Placer County

Public Health Division

2017 Annual Report

Message from the Health Officer

Placer County—

I’m excited to share with you the first Placer County Public Health Annual Report. This report provides you with an

overview of our Public Health programs, including contact information, program background, and even a few

highlights showcasing our proud accomplishments from the past year. While all of our projects and successes could

not be captured in this report, we hope that you get a glimpse of public health in action.

Our team here in Public Health works hard every day to accomplish our vision of “health and wellness for all who live,

work, learn, and play in Placer.” In addition to the hard work conducted by our staff, these successes could not have

been achieved without the collaborative actions of our partners. We thank you for your continued support and desire

to better the health of Placer County communities.

While these examples merely serve as a glimpse of what we do in our day-to-day work, we look forward to seeing the

improved health outcomes as we continue to proudly serve the County of Placer as your local Public Health Division.

Be Well,

Rob L. Oldham, M.D., M.S.H.A.

Placer County Public Health Division Director

Our Vision

Health and wellness for all who live, work, learn, and play in Placer

Our Mission The mission of the Placer County Public Health Division is to encourage

health and wellness of each individual, family, and community in Placer. The

Division will promote optimized health for all through prevention, care, and

coordination of services.

Public Health in a Nutshell

As a Division, our areas of proficiency in the public health field span many

topics, including but not limited to, Public Health Nursing, Chronic Disease

Prevention, Emergency Preparedness, Communicable Disease, and Whole

Person Care. With the success of our programs, we aim to promote

optimized health for all through prevention, care, and coordination of

services.

This report serves as a guide to not only provide background information on

our programs, but to highlight a few achievements from the 2016-2017

program fiscal years, as evidenced in the green tabs on each page.

If you’d like more information about the Placer County Public Health

Division, contact us at (530) 889-7141 or visit our website at:

www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health

Placer County Public Health Division

93

Total employees

83%

Employees paid by grants and

local contracts

81% Of employees have an Associates,

Bachelors, Masters, or

Doctoral Degree

Table of Contents

Program Page

Public Health Accreditation 1

California Children’s Services 2

Child Health and Disability Prevention 3

Communicable Disease and Immunization 4

Emergency Preparedness 5

Epidemiology 6

Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care 7

Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health 8-9

Medical Therapy Unit 10

Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention 11-12

Oral Health 13

Tobacco Prevention Program 14-15

Vital Statistics 16

Whole Person Care 17

Women, Infants, and Children 18-19

Partnerships 20

Table of Contents

1

Accreditation

Placer County Public Health Division seeks Public Health Accreditation.

Public Health Accreditation is a voluntary practice that measures the competence of a public health department to

a set of national standards. The nationally adopted standards are centered on the 10 Essential Public Health

Functions and focus on leadership, planning, community engagement, customer focus, workforce development,

evaluation, quality improvement, and governance.

Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnership

The Public Health Division Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) team spent all of 2017

(and much of 2016) facilitating the MAPP process. MAPP is a community-driven strategic planning process for

improving community health. By using this framework, it helped Public Health and participating community

partners apply strategic thinking to prioritize public health issues and identify resources to address them. Partners

from over 30 different local organizations participated in the MAPP process, including representatives from health

care, law enforcement, schools, community based organizations, faith-based communities, among others. By

going through this process, Public Health assessed the health status of our community in a variety of different

manners, and ultimately produced the Community Themes and Strengths Assessment, Local Public Health System

Assessment, Community Health Status Assessment, and the Forces of Change Assessment. These reports lead the

Accreditation process, and can be found on the Placer Dashboard. The data from the four reports guided the

creation and implementation of the Community Health Improvement Plan, which is a plan for how the community

can prioritize and address Placer’s greatest health needs.

Placer Partnership for Public Health

The Placer Partnership for Public Health (PPPH) is a group made up of key stakeholders dedicated to improving

community health in Placer. The Partnership consists of three workgroups that work on completing the goals in

the Community Health Improvement Plan.

Program Contact: Cassie Call, ccall@placer.ca.gov, (530) 886-3632

Visit www.placerdashboard.org/ to access the Placer County Health Assessments referenced above.

4

Community assessments

completed

45

Members of the Placer

Partnership for Public

Health Coalition

14

Different agencies

represented at the

Placer Partnership for

Public Health meetings

2

California Children’s Services

California Children’s Services provides specialty care and assistance to children in need.

California Children’s Services (CCS) is one of the oldest public health programs in the nation. It was established in

1927 in response to the polio epidemic to provide orthopedic treatment to children affected by the disease. The

program has expanded as medical knowledge and treatment has grown to cover specialty care for children with a

wide range of chronic, disabling, or disfiguring conditions. CCS authorizes treatment services through a wide

provider network of hospitals, pediatric specialists and special care centers throughout the state. In addition, the

Newcastle Medical Therapy Unit provides direct services for children in need of medically based physical and/or

occupational therapy who meet the medical eligibility criteria for the program.

1,000+

Children currently

receiving services

through CCS

160+

Children receiving

therapy services through

the Newcastle Medical

Therapy Unit.

CCS Case Management

Eligibility Specialists determine financial and residential eligibility for CCS Services.

Public Health Nurses (PHNs) are responsible for the medical case management.

The children served by CCS are some of the most medically complicated children in

the state with the families facing many challenges related to their care and

maintaining the function of the family. CCS PHNs work closely with the social

workers and medical providers both locally and at the major medical facilities

throughout the state to ensure appropriate and timely care. Referrals are made to

community providers for services not available from CCS to assist in the

coordination of care. Examples of community partners includes the schools, Alta

California Regional Center, Children’s System of Care, Public Health Nursing, and

the Medi-Cal managed care plans.

Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/childrens-medical-

services/california-childrens-services

3

Child Health and

Disability Prevention

The Placer County Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program is a preventive program whose

goal is to assure that all children and youth of families with limited resources in Placer County stay healthy.

CHDP reimburses enrolled medical providers to deliver comprehensive health assessments and preventive

services for the early detection and prevention of disease and disabilities. CHDP providers utilize the “gateway

to health coverage” process as the entry point for eligible children to pre-enroll in ongoing health care coverage

by granting immediate, temporary full-scope Medi-Cal.

16

CHDP Provider offices in

Placer County

70+

clinicians providing

services

10,000+

CHDP health exams

The CHDP program partners with enrolled medical providers to

promote quality well-child care and coordinate follow-up of identified

or suspected health problems. The CHDP nurse case manager provides

care coordination to assist families with medical appointment

scheduling, obtaining transportation to appointments, and access to

diagnostic and treatment services. Through outreach and collaboration

with other community agencies, CHDP increases the awareness of the

program’s benefits and services throughout the year.

CHDP is administered by the Systems of Care Division of the State

Department of Health Care Services and operated by the Placer County

Public Health Department. CHDP is a state and federally funded

program. During the last fiscal year, the Placer County CHDP program

assisted over 500 families in gaining access to medical and dental

homes, follow-up services, and connecting to other county programs

and community resources.

Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/

childrens-medical-services/child-health-disability-prevention

4

Communicable Disease

and Immunization

Communicable Disease and Immunization Programs help prevent the spread of disease throughout the

community.

Communicable Disease (CD) Program: The CD team works with other Placer County departments,

community medical providers and partners, and the California Department of Public Health to prevent and

control the spread of reportable infectious diseases. The team investigates reported cases and their contacts,

provides education and surveillance duties to reduce incidents and prevent the further spread of disease. In

2017, the communicable disease team processed approximately 3,700 incidents, managed 16 outbreaks, and

handled numerous telephone inquiries throughout the community. Amongst those incidents, the team received

3 invasive meningococcal disease cases. Two of the cases resulted in two separate extensive contact

investigations involving over 113 contacts. As a result, nearly all of the contacts received prophylaxis and no

one else contracted the disease.

Contact: Wendy Taylor, (530) 889-7191 Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/

communicable-disease

Immunization (IZ) Program: The IZ program works with other Placer County programs and departments,

community medical providers and partners, and the California Department of Public Health to prevent and

control the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. The program provides flu vaccine to community medical

providers and partners and conducts flu clinics throughout the county. During the 2017 flu season, the IZ

program, along with 12 community partners, delivered nearly 5,000 doses of flu vaccine to children and adults in

Placer County. The IZ Coordinator also delivered and coordinated the distribution of over 160 doses of Hepatitis

A vaccine to homeless individuals as a preventative measure for a statewide Hepatitis A outbreak amongst the

homeless population.

Contact: Meg Dorsey, (530) 889-7169 Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/

immunization-program

3,700

Incidents processed by

CD team

16

Disease outbreaks

managed

5,000

Flu vaccine doses

delivered to Placer

County adults and

children

5

Emergency Preparedness

The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program works with community partners to respond

to local public health emergencies.

PHEP prepares Placer County Health and Human Services (HHS) and community partners to respond to public

health emergencies through the development and implementation of partnerships, plans, trainings, drills, and

exercises. Responsibilities include the emergency management of HHS operations, mass dispensing of medical

countermeasures, and mass care at emergency shelters. The program includes a healthcare coalition to better

prepare partners to coordinate during an emergency. PHEP works with many community partners to address

public health emergencies, including but not limited to Placer County Office of Emergency Services, Placer County

Law Enforcement Chaplaincy, Sutter Roseville Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente – Roseville, Sutter Auburn Faith

Hospital, American Red Cross, Sierra-Sacramento Valley EMS Agency, American Medical Response, Placer County

Animal Services, and Placer County Environmental Health. PHEP is funded through the Centers for Disease

Control and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

PHEP in Action

The PHEP team was hard at work in 2017 both responding to and preparing for potential public health

emergencies. For example, the PHEP team:

Led the HHS emergency shelter response following the Lake Oroville Dam Emergency Spillway failed, and

supported over 300 evacuees at the Placer County Fairgrounds;

Updated and operationalized the HHS Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), Medical Countermeasures (MCM)

Plan, and Mass Care Plan;

Improved warehouse operations and management of equipment and supplies;

Increased the number and diversity of community partners in the healthcare Coalition; and,

Increased the number of community partners to support the special needs of residents during a public

health emergency.

Contact: Michael Romero, mromero@placer.ca.gov, (530) 889-7153

300+

Evacuees supported

after the Lake Oroville

Dam Emergency

Spillway failed

20+

Organizations in

healthcare coalition

6

Epidemiology

Public Health Epidemiology assesses the health of Placer County communities.

The public health epidemiologist coordinates and investigates outbreaks of disease in conjunction with

colleagues in the communicable disease program. The epidemiologist also identifies and manages health data,

and shares data indicators with partners and the community at large.

Community Health Status Assessment

In 2017, the Placer County Community Health Status Assessment (CHSA) was published. With topics ranging

from housing affordability to prenatal care to parks, it is the first broad health care assessment of its kind

completed since 1999.

For more information about the Community Health Status Assessment and other data related to the health

status of Placer County residents, visit www.placerdashboard.org.

110+

Health indicators

included in CHSA,

including 47 indicator

fact sheets and 52

figures

2

Meningococcal disease

investigations that

required

epidemiological

assistance

7

Health Care Program for

Children in Foster Care

Placer County has organized an integrated team offering comprehensive

services to local foster youth. Staff from the Children’s System of Care,

Children's Mental Health, Child Welfare, Probation, Alternative Education,

Substance Abuse Services and Public Health comprise the team of individuals

supporting these services. As part of this team, the goal for HCPCFC PHNs is

to maintain continuity of care with each child’s ongoing medical, dental, and

vision providers, and connect with new providers as needed.

Placer County works in partnership with several community based

organizations such as Sierra Forever Families, Koinonia Family Services, and

Lilliput Family Services to recruit and educate new foster and adoptive parents.

These programs also provide ongoing support for families to better deal with

issues the children face. Children do best when they can stay in their own

schools and live in their own communities, which is why the Resource Family

Approval and Kinship care programs are designed to place children in familiar

environments with the ultimate goal of reunifying families whenever possible.

State Website: http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/HCPCFC/Pages/default.aspx

~3,700

Children received early

intervention in schools or

communities

56%

Kinship placement rate vs.

the 49% CA average

89%

Foster youth placed in

family settings

60%

Foster care children

reunified with parents

and/or other family

members within 12

months vs. the 35% CA

average

Helping foster youth obtain medical, dental, and other important services.

The Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program administers the public health nursing program for

children in foster care known as the Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care (HCPCFC). On the State level,

HCPCFC is a public health nursing program located in county child welfare service agencies and probation

departments to provide public health nurse expertise in meeting the medical, dental, mental health, and

developmental needs of children and youth in foster care. HCPCFC PHNs provide their professional health care

expertise and knowledge of the community to the caseworkers, foster care parents, group home placements,

health care providers and others on the foster care team.

8

Maternal Child and

Adolescent Health

The Maternal Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Program provides much needed care to Placer County

women, children, adolescents, and families.

The MCAH Program is designed to improve the health of Placer County’s women of reproductive age, infants,

children, adolescents, and their families. The program is administered by Placer County Case Managers who are

both Public Health Nurses and Social Workers. In-home visitation services are provided, and clients receive a

comprehensive assessment, care plan, and assistance obtaining all needed services. Home visitation has been

shown to improve parental capacity and efficacy, strengthen positive parenting behaviors while reducing

negative ones, improve birth outcomes, promote healthy child development, and link children to better, more

consistent healthcare. Home visitation assessments result in less emergency room visits, fewer abuse and

neglect cases, early identification/intervention of developmental delays, and overall lower health care costs. For

prenatal women in particular, the program provides enhanced nutrition education, psychosocial and health

educational services, and has been shown to decrease low birth weight rates.

MCAH Program Successes in 2017

The MCAH Program linked a homeless mother and her newborn to housing services, specialists for the

newborn’s needs, and therapy to address infant developmental and growth delays. The mother maintained

a positive and productive relationship with her Case Manager so the changing needs of her infant were met;

Case Managers work collaboratively with other home visitation agencies to ensure families needing medical

consultations receive care in a coordinated manner. There were many instances where the inclusion of a

Public Health Nurse resulted in more timely and comprehensive care for the client; and,

Case Managers were trained to conduct Ages & Stages Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE) assessments in addition

to the ASQ-3 assessment to enhance early identification, intervention and treatment of developmental

delays or concerns in infants and children through 5 years of age.

Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/public-health-nursing

Network of Care: http://placer.networkofcare.org/mh/services/agency.aspx?

pid=PlacerCountyPublicHealthNurseHomeVisitationProgram_175_2_0

906

Home visits

conducted with 237

different mothers,

infants, children or

adolescents

70

Women screened for

postpartum

depression; 37

received referrals for

therapy

40+

Agencies referred

over 342 clients

9

Maternal Child Adolescent Health

(MCAH)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Program

This program seeks to reduce the occurrence of SIDS. Last year, the

Placer County SIDS Coordinator conducted trainings to PCOE

childcare providers, teen parents, and community partners to improve

knowledge of safer sleep practices.

Family Support Project (FSP)

FSP is a partnership between Public Health Nursing (PHN) and Sutter

Roseville Medical Center Family Birth Center to improve the health of

infants born at the hospital, promote maternal health during

pregnancy and the postpartum period, and help link families to

needed resources. During the past year, 44 mothers and 40 infants

were referred to this program, approximately half of which were

referred by Placer County PHNs.

Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Program (TAPP) & CalLearn

TAPP addresses the social, health, educational and economic

challenges of adolescent pregnancy by providing comprehensive case

management services to expectant and parenting teens and their

children. CalLearn is a program for pregnant and parenting teens who

receive cash assistance and have not yet completed High School. In

FY 16-17, the TAPP Program served 46 teens and their children, which

included 18 CalLearn teens. A total of 462 individual visits were

conducted with these teens and their children.

Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP)

CPSP provides services for low-income pregnant and postpartum

women. Services are delivered by CPSP providers, and Chapa-De

Indian Health recently applied to be Placer County’s first CPSP

provider that will incorporate the full program of enhanced services.

This is a collaboration with a Sacramento based CPSP provider, and

promises to offer a high quality of perinatal services to Placer County

women.

10

Medical Therapy Unit

The Newcastle Medical Therapy Unit (MTU) provides physical therapy to children enrolled in CCS.

The Newcastle MTU is a part of the Placer County CCS program. The state and county CCS programs share the

cost of providing rehabilitation services to clients through state, federal, and county monies. The MTU provides

medically-based physical and occupational therapy to children with eligible medical conditions from birth to

21-years-old. The eligible medical conditions are long-term neurological and/or orthopedic physical disabilities

such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, arthritis, or muscular dystrophy. The therapists work closely with the referring

physician regarding the client’s therapy needs and provide recommendations for specialized medical equipment

such as orthotics/splints, wheelchairs, bath chairs, and other assistive devices.

The MTU is an out-patient clinic where the children receive their therapy services. The program has two sites: the

main therapy unit in Newcastle, and a satellite unit in Roseville on the campus of Catheryn Gates Elementary. The

MTU therapists collaborate with community partners such as the schools, Placer County Office of Education, Placer

County Special Education Local Plan Area, ALTA Regional Center, and Placer County Public Health Nursing.

As a result of therapy through the MTU, children across Placer County are now able to do activities such as:

173

Total cases during 2017

42

New cases in 2017,

representing one of the

highest years for new

patients

Participate in the after-school walking program

Crawl across the floor to their favorite toy

Maneuver a power wheelchair to access the

college campus

Walk with walking poles so they can be included

in family hikes

Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/childrens-medical-services/contact-us

Manage putting on their clothes independently

Manage their grooming and hygiene needs

independently

Carry their lunch tray at school

Manage kitchen skills, laundry and household

chores in preparation for living independently

11

Nutrition Education and

Obesity Prevention

Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention (NEOP) makes physical activity fun.

The NEOP program helps improve the health and well-being of Placer County residents through healthy eating

and physical activity efforts. These efforts include direct and indirect education, policy, systems, and

environmental (PSE) changes, and technical assistances to schools and community groups. Funding is provided

by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education

(SNAP-Ed), and is funneled down to local health departments through the California Department of Public

Health. NEOP provides nutrition and physical activity opportunities through interactive, hands on learning

experiences. For example, cooking classes, Harvest of the Month tastings, physical activity circuits, and much

more are offered in Placer County schools and community centers targeting our most vulnerable populations.

Breastfeeding support is also provided through NEOP in partnership with the Women, Infant, and Children

program (WIC).

Summer School and In-Classroom Education: During the 2016-2017 school year, nutrition education was

provided to two elementary schools (grades K-5). One lesson taught students how to make vegetable pita

sandwiches. This opportunity allowed students to try new vegetables, and they were excited to take their

cookbooks home to make the recipes with their parents. Nutrition education was also provided at two middle

schools where students participated in a cooking series and were taught about the importance of nutrition and

how to make healthy meals. Finally, NEOP participated in the Dry Creek School District summer school program

for grades K-8 and taught two nutrition classes per grade.

County Nutrition Action Partnership: The Placer County Nutrition Action Partnership (CNAP) is a committee of

individuals working together to create healthy communities. CNAP members include representatives from USDA

Food and Nutrition Service Funded Programs along with public, private, and non-profit organizations committed

to improving the health of our community.

Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/neop

Facebook: @PlacerNEOP Flicker Photos: NEOP Album

182

Breastfeeding

consultations by a

certified Lactation

Consultant

13,245

Direct education

participants

3,104

Indirect education

participants

4,516

Social media reach

1,151

School and/or

community classes

12

Sami’s Circuit School and Community Events

NEOP hosted eight Sami’s Circuit events, reaching a total of 952 adults and children. Circuits are offered during the

school day and through family nights, allowing all family members to participate. During the circuit, participants are

led through a variety of exercise stations - hopscotch, jumping jacks and more. Strobe lights and music add to the

exciting atmosphere. Family nights provide an opportunity for parents and children to get moving together

and teach everyone that physical activity is fun, especially when done as a family.

13

Oral Health

Placer County Children’s Oral Health Program promotes healthy smiles through preventive strategies.

A healthy mouth is integral to overall health and well-being, and there is no better time to begin practicing

optimal oral hygiene habits than during the early childhood years. The Placer County Children’s Oral Health

Program (PCCOHP) focuses on improving the oral health of children by making preventive dental health

information and services more accessible to those at high risk for dental disease. Through a partnership with

Placer County WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and local dental offices, PCCOHP’s “Dental Days at WIC”

program targets the county’s youngest residents and their families, utilizing WIC sites to encourage healthy

behaviors at home, recommend early and regular dental visits, and connect families with dental homes. To

ensure more effective and efficient delivery of oral health services and to eliminate unnecessary duplication of

efforts, PCCOHP formed a county-wide coalition whose members share information, ideas and support, and find

opportunities to collaborate on local oral health efforts. First 5 Placer initially funded these efforts through a

two-year grant for FY 2016-2018 and recently extended its support through June 2019.

Oral Health Program receives NACo Award in 2017

Every year the National Association of Counties (NACo) recognizes innovative county government programs that

help solve local problems or fulfill local needs. By integrating preventive dental care strategies with existing WIC

services, the Dental Days program increased the oral health literacy of hundreds of at-risk Placer County

residents which in turn has decreased the likelihood that they will experience the burden of dental disease

throughout their lifetime.

The future looks bright for preventive oral health efforts

With additional funding through Prop 56 tobacco tax revenue, PCCOHP’s scope will expand in 2018 to serve

additional vulnerable populations. This will allow the program to further its aim of decreasing the disparities in

oral health that continue to exist among population groups within our communities.

To learn more about the Oral Health Program, contact Heidi Knost at (530) 886-3618 or visit:

https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/oral%20health%20program

502

Children received

preventive services

377

Parents received

direct education

72

Parents received

preventive services

(Data through

3/2018)

14

Tobacco Prevention

The Placer County Tobacco Prevention Program (PCTPP) is committed to decreasing tobacco use rates and

the presence of tobacco/electronic cigarettes in Placer County. As a Local Lead Agency of the California

Tobacco Control Program, the PCTPP implements health education activities and behavior change strategies to

reduce the negative impact of tobacco byproducts on county residents. The PCTPP has received California

Department of Public Health, Proposition 99, Tobacco Tax Initiative funds since FY 1989-90. Since July 2017, the

PCTPP also receives funds from Proposition 56, the Tobacco Tax Increase Initiative.

PCTPP Highlights from FY 2016-2017

The PCTPP conducted a youth-focused media campaign that made over 6.9 million impressions during a

4-month period. The media campaign was conducted via television, billboards, movie theater ads, and gas

station toppers. This campaign received an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties

(NACo). The image on the following page was drawn by a local artist and used for the billboard

component of the campaign;

PCTPP staff surveyed over 145 tobacco retailers in Placer County and found that 88% of stores surveyed

sold electronic cigarettes. This alarming statistic led to an increase in community education about the

harmful effects of electronic cigarettes and vaping; and,

The Placer County Tobacco Prevention Coalition was established during 2017, and meets on a quarterly

basis to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, tobacco waste, tobacco products, and availability of

tobacco for Placer County residents, with a focus on youth and young adults in the county. A variety of

different community partners are engaged in the Coalition, and the PCTPP is always looking to recruit

more members!

For more information about the PCTPP, or to become engaged in tobacco control activities:

Contact: Alex Wride, Program Coordinator, awride@placer.ca.gov, (530) 889-7161

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Placer-County-Tobacco-Prevention-Program-1802456476446269/

Website: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/tobacco-prevention-program

2,300+

Respondents were

surveyed assessing

attitudes and beliefs

towards smoke-free

government campus

policies

70+

Community members

attended

presentations on

tobacco-related issues

1

Healthcare facility

implemented a smoke-

free campus policy

15

16

Vital Statistics

The Vital Statistics office maintains birth and death records, among other certificates for the County.

Vital Statistics registers all births and deaths that occur in Placer County; issues birth and death certificates,

permits for the burial or movement of human remains, and Medical Marijuana Identification Cards.

Birth certificates begin in the hospital (typically), but require review and approval before the registration process

is complete. This process is often delayed as parents take time to name a child, paternity issues are resolved, or

data entry errors are discovered. Birth certificates often need to be amended to correct errors or change names,

or because paternity was established. Sometimes residents have to go to court to make such amendments. In

2017, Vital Statistics registered 8,612 births, including 170 sets of twins, 3 sets of triplets, and 63 out-of-hospital

births (1 on the side of the freeway, 5 in hospital parking lots, and 57 home births).

Death certificates either begin with a reporting physician attesting to a death or with the Placer County Coroner,

and like birth certificates, also require review and approval before the registration process is complete. Death

certificates are often delayed as the cause of death is investigated, information is updated, or errors are

discovered.

The extensive review of birth and death certificates ensures the accuracy of these two important legal

documents. But we don’t do it alone. Vital Statistics works with physicians, 193 different funeral homes, the

Coroner, Clerk-Recorder, and the California Department of Public Health Vital Statistics Office to support the

birth and death certificate needs of our community. Vital Statistics supports happy parents purchasing their

newborn’s birth certificates, grieving families purchasing their loved one’s death certificates, and ill persons

needing medical marijuana identification cards. We provide this support with professionalism and compassion.

Contact: (530) 889-7158

Website: https://placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/vital-statistics

8,612

Births registered

3,531

Birth certificates issued

3,922

Deaths registered

4,619

Burial permits issued

24

Medical marijuana cards

issued

17

Whole Person Care

The Whole Person Care pilot program seeks to address homelessness in Placer County.

Whole Person Care (WPC) provides outreach and case management services to Placer County residents that have

multiple needs. Most clients are homeless and have at least one of the following additional complicating factors:

two or more chronic health conditions, justice involvement (probation), and multiple visits to the emergency

room. Whole Person Care works directly with individuals to help them get the services that they need, while

collaborating with various community resources to better coordinate comprehensive services.

WPC is a five-year pilot program where half of the funding is provided through Medi-Cal and the other half of

the funding is provided as a match from existing county resources, such as the Mental Health Services Act. WPC

also received a $1,000,000 grant from Sutter Health to purchase permanent housing in Placer County.

WPC Highlights from 2017

While WPC has only been implemented for a short period of time, the program has had many important

achievements:

Contracted with The Gathering Inn to provide a five-bed Medical Respite Unit for homeless individuals who 1)

have been discharged from the hospital, but who are still in recovery, and 2) are too ill to stay in a homeless

shelter;

Received a $1,000,000 million grant from Sutter Health to purchase permanent housing. Two homes were

purchased that have a total of 14 bedrooms;

Contracted with Advocates for Mentally Ill Housing (AMIH) to provide supportive housing services to formerly

homeless clients;

Implemented the use of the PreManage software that notifies staff members immediately when one of their

clients enters the emergency room;

Received feedback from the Department of Healthcare Services that Placer County’s WPC semi-annual report

was one of the best in the state; and,

Received media spotlights from the Sacramento Bee and Cap Radio.

For more information about the Whole Person Care Program, contact (530) 889-7170.

50+

People housed in less

than a year of direct

services

125+

Individuals currently

enrolled

95%

Of clients seen by

WPC staff within 7

days of their

emergency room visit

100%

Of clients had a

comprehensive

assessment within 30

days of enrollment

into the program

18

Women, Infant, and Children

Supplemental Nutrition Program

Placer County Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program helps families get

healthy food, plus a lot more.

Good nutrition during pregnancy and the first year of a child’s life provides the essential building blocks for

brain development, healthy growth, and a strong immune system. WIC provides nutrition education,

breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and other community services for low-income families, and

plays a critical role in improving lifetime health for women, infants, and young children. WIC serves pregnant

women, new mothers, infants, and children up to age 5. Dads, grandparents, foster parents caring for young

children, and working families are welcome at WIC too!

WIC provides individual, group, and on-line education sessions on various nutrition, breastfeeding, and physical

activity topics. WIC participants are also provided individual nutrition counseling based on their child’s growth

and family’s concerns. Food vouchers are provided for the purchase of specific healthy foods, such as fruits and

vegetables, milk, cheese, yogurt, whole grains, eggs and beans/peanut butter.

Funding is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

and is funneled down to local health departments through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Bi-annual Evaluation reports are submitted to CDPH, and WIC received a perfect score on the last submission.

Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)

The Placer County WIC Program also participates in a Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). This program

supports the consumption of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetable and shopping at the farmers’ markets.

The WIC FMNP and the WIC Fruit and Vegetable Voucher provide increased access to fresh, nutritious, locally

grown fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets. In the last year, the FMNP provided 442 WIC participants

with $20.00 worth of farmers’ market coupons bringing in $6,720 dollars to local farmers in our community. The

Placer County redemption rate was 76% overall, which was above the statewide average of 67%.

Placer County WIC: https://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/public-health/wic-hs

3,465

WIC participants per

month

$225,225/month

Provided to local

grocery vendors

through WIC vouchers

30%

Of women participating

in Placer County WIC

exclusively breastfeed

their babies, compared

to the statewide

average of 19%

19

Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (BFPC) Program

Placer County WIC has a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

(BFPC) Program which promotes breastfeeding as the norm

for WIC mothers and infants. This program is funded by

USDA through a special grant following the Loving Support

Model for a successful Peer Counseling Program. The

program utilizes peers to encourage and support WIC

mothers to breastfeed their infants via a mother-to-mother

connection. Peer Counselors (PC) are well trained and

supported by breastfeeding experts. WIC participants in the

BFPC Program also have access to a lactation consultant for

challenging breastfeeding support beyond the PC’s skills.

The goal is to increase initiation, exclusivity, and duration of

breastfeeding. Approximately 50 mothers per month

benefit from participating in this program.

Collaborations

International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

(IBCLC) Services: In addition to the BFPC Program, Placer

County WIC collaborates with the Placer County Nutrition

Education and Obesity Prevention Program to provide

breastfeeding support to WIC eligible women who seek

additional assistance from a certified lactation consultant.

WIC Dental Days: Placer County WIC collaborates with

Public Health’s Oral Health Program to provide oral health

education, screenings and assessments, fluoride varnish

application, and referrals to local dental providers for all

interested WIC participants. This is an award-winning

program, recognized by NACo in 2017.

20

Partnerships

The Placer County

Public Health Division

extends a big “Thank

You” to all its

community partners.

The successes

highlighted in this

report would not have

been possible without

your collaborations,

expertise, and desire to

provide the people of

Placer with

opportunities for

optimal health and

well-being.