Don’t stop now. Adopt for $12 to save 12,000

Pima Animal Care Center thanks the community for making our annual adoption event, Monsoon Muttness, such a success.

During the Saturday event, 96 pets were adopted and another 27 went home through rescue organizations, for a grand total of 123 in a single day.

It was the largest adoption event of the fiscal year ending June 30, and the third-largest in recent history, only following the initial launch of Monsoon Muttness 11 years ago and just behind last year’s 139.

We couldn’t do the work we do without our dedicated volunteers or our compassionate and devoted rescue partners – or without our customers, who know there are great pets of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages that need new homes.

For those who missed the adoption event, there are plenty of great pets still available. In fact, dozens of new animals come in every day. Plus, as an added bonus as we work to save 12,000 animals this fiscal year, we have reduced our adoption fee to $12 until June 30.

Come visit our Silverbell adoption center to see if your new family member is waiting.

Photo courtesy of Ann-Eve Cunningham

Pima Animal Care Center thanks the veterans who have made it possible for the rest of us to have the freedom to support community causes that matter to us, such as addressing the problem of homeless pets.

For those who would like to honor the day with community service, Pima Animal Care Center is hosting a volunteer dog walk and cat cuddle on Monday, May 27, beginning at 8 a.m. on Memorial Day. Our adoption center is closed for the holiday, so volunteers help us make sure our pets get plenty of exercise and attention.

Not a trained volunteer? No problem. Experienced volunteers will help you have a fun, safe time, especially since our pets love to explore Silverbell Lake, right behind our adoption center. Refreshments are provided.

Please RSVP to volunteer Jack Neuman at jacneu@yahoo.com. Cans of dog or cat food are always appreciated, as are used blankets and towels. And if you have your own slip leads or leashes, feel free to bring them.

For those interested in becoming a more permanent volunteer, we offer ongoing open houses to provide all the information you need about participating in our Volunteer Program. The open houses run approximately 45 minutes. An open house will be held following the dog walk at 11 a.m.

For more information, or a schedule of upcoming events, please visit www.pima.gov/animalcare or contact our Volunteer Coordinator, José Ocaño, at 520-243-5920.

The Pima County Health Department will again offer routine tuberculosis (TB) skin tests as of May 20 at the Tuberculosis Clinic, 2980 E. Ajo Way. The Health Department had temporarily suspended routine skin testing for TB as a result of a national shortage of the Tubersol solution.

The Tuberculosis Clinic is open 7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Tuesday, and is closed on Thursdays. TB skin tests are $15 and available on a walk-in basis during clinic hours.

For more information, call the Health Department’s Tuberculosis Clinic at (520) 243-8450.

Tucson, Arizona – In a new partnership designed to help Tucson families, El Rio Community Health Center and the Pima County Health Department are co-sponsoring four back to school immunization events at Boys & Girls Clubs locations throughout Tucson. The events are designed for kids, ages 5-18, to get their required shots for the 2013-2014 school year. Families who have no health insurance are encouraged to attend. Their children will be vaccinated for free. If the family has health insurance coverage they need to bring their insurance cards (AHCCCS-KidsCare or private insurance) for billing.

El Rio’s dental team will offer free screenings and fluoride varnish treatments and the Lions Club will provide free vision screening to all school-age children.  Tucson Medical Center will be offering a limited number of free booster seats to qualified families.  AHCCCS providers and the Pima Community Access Program (PCAP) will be on site providing information about how to apply for services for those families who may qualify and currently have no medical coverage.

The events will be hosted at several Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson locations. The committee has expanded services this year to include Tucson’s west side. A total of four immunization clinics will be offered.  The legal parent or guardian must be present. Children should bring their shot records and insurance cards if they have insurance. Call 520-243-7736 or visit www.elriofoundation.org or www.pimahealth.org for more information.

SCHEDULE OF TUCSON EVENTS

July 18, 2013 ● 3 to 6 pm ● Steve Daru Clubhouse ● 1375 North El Rio Drive, 85745

July 25, 2013 ● 3 to 6 pm ● Jim & Vicki Click Clubhouse ● 1935 S. Columbus Blvd, 85712

July 27, 2013 ● 10 to 2 pm ● Holmes Tuttle Clubhouse ● 2585 E. 36^th Street, 85713

Aug. 3, 2013 ● 10 to 2 pm ● Roy Drachman Clubhouse ● 5901 S. Santa Clara Road, 85706

El Rio Community Health Center is the largest provider of medical and dental services to uninsured and Medicaid populations in Pima County. With 17 sites in Tucson, El Rio serves the medical and dental needs of more than 79,000 patients annually. El Rio employs over 800 people with an annual budget of over $90 million dollars. A national model of health care excellence, El Rio’s mission is to “improve the health of our community through comprehensive, accessible, affordable, quality and compassionate care.” www.elrio.org

Animal save rate up 10 percent over last year; more progress needed

Staff at Pima Animal Care Center would love to never have to euthanize another animal again, except to end severe or terminal suffering.

It’s the hardest part of our job. And while we are making progress, we’re not there yet.

June 11 will mark Just One Day, a national movement promoting a one-day moratorium on euthanasia in order to highlight the need to find homes for homeless animals.

Pima Animal Care Center practices this moratorium on each of the 10 County holidays. With the exception of ending suffering, we will fulfill that goal again on June 11, as well as on the date of our large annual adoption event, Monsoon Muttness, coming up this Saturday, May 18.

To be clear, there is no “clock” ticking on healthy, adoptable animals. We will keep them indefinitely as long as an animal shows no sign of illness or injury or aggression. Last fiscal year, ending June 30, Pima Animal Care Center took in more than 24,000 animals. Think about that for a minute. Imagine taking in 65 pets every day of the year. Or visualize it this way: McKale Center, filled, seats fewer than 15,000.

Although approximately 13,000 animals were euthanized, we’re on pace to make significant improvement this year. We have a strong rescue program, thanks to the work of our energetic and compassionate rescue partners. We routinely run specials to help our animals find homes faster. We are working to organize more events in the community. In all, our save rate to date this year is 63 percent – up 10 percent over this time last year. It needs to be better.

This is a plea for the community’s help. We can certainly put more donations and more volunteers to good use, but what we really need are two main things:

• Please spay and neuter your pets to keep animals out of our shelter in the first place. When a mother with six babies shows up at our door, that means we now need as many as seven homes – not just the one.
• And to help those that are here, please remember us when you’re looking for a pet. Our pets wag, wiggle and purr with the best of them and we have them in all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. In fact, if you’re considering a pet, head over for our Monsoon Muttness event on Saturday. We’ll have family fun, food and great specials from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

It will take all of us working together to save more lives. Please join us.

With the dog days of summer on their way, Pima Animal Care Center would like to share some tips on how to make sure your pet stays safe when the mercury soars.

Pets not only have to deal with soaring temperatures wearing their fur coats, but they rely on panting to cool down. That isn’t as effective as sweating, especially when they’re just breathing in hot air, and it can be a particular problem for those dogs with short muzzles, which are more prone to overheat because of compressed nasal passages.

• Car safety. A parked car can rapidly become a furnace. Even at 70 degrees, the temperature inside a car can rapidly approach 118 degrees. On days in the mid-90s, inside temperatures will reach 145 degrees. Never leave your pet in a parked car, even with the windows open. It’s against the law and it can be deadly.

• Walks. Sidewalks and asphalt can be blistering in the summer heat. Heat rising off the pavement can rapidly elevate your dog’s body temperature. If the pavement is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your pooch. Although it’s important for dogs to have regular walks, schedule them in cooler times of the day.

• Short cuts. Many dogs see their groomer for summer-friendly clips in the summer time, but make sure not to go too short, particularly if you have a light-colored dog with pink skin. Dogs can get sunburned just like you can. If your dogs are going to be out in the sun, make sure they have access to shade and plenty of water. It’s not a bad idea to use sunscreen on areas without as much hair, but make sure it’s free of zinc oxide.

• If your pet is showing any signs of heat stroke – excessive panting, difficulty breathing, vomiting, impaired movement – take him to the vet right away to avoid complications.

Pima Animal Care Center wishes everyone a safe summer.

The Pima County Health Department, in honor of Child Care Provider Appreciation Day on Friday, May 10, would like to recognize and thank caregivers in Pima County for their passion and dedication to raising healthy children.

As many as 46,250 children in Pima County attend a child care program, in child care centers, schools, child care homes, or in the care of relatives, friends and neighbors.

The Health Department’s Child Care Health Consultants, public health nurses and dietitians, who provide health, safety and nutrition assistance to child care providers, take this opportunity to recognize the tireless efforts of caregivers who provide quality child care for Pima County’s children. The Child Care Health Consultants are funded by First Things First and Arizona Department of Health Services.

“The loving care of adults who provide a healthy, safe and nurturing environment for young children supports their success in school and in life,” said Kathi Ford, RN, BC, Nurse Manager for the Child Care Health Consultant program. “Our Child Care Health Consultants recognize the importance of quality child care and value the critical work being done by care providers in our community.”

Provider Appreciation Day was started in 1996 by a group of volunteers in New Jersey who saw the need to recognize the tireless efforts of providers who care for children of working parents.

The Arizona Business Coalition on Health has been awarded a nearly $50,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and United Health Foundation to improve health among Pima County residents through increased physical activity.

Through a program of the National Business Coalition on Health, the award will provide the Coalition and its partners with resources to engage employers, community organizations and local health systems in a community health and wellness summit this summer to develop a plan to increase physical activity.

“Our focus will be on how to engage all of Pima County – including employees, dependents, seniors, youth and neighborhoods – in increased physical activity,” said Larry Aldrich, executive director of the Coalition. “While Tucson is known for its healthy lifestyles and walkable communities, there is still great opportunity for improving health and reducing chronic disease through increased physical activity. This grant will help launch us into an even more active and healthy future for all residents.”

In collaboration with the Pima County Health Department, the Coalition will work with partner organizations to identify best practices for increasing physical activity leading up to a Health and Wellness Summit in August 2013. The goal of the summit is to produce a plan to improve health through increased physical activity while also developing a model that will connect ongoing health planning efforts throughout the County.

From the County’s perspective, the project builds on ongoing investments in providing opportunities for healthier lifestyles, from linear parks to the Urban Loop System, a 55-mile continuous path around metropolitan Tucson that draws walkers, joggers and cyclists. It also continues the work done from 2010- 2012 when the County and several partners received the fourth largest award in the United States, at $16 million, under the federal Communities Putting Prevention to Work program.

“The Pima County Health Department is eager to work with the business community and community partners on the launch and implementation of this important initiative that will involve employers, health care professionals, elected officials and other stakeholders in a collaborative effort to improve the health and wellness of all Pima County residents,” said Pima County Public Health Director Francisco García.

Reed Tuckson, MD, senior advisor for United Health Foundation, added, “Supporting and nurturing businesses to engage with their communities to identify and address priority local health issues is the first step in solving them. We believe that these partnerships, supported by the combined efforts of the United Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations, will produce real, meaningful health enhancements.”

The Coalition will use information from existing health assessments to identify measures that will best evaluate progress towards achieving the community health planning objectives produced by the planning effort. In addition, participating members in the Summit will be asked to commit to a specific activity to encourage increased physical activity among their employees or in their communities.

“The road to better health for our towns, counties, states and the nation is paved with collaboration,” said Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, Team Director and Senior Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We can make significant progress on the health problems we face if the business community and leaders in public health, government, education, philanthropy and other sectors work together. These new grants will help inspire the changes we know need to happen to improve health.”

About the Arizona Business Coalition on Health

The mission of the Arizona Business Coalition on Health is to empower our employer members to transform the delivery of health and health care services. This will lead to a better quality of life for our citizens and will provide a better business climate for all current and future employers (public and private) in our regions and State. For additional information visit www.azbch.org.

About the National Business Coalition on Health

NBCH is a national, non-profit, membership organization of purchaser-led business and health coalitions, representing over 7,000 employers and 25 million employees and their dependents across the United States. NBCH and its members are dedicated to value-based purchasing of health care services through the collective action of public and private purchasers. For additional information visit: www.nbch.org.

About The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, measurable, and timely change. For 40 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. Follow the Foundation on Twitter (www.rwjf.org/twitter) or Facebook (www.rwjf.org/facebook).

About the United Health Foundation

Guided by a passion to help people live healthier lives, United Health Foundation provides helpful information to support decisions that lead to better health outcomes and healthier communities.
The Foundation also supports activities that expand access to quality health care services for those in challenging circumstances and partners with others to improve the well-being of communities. After its establishment by UnitedHealth Group [NYSE: UNH] in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation, the Foundation has committed more than $200 million to improve health and health care. For additional information, please visitwww.unitedhealthfoundation.org.

In celebration of Mother’s Day and National Nurses Week, Tucson nurses in partnership with the Pima County Health Department, the University of Arizona (UA) College of Nursing, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) “Safe to Sleep” public health campaign, want to remind parents of the ABCs of safe infant sleep.  Babies should always sleep:  A – alone, B – on their backs, and C – in a safe and empty crib.   A-B-C:  Always and without exception!

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in infants between the age of 1 and 12 months.  Every year in the United States approximately 3,750 otherwise healthy babies die of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.  The exact cause of SIDS remains unclear. However, most of these deaths are now considered preventable.

WHAT: Safe sleeping practices and the “Safe to Sleep” campaign will be the topic of discussion for maternal-newborn nurses, “Fab-Fifty” recipient Karen Owen, BSN, RNC and SIDS expert and author Sharon Hitchcock MSN, RNC

WHEN: Friday, May 10, 2:45 p.m.- 3:45 p.m.

WHERE: Starr Pass Resort and Spa, at the 2013 Nurses Week Showcase of Nurses Conference

In 1994, the NIH initiated the “Back to Sleep” campaign to educate parents and caregivers about the recommendation to place babies on their backs to sleep.  The new “Safe to Sleep” message incorporates the many other strategies research has shown to greatly reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths. 

Nurses play a critical role in educating parents and caregivers in how to greatly reduce the risk of SIDS and other infant sleep-related deaths.  The goal is to equip Tucson nurses with evidence-based research on safe sleep practices, and provide strategies to get the word out to the public.  Understanding the research and rationale behind each preventative measure will equip and empower nurses to correctly educate all caregivers and inevitably save countless precious young lives.

Safe to Sleep “Champion” Carol Baker, BSN, RN from the Pima County Health Department and Connie Miller MSN, RNC-OB, Clinical Assistant Professor at the UA College of Nursing, will also be available for questions.

A health-care executive involved in the creation of the only health-care cooperative to participate in the health insurance exchange in Arizona under the Affordable Care Act will speak at the Pima County Workforce Investment Board meeting on Friday, May 10.

Health-care cooperatives are expected to offer coverage primarily to individuals and to companies or organizations with fewer than 100 full-time employees.

Jean Tkachyk is the Chief Operating Officer at Compass Cooperative Health Network, which was awarded a $93 million federal loan to set up the new health-care cooperative. Jean is also a partner in Eastwick Strategy Group, a health-care consulting company and formerly the Chief Financial Officer of University Physicians Healthcare (now part of The University of Arizona Health Network).

The meeting will begin at 7:30 a.m. in Rooms 109-112 at Pima Community College’s Community Campus, 401 N. Bonita Ave. It usually concludes by 9 a.m. and is open to the public.

The Affordable Care Act aims to expand health-care coverage through the creation of state-based health insurance exchanges where people will be able to compare and purchase coverage. Beginning in October 2013, people who do not have access to health insurance through an employer, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program will be able to purchase health plans through these exchanges. The new coverage will take effect in January 2014.

The Affordable Care Act also created a health-care cooperative program to improve consumer choice and increase competition. The federal government awarded nearly $2 billion in loans to help create cooperatives in 24 states.

The Pima County Workforce Investment Board is authorized by the Department of Labor and appointed by the Pima County Board of Supervisors to provide recommendations on local workforce policy and oversight of the Pima County One-Stop Career Center that connects eligible job-ready youth, adult and dislocated workers in local growth, high-demand industry occupations. It includes representatives of local businesses, nonprofits and educational institutions.

For more information, please visit http://www.pima.gov/ced/agencies-workforce-investment-board.shtml.