are new state/local laws which regulate all retail
food establishments and food/beverage vending machines throughout
New Jersey. The old rule was titled “Chapter XII – Sanitation in
Retail Food Establishments and Food and Beverage Vending
Machines.” The new rule, which went into effect on January 2,
2007, is titled “Chapter 24 : Sanitation in Retail Food
Establishments and Food and Beverage Vending Machines (NJAC
8:24).” A copy of the new rule may be found at
www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/documents/chapter24_effective_1207.pdf
For more information please
contact the Township of Hanover Health Department at 973-515-6640.
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New Jersey's
Smoke-Free Air Act
Effective
April 15, 2006, indoor public places and workplaces across the State
will be smoke free. New Jersey's Smoke-Free Air Act ensures that
workers have a safe workplace and that all nonsmokers, including
children and senior citizens, can breathe smoke-free air in the
public places they visit.
For more
information please go to the New Jersey Department of Health and
Senior Services "Smoke-Free Air" website
www.nj.gov/health/ctcp/smokefree/index.shtml
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Salmonellosis Associated with
Amphibian-Reptile Exposures
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a new report entitled
"Outbreak of Salmonellosis Associated with Pet Turtle Exposures
- United States, 2011". This report describes an outbreak of 132
human Salmonella infections that occurred between August 2010
and September 2011 and were associated with exposure to small
turtles (shell lengths < 4 inches). Many of these infections
occurred in young children, in which illness can be severe and
cause hospitalization.
Despite a three decade
federal ban on the sale of small turtles, they continue to be
sold illegally at flea markets and other venues and Salmonella
transmission continues to occur. The CDC had reported similar
outbreaks in 2007 and 2008. Increasing enforcement of existing
regulations, increasing penalties for illegal sales and
emphasizing regulations by the Food and Drug Administration can
assist in decreasing infections acquired from these reptiles. In
New Jersey, the sale and distribution of all turtles is
prohibited, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:23-2.1. It should be
emphasized to the public that turtles and other reptiles and
amphibians are not appropriate pets in households with young
children or other high risk individuals (pregnant women, older
persons and the immune-compromised). The CDC report is available
online:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6104a4.htm?s_cid=mm6104a4_w
The CDC has also produced educational
materials on human Salmonella infections associated with small
turtles and other reptiles.
Click here
for flyer.
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INFORMATION
ON FOOD ALLERGIES
Ask Before You Eat! –that's
the advice
New
Jersey's Department of Health and Senior Services
(NJDHSS) and
researchers at Rutgers University's
Food
Policy Institute and Department of
Nutritional
Sciences are giving those with food allergies. This simple step
could save their lives!
In 2005 the
New
Jersey Legislature directed the NJDHSS to conduct the Ask Before
You Eat! campaign to help protect New Jersey's residents from the
dangers of food allergies. The goal is to help everyone – friends,
neighbors, and restaurants – understand why it is so important for
people with food allergies to avoid foods that trigger allergic
reactions.
To achieve this goal, the
Ask Before You Eat! campaign has created fact sheets for New
Jersey's restaurants with advice on how to serve enjoyable and safe
meals to customers with food allergies. This website also serves as
a resource for restaurant owners and families with (or without) food
allergies to learn to Ask Before You Eat!
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE
GO TO:
www.foodallergy.rutgers.edu
OR CALL THE TOWNSHIP OF HANOVER HEALTH DEPARTMENT (DR. DOROTHY
ZUFALL, HEALTH EDUCATOR) AT 973-515-6641.
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Information
regarding our programs is published periodically in the Hanover
Eagle and Regional Weekly News and the Tuesday's edition of the
Daily Record's Health Happenings section. Clinic information is also
provided through the Health Department’s voice mail system by
dialing (973) 428-2484 and then pressing option 1. Updated clinic
information will be posted on the Township of Hanover’s web site.
Influenza clinics are normally
held in October and November and the rabies vaccination clinic
is normally held the first Saturday in November. These clinics
have not yet been scheduled. When scheduled, these clinics will
be advertised as mentioned above.
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CHILD HEALTH SERVICES AVAILABLE:
The
Township of Hanover Health Department will provide Child Health
Conference services to eligible residents. This service consists
of vaccinations and periodic “well child” examinations by a
physician. This service is available to children birgebf Hanover Township,
have no Health Insurance or have Health Insurance that does not
cover vaccinations and/ or well child visits. This service is
free of charge. Please contact Hanover Township Public Health
Nurse for additional information or for an appointment-
973-515-6668. Assistance to apply for NJ Family Care is
available.
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BLOOD PRESSURE:
The Township
of Hanover Health Department will be offering a monthly Blood
Pressure Screening Clinic the first Wednesday of each month
(September through June) from 1:00 to 2:30 PM in the Public
Meeting Room of the Township of Hanover Municipal Building, 1000
Route 10, Whippany. All residents over the age of 18 years are
welcome to attend.
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PROPER HANDLING OF PETS EXPOSED TO SUSPECTED
RABID ANIMALS:
Dogs and cats which have been fighting with raccoons, skunks,
groundhogs, or foxes may have saliva on their fur which could be
a source of human exposure to rabies. The rabies virus can
remain alive in saliva until the saliva dries completely. Human
exposure can occur if wet saliva from a rabid animal comes into
contact with an open wound (one which has been bleeding within
the last 24 hours) or a mucous membrane (i.e., eyes). This may
occur when a pet is handled immediately after fighting with a
wild animal if saliva from the suspect rabid animal is on the
fur. If the dog or cat's fur was dry, then contact with your
pet would not constitute a rabies exposure.
To
prevent exposure to rabies, it is recommended that dogs and cats
with saliva-contaminated fur not be touched with bare hands
until the saliva has totally dried. If the pet is injured or
must be handled after fighting with a suspect rabid animal,
rubber gloves should be worn by the handlers and their hands
should be washed with soap and water afterwards. Pet owners can
put on rubber gloves and carefully wash the pet off, or once the
saliva has dried (usually within two hours), the pet can be
handled or bathed safely without gloves. People who may have
had contact with saliva from a known or suspect rabid animal
should contact the Health Department and their physician to
determine if anti-rabies treatment is indicated.
The
State Department of Health is frequently questioned about the
rabies exposure risk to people licked by their dog after the dog
was recently exposed to a rabid animal. The only time this
would be considered a potential risk is if the dog licks a
person immediately (within a minute or less) after exposure to
the rabid animal and the saliva contaminates an open wound, cut
or mucous membranes. Later contact with oral secretions from
the dog would not be considered a rabies exposure.
Remember, the best way of protecting yourself and your family
against rabies is to avoid touching wild animals and have your
pets properly vaccinated and licensed. If your pet has been in
contact with a wild animal (i.e. raccoon, skunk, bat, groundhog,
fox, etc.) you must notify the Health Department at
973-515-6640.
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PROTECT THE WHIPPANY
RIVER WATERSHED: Rivers, lakes and ponds could be severely
polluted by the improper use of lawn fertilizers and pesticides.
Fertilizers and pesticides could get washed into water bodies with
stormwater runoff and could possibly cause fish kills. They could
also cause excessive aquatic plant and algae growth which is
unsightly and will cause the waterbody to fill up quickly with
sediments. Have your soil tested before you apply fertilizer, your
lawn may not need it. Contact the Morris County Cooperative
Extension Service (973-285-8300) for more information on soil
testing and pest control. The cost for soil testing is usually
$10.00.
Do not dump anything into
storm drains since they are directly connected to our rivers and
lakes. Also, please pick up and dispose of your pet waste. Pet waste
will contaminate stormwater which eventually reaches and effects the
sanitary quality of our rivers, lakes and streams.
Over the past 10 years the
Whippany River has greatly improved. Let's protect and improve our
valuable water resources (i.e. Whippany River and Bee Meadow Ponds)
by properly using fertilizers and pesticides and by picking up after
our pets.
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HOSPITAL
PERFORMANCE REPORT: The New Jersey Department of Health
and Senior Services 2006 Hospital Performance Report can be found
at www.nj.gov/health/hpr
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MRPHP
WEBSITE: The primary role of the Morris Regional Public
Health Partnership (MRPHP) member municipalities is to continue
the delivery of “traditional” public health services. This
role includes environmentally related services and the
creation and implementation of a countywide system of public
health and bio-terrorism related surveillance and response.
The MRPHP's website can be found at
www.morrispublichealth.org
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NEW
JERSEY STATE CONSUMER HEALTH CARE PUBLICATIONS:
Publications on topics such as cardiac surgery, nursing home
performance report, bariatric surgery, and HMOs are available on
the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services web site
at www.nj.gov/health/reportcards.htm
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WEST
NILE VIRUS ACTIVITY
News Release
Now that the warm weather is approaching, so is the mosquito
breeding season and the concerns about West Nile Virus.
During the week of April 9th the Township of Hanover Health
Department collected its first West Nile Virus positive crow
of the 2012 season. This would indicate that West Nile
Virus is again present in our area and we must continue to
take precautions. Since West
Nile Virus is transmitted primarily by the bite of an
infective mosquito, residents are advised to continue to
take precautions to reduce the risk of mosquito bites.
- Eliminate standing water
in flowerpots, birdbaths, buckets/barrels, tires, pools, roof
gutters, etc. If you wish to save rainwater to use in your
garden it should be used up within a week. Mosquitoes that
breed around the home are primarily responsible for transmitting
West Nile Virus to humans!
- Wear long sleeve shirts
and pants when outdoors
- Spray insect repellant on clothing and exposed skin in
accordance with labeling instructions.
- Repair window and door
screens.
- Avoid
outdoor activities at dawn, dusk and during the evening hours.
As of this time there is one human West Nile Virus case in
New Jersey. A 50 year-old man from Hamilton Township, Mercer
County who developed West Nile Virus was not hospitalized
and is recovering at home. He developed symptoms in July
including fever, fatigue, headache, joint pain and numbness
in his hands. West Nile virus infection generally causes no symptoms or
mild flu-like symptoms. About one in 150 people infected
with WNV, or less than one percent, will develop a more
severe form of the disease. Symptoms of the more severe
disease can include severe headache, high fever, neck
stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors,
convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis. The elderly are
at higher risk of more severe disease.
The West Nile
virus is transmitted through the bite of an infective mosquito
that has picked up the virus while feeding on an infected bird.
In a very small number of cases, West Nile Virus also has been
spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants,
breastfeeding and even during pregnancy from mother to baby.
There is no evidence that would indicate that West Nile virus is
transmitted directly from infected bird to humans. West Nile
Virus can also seriously affect horses. Please contact your
local veterinarian or New Jersey Department of Agriculture at
www.state.nj.us/agriculture/westnile.htm
for more information on West Nile Virus’s effect on horses.
Local
mosquito commissions are working hard with local health departments
to monitor and control the spread of West Nile virus in the mosquito
population. Local Health Departments in the area will continue to
participate in the State-Wide West Nile Virus Surveillance program
by collecting dead corvids (including crows and blue-jays), raptors
(hawks) and thrushes (robins). Residents should contact their local
health department to report dead crows, blue-jays, hawks and
robins. Dead birds in fresh condition will be picked up and sent to
the state laboratories.
Morris County residents may
report mosquito problems and standing water to the Morris County
Mosquito Commission at (973) 285-6450. For general information
on West Nile virus, please visit or contact your local health
department. In addition, information may be obtained from the
State Department of Health and Senior Services website at
www.state.nj.us/health/cd/westnile/enceph.htm
, CDC web site at
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/
or
at the Morris County Mosquito Commission website at
www.morrismosquito.org
. The Morris County Mosquito Commission website also provides
up-to-date information on where and when mosquito spraying will
be occurring.
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NEED HELP?
The uncertain economy is
leaving people who have never had to seek assistance before in a
position that is very unfamiliar and frustrating. This listing
may be a helpful starting point. Eligibility criteria and
benefits will vary according to income and family size. In
addition to the services listed, your local health department
provides free or low cost screening clinics and immunizations.
Please share the following
information with anyone who may have a need:
Vision: Information and Referral
Prevent Blindness has several programs with
varying qualifications such as uninsured or income limits. For
children/adults 1-800-850-2020
www.preventblindness.org/tristate.
Eye Care America 1-800-222-3937
American Optometric
Association–get="_blank" href="h
Morris County Office of
Temporary Assistance 973-326-7800
Information and Referral
Center
2-1-1 or 1-800-435-7555
www.211firstcall.org
Benefits Check Up
www.benefitscheckup.com
General Government Benefits
www.govbenefits.gov
Children’s Services
SCHIP (State Children’s Health
Insurance Program) 1-877-543-7669
www.cms.hhs.gov/home/schip.asp
Catastrophic illness in
children relief fund program (N.J. Department of Human
Services)
609-292-0600 or 1-800-335FUND
www.state.nj.us/humanservices
Zufall Health Center 973-328-3344
Food Bank
Interfaith Food Pantry 973-538-2625
Hospital Care for Uninsured
Patients
N.J. Hospital Care payment
assistance program (Charity Care Assistance) N.J. Department of Health and
Human Services 1-866-588-5696
www.state.nj.us/health/cc/documents/ccfactsh.pdf
Mental Health
Non-crisis situations: Mental Health Association of
Morris County 973-334-3496
Crisis situations: Morristown Memorial Hospital
- Psychiatric Emergency Service 973-540-0100
Saint Clare’s Hospital,
Denville - Psychiatric Emergency Service 973-625-0280
Screenings/Vaccinations
Adult Health
Clinic/Women/Men’s Health Clinic/Blood Pressure
Screenings/Vaccinations – call Health Department at 973-515-6667
Prescription Drugs
Prescription Savings Program 1-800-633-0037 or
www.gspops.com
Veterans Services 973-285-6866 You must fill out application
form 10-10EZ and provide a copy of your discharge document, must
be approved by a VA physician
www.va.gov/healtheligibility/application
Express Scripts; Outreach RX 1-800-769-3880 or
www.rxoutreach.com
Partnership for Prescription
Assistance 1-800-762-4636
PAAD – Pharmaceutical
Assistance to the Aged and Disabled 1-800-792-9745 or
www.nj.gov/health/seniorbenefits/paad.shtml
Discount
Prescriptions 800-291-1206
Nutrition Information
Extensive Services - (Rutgers Cooperative extension
of Morris County) 973-285-8302
Child-Care Subsidy
Hotline - 800-424-2246
Mortgage Payment
Assistance - 800-750-8956
For families falling behind on mortgage payments, this national
agency will work with your client's mortgage company to arrange
a workout plan to catch up missed payments. Housing counselors
will discuss all options available to avoid foreclosure. Agency
does not make loans or buy property.
Debt Relief Hotline - 800-291-1042
For families struggling with credit card debt, (typically over
$10,000).
Economic Recovery
www.EconomicRecovery.gov
is a resource for the American people to find help to keep their
homes, find jobs and protect their savings.
For more
information contact the Township of Hanover Health Department at 973-515-6667
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Influenza Vaccine Still Available
The Township of Hanover Health Department still has a supply of
Influenza vaccine available. For more information please call
the Health Department at 973-515-6667. Vaccinations will be
provided by appointment only.
There is no cost to residents who have
Medicare B. The cost
is $15.00 for anyone who does not have Medicare B.
People are urged to consult their private physician for his/her
recommendation before participating in the program.
Influenza vaccine should not be administered to anyone who is
hypersensitive to eggs or chicken feathers, or who have had a
life-threatening reaction after previous administration of the
vaccine or a vaccine containing the same substances, or to persons
who have a prior history of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
People who are
moderately or severely ill should usually wait until they recover
before getting flu vaccine.
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