First time Moms . . . Here’s a program just for you!

Connect with Nurse Family Partnership

Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP) is an evidence-based, community health program that helps transform the lives of vulnerable mothers pregnant with their first child. Each mother served by the program is partnered with a registered nurse early in her pregnancy and receives ongoing nurse home visits that continue through her child’s second birthday. Independent research proves that communities benefit from this relationship — every dollar invested in Nurse-Family Partnership can yield up to five dollars in return. Nurse-Family Partnership is based on more than 35 years of research from randomized, controlled trials that prove it works. Nurse-Family Partnership produces multi-generational outcomes that benefit communities and eliminate the costs of long-term social service programs. For example, the following outcomes have been observed among participants in at least one of the trials of the program:

• 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect 

• 56% reduction in emergency room visits for accidents and poisonings 

• 59% reduction in arrests at child age 15 

• 67% reduction in behavioral and intellectual problems at child age six 

• 72% fewer convictions of mothers at child age 15

In addition, Nurse-Family Partnership services have shown decreases in the number of families enrolled in Medicaid and food stamps programs, as well as improvements in pregnancy outcomes, health status, school achievement, parental employment and family stability. Help a first time mom you may know connect with NFP and change lives for the better.

For more information:

• Contact NFP: Mary Beth Mary Beth Wenger, Program Supervisor at 303-239-7074 or email: mwenger@jeffco.us
• Learn more about the Jefferson County Public Health Nurse Family Partnership program.

Phasing out certain antibiotic use in farm animals

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is implementing a voluntary plan with industry to phase out the use of certain antibiotics for enhanced food production. Antibiotics are added to the animal feed or drinking water of cattle, hogs, poultry and other food-producing animals to help them gain weight faster or use less food to gain weight. Because all uses of antimicrobial drugs, in both humans and animals, contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance, it is important to use these drugs only when medically necessary. Governments around the world consider antimicrobial-resistant bacteria a major threat to public health. Illnesses caused by drug-resistant strains of bacteria are more likely to be potentially fatal when the medicines used to treat them are rendered less effective. For more information visit the FDA web site.

Take Steps Now to Eliminate Radon Gas From Your Home . . . January is National Radon Action Month

Jefferson County Public Health encourages all residents to have their homes tested for radon gas, a naturally occurring gas that you can’t see, smell, or taste, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 500 Coloradans each year.

Elevated levels of radon have been found in homes all across the country. In Colorado, 52 of its 64 counties are at high risk for radon. Due to the gas’s unpredictable nature, two houses right next to each other may have very different radon levels. Testing is the only way to know for certain if you and your loved ones are at risk.

January is an excellent time to test your home. Testing requires all windows and doors be closed, but is simple to do. Residents in Jefferson and Gilpin counties can purchase short-term test kits for $10.00 at Jefferson County Public Health Environmental Health Services. Visit the Golden office at 1801 19th Street to pick-up your testing kit before we move on January 23, 2013. Kits can also be picked up in February at our new location at 645 Parfet Street in Lakewood. Long-term test kits are also available at local hardware stores, supermarkets and other retail outlets.

For more information on radon, radon testing, and radon mitigation, call 1-800-846-3986 or JCPH Environmental Specialist John Moody at 303-271-5714.

Resources:

• Jefferson County Public Health website – jeffco.us/public-health
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
• Environmental Protection Agency website - www.epa.gov/radon/nram/

Quitting Tobacco in 2014

New Year’s Day represents the fresh start that we anticipate each year, and Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is encouraging people who use tobacco to set a quit date by January 1, 2014. Setting a quit date is a great first step towards regaining your freedom from tobacco. According to the American Cancer Society, people who plan their quit day in advance DOUBLE the odds of staying tobacco-free for life.

Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of death in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure to cause 443,000 deaths each year in the United States – that’s 1 out of every 5 people. It is NEVER too late to quit – your body begins to heal after only 20 minutes of smoking your last cigarette. Quitting is hard, but with the right tools, resources and support, you can do it!

The JCPH Tobacco Prevention Initiative offers a 2014 New Year’s Resolution infographic to help tobacco users navigate the journey of quitting. This educational handout provides reasons to quit, steps to design a quit plan, a tracking tool and tips on staying tobacco-free. JCPH also offers an online nine day quit guide to help you stay on track.

There are numerous additional resources to help you quit smoking or quit using other tobacco products. Consider some of the following free resources to help you in your journey to quit: 

• For telephone support, coaching and resources to help you or a loved one become tobacco-free; call the Colorado Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). The QuitLine also has a web-based support, www.coquitline.org. This free service provides information and tools to tailor your own personal plan for quitting. 
• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched www.TobaccoFreeCO.org, an online web hub that connects visitors to a variety of resources and topics including cessation services and information on preventing secondhand smoke exposure and youth tobacco use. 
• COQuitMobile is a free text-based program that places you on the path to a life free from tobacco. 
• You may also visit the Ready to Quit Page on the Tobacco-Free Jeffco Website for a list of additional resources and videos that will encourage and help you to quit. 
• Tips from Former Smokers is a powerful CDC national campaign that encourages people to quit smoking by highlighting the toll that smoking-related illnesses take on smokers and their loved ones.
• View this American Lung Association Fact Sheet about what resources are covered under the new guidelines of the Affordable Care Act.