Too often in healthcare, the needs of men are overlooked. With traditional healthcare strategies focused on the outcomes of women, men often know less about their health, make fewer trips to the doctor, and die from the leading causes of death at higher rates than women. The Clayton County Board of Health (CCBOH) is changing that with “The Locker Room,” a new point of entry for men’s healthcare services. On March 8, the CCBOH hosted a well-attended ribbon cutting ceremony for The Locker Room. As of May, The Locker Room is officially open to clients. Serving males between the ages of 11-45, The Locker Room provides access to free and low-cost clinical services in a professional, male-friendly environment. Upon entry, men are connected with a “Health Coach,” a health educator who will provide them with useful male health promotional materials and direct them to various CCBOH services. From there, men can access male reproduc-tive healthcare services, as well as screening and treatment for common health

issues, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and sexually-transmitted infections (STIs). Referrals can be provided to address depression and prostate/colorectal cancer. The Locker Room is not just a location, but a multi-faceted approach to addressing male health issues in the county, says Clayton County District Health Director Dr. Alpha Fowler Bryan. The locker-room-themed re-ception area provides young men with a comfortable space, but the program establishes a vehicle for health education, community outreach, and personal empowerment, she said. *Story continued on Page 2 (see “Locker Room”)

“The Locker Room” now accepting clients

Spring Issue May 2012

Tuberculosis Awareness

Tuberculosis (TB) disease, once the leading cause of death in the United States, is still a threat. In 2010, according to the Stop TB Part-nership, 8.8 million people worldwide became ill with TB and 1.4 mil-lion people died from the disease. The risk is especially high for those living with HIV, who contract TB at a rate 37 times more than indi-viduals without HIV. In the past, Clayton’s TB rates have been lower than or comparable to the state rates, but in 2010, Clayton’s TB rate experienced a sharp spike, nearly doubling the state rate. The Clayton County Board of Health took a stand by participating in the sixth annual Tuberculosis Awareness Walk, which took place on World TB Day (March 24) at Grant Park in Atlanta. The purposes of the walk are to raise awareness about the global epidemic of TB and to support efforts to eliminate the disease. The CCBOH amassed a strong showing of support, registering 102 staff, family members, and volunteers to participate in the two-mile walk. In addition to supporting the Tuberculosis Awareness Walk, CCBOH Specialty Services staff hosted a World TB Day awareness event in the lobby of the Clayton County Board of Health on March 23. The event featured a mini expo with informative brochures about TB, goodie bags, prize giveaways, and other general health information. TB can be treated with medication, but is deadly if left untreated. For more information, visit www.stoptb.org.

Right: CCBOH staff, volun-teers, and family members participate in the 2012 Tuber-culosis Awareness Walk, which took place on World TB Day (March 24). The CCBOH was a strong sup-porter of the march, register-ing 102 participants this year.

Clayton County Board of Health Quarterly Newsletter

The Clayton County Board of Health - 1117 Battle Creek Road, Jonesboro, GA 30236 Ph: (678) 610-7199 www.claytoncountypublichealth.org www.facebook.com/CCBOH www.twitter.com/CCBOH

*Rates were not calculated in 2008 and 2009 because there were less than five events.

Georgia Clayton

2.6 2.6

2006 2009 2007 2010 2008

2.4

1.8

2.6

*

1.9

3.1

2.3

*

0

3

2

1

4

Rat

e pe

r 10

0,00

0 po

pula

tion

TB rates for Clayton County and Georgia, 2006-2010

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2

*Locker Room (cont.) “Our goal in launching The Locker Room is to provide an invit-ing, familiar atmosphere for men interested in receiving and in need of health department services,” said Bryan. “We want to encourage males in Clayton County to make their health a prior-ity, and we are pleased to be able to provide resources and ser-vices to help them accomplish just that.” The many services provided through The Locker Room and its partners include: Health education; height, weight and BMI assess-ments; blood pressure, thyroid, heart, and lung assessments; in-struction on self examination for testicular cancer; male breast exams; abdomen, and extremity assessments; genital and rectal examinations; colorectal cancer screenings (40 and over); sexually-transmitted infection (STI) testing; and HIV testing and counseling services. “The motto of The Locker Room is “Your Health is NOT a Game,” said Gibson. “We say this because we really want to im-press upon men that their health is vital to the community. By educating men, giving them the resources they need, and doing it in a less-sterile environment that appeals to men, we are planting the seeds for more responsible and health-conscious fathers, husbands, and family members. That will ultimately benefit the community as a whole.” For more information about The Locker Room or to schedule an appointment, contact Kevin Young, Male Health Coordinator, at (678) 479-2214 or kyoung@dhr.state.ga.us.

CCBOH Quarterly Newsletter

Volunteer Appreciation Day Everyday, more than 200 volunteers from around the Southern Crescent stand ready to assist the Clayton County Board of Health (CCBOH) in addressing mass care and vaccination incidents that may otherwise over-whelm local hospital and public safety officials. During Volunteer Appreciation Day on March 31 at the Georgia Archives, the CCBOH honored the members of its Pub-lic Health Volunteer Initiative Program (PHVIP) for their continued service to the county. Approximately 50 volunteers and volunteer family members were present to receive awards, enjoy refresh-ments, view slide shows of their past volunteer experi-ences, and hear directly from District Health Director Dr. Alpha Fowler Bryan and Emergency Preparedness and Response Director Doug Dugger about the impor-tance of their service. Honorees received special awards for outstanding volunteer service, participation in emer-gency drills, and the completion of more than 16 hours of non-mandatory training. Gordon and Rosalee Satkowiak were the dual recipients of the first-ever PHVIP Volunteer of the Year Award. The couple has spent countless hours assisting the CCBOH with various drills and exercises, including its full-scale radiologi-cal disaster exercise in April 2011 and its portable hospital exercise in August 2010. For more information about the PHVIP program, visit www.claytoncountypublichealth.org/emgPrep or contact Darren Armstrong at (678) 610-7468. Clayton County Community Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Seminar

The first-ever Clayton County Community Emergency Prepar-edness and Response (EPR) Seminar took place on April 12 at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. On that day, more than 150 leaders, residents, and business people gathered to learn more about the importance of emergency preparedness and how indi-viduals and businesses can make Clayton County a more resilient community. A key theme during the seminar was the importance of getting rid of the imaginary wall that separates the private and public sector. Health and safety officials, public school officials, church leaders, and private business owners all spoke about the impor-tance of communication and teamwork before and after disasters occur. Representatives from the Georgia, Clayton County, and Forest Park emergency management agencies were also on hand to offer families and businesses practical safety information, such as how to receive alerts through GEMA’s new “Ready GA” mobile application.

A Community Exposition that took place alongside the seminar provided individuals with a chance to learn about new emergency preparedness and safety products, as well as the many affordable health and information programs available in the county. Through events like the Community EPR Seminar, Clayton County is making progress toward becoming a safer and better-prepared community.

The Clayton County Board of Health - 1117 Battle Creek Road, Jonesboro, GA 30236 Ph: (678) 610-7199 www.claytoncountypublichealth.org www.facebook.com/CCBOH www.twitter.com/CCBOH

Clayton County District Health Director Dr. Alpha Fowler Bryan (left) and CCBOH Emergency Preparedness and Response Direc-tor Doug Dugger (right) pose with Volunteer of the Year Award recipients Rosalee and Gordon Satkowiak.

Residents, business owners, and county officials gather at the Georgia Archives for the Clayton County Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Seminar on April 12.

From left, Rev. Mike Glanton, Clayton County District Health Director Dr. Alpha Fowler Bryan, Clayton County Chairman Eldrin Bell, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Commander Edecia Richards, and Georgia Department of Community Health Public Health Consult-ant Sean L. Johnson pose in the new “Locker Room” on March 8.

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Month of the Young Child (MOYC) Celebration Every fourth week of April across America, child advocates celebrate Week of the Young Child in order to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families, as well as to recognize early childhood programs and services. In Georgia, that celebration stretches the entire month of April. To celebrate MOYC in Clayton County, the CCBOH offered free devel-opmental screenings every Wednesday in April. The screenings — provided by CCBOH’s Maternal and Child Health programs — use playful activities to test whether or not children are reaching important cognitive and develop-mental milestones. In all, 39 children were screened, 15 of whom received referrals for fur-ther services and treatment. Every child who received a free developmental screening also received a free children’s book, made possible by a March book drive, in which CCBOH staff collected 103 books for children of vari-ous reading levels. On April 10, the CCBOH and its Birth-to-Five staff were recognized for their work in the community with an official proclamation from the Clayton County Board of Commissioners, demonstrating the Board of Health’s con-tinued commitment to helping children reach proper development.

CCBOH Quarterly Newsletter

The Clayton County Board of Health - 1117 Battle Creek Road, Jonesboro, GA 30236 Ph: (678) 610-7199 www.claytoncountypublichealth.org www.facebook.com/CCBOH www.twitter.com/CCBOH

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter www.facebook.com/CCBOH — www.twitter.com/CCBOH

Top: M’Kai Smith (left), 34 months, demonstrates his stacking abilities to Babies Can’t Wait Staff Early Interventionist Debbie Anderson. Center: Annalice Hernandez, 18 months, gets acquainted with her new book, made possible by the CCBOH Month of the Young Child Book Drive. Bottom: The Clayton County Board of Commissioners pre-sents an official county procla-mation to members of the CCBOH Birth-to-Five Team on April 10 for their work in observance of Month of the Young Child.

CCBOH in Pictures

Left: (From left) U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), State Rep. Glenn Baker (D-Jonesboro), and Clayton County District Health Director Dr. Alpha Fowler Bryan listen to a speech during the 13th annual Clayton County National Day of Prayer Breakfast on May 3 at the National Archives at Atlanta. Bryan, who was honored as the event’s keynote speaker, spoke on the impor-tance of considering human social needs in the pursuit of public health and that “where you live shouldn’t determine how healthy you are,” among other topics. Right: Student volunteers from Empire Beauty School in Morrow perform free manicures for new and expecting mothers at the Board of Health during its first-ever “Spring Has Sprung...and it’s All About You!” event, hosted on April 25 by CCBOH and its Making Our Mothers Successful (MOMS) program. The MOMS program, which works to ensure positive birth outcomes for at-risk mothers, treated local mothers to manicures, facials, massages, and other stress-reducing gifts with the help of cosme-tology students. By reducing stress, mothers reduce their risk of premature birth and other complications.