Public
Health Region 4 and 5 North consists of 35 counties with 13 health clinics
including satellite clinics (clinics that are only open certain days). We
provide immunization services for eligible clients, tuberculosis (TB) screening
and treatment, health promotion, and injury prevention services.
Immunizations
are provided through Texas Vaccines For Children (TVFC). TVFC is a program for
improving vaccine availability by providing vaccines free of charge to eligible
children through public and private providers statewide. The Adult Safety Net provides for uninsured
vaccines for adults.
The mission of the Tuberculosis Elimination Division is to prevent,
control, and eliminate tuberculosis among the people of Texas. This is
accomplished through coordinating the efforts of health departments, health
care providers and communities to develop, implement and assure compliance with
effective tuberculosis strategies, standards, and policies.
Health promotion is accomplished through education and guidance on
breastfeeding, good nutrition, and the encouragement of physical activity for
all persons. Promoting healthy babies is
a nationwide goal, one measure mandated by the state is screening for certain
genetic disorders. All infants born in
Texas are mandated by state law to be screened for Phenylketonuria (PKU),
Galactosemia, Congenital Hypothyroidism, Sickle Hemoglobin, and Congenital
Adrenal Hyperplasia. Texas Health Steps
is one way to promote education and provide free continuing education units for
clinicians. Other health promotion
activities include recommendations for TextForBaby for healthy recommendations
during pregnancy and for the first year of birth, YesQuit for smoking cessation,
breastfeeding consultation, and the elementary curriculum Learn Go Eat Go
(LGEG) for teaching school-aged children to establish small gardens, and many
others.
Injury Prevention is concentrated in the areas of Maternal and Child
Health. Pregnant women and infants are
particularly at risk for injury. Some
clinics provide free equipment/services such as car seat inspections and
installation, life jacket loaners stations for lakes and other public swimming
areas. We also provide education for groups not limited vaping/e-cigarettes,
Coaching Boys Into Men, hyperthermia prevention, bicycle safety, suicide
prevention, bullying, and human sex trafficking.