Healthcare

Statement On Abandoned Newborn In Redondo Beach

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe issued the following statement regarding today’s discovery of an abandoned, deceased newborn in a trash can in Redondo Beach:

Tragedies like this do not have to happen in this County and in our communities. Since 2001, we have had a successful alternative in the Safe Surrender Program, which is designed to prevent abandonments and save precious lives. It provides a way for desperate parents to safely surrender their baby without fear of prosecution. Parents or family members can safely surrender their baby at any hospital and every fire station in Los Angeles County. The babies are given medical treatment and immediately placed in a loving foster or pre-adoptive home.

There is no shame, no blame, and no names. Don’t abandon your baby. You have a confidential choice. Bring your baby to any emergency room or fire station. Get your baby into safe hands. We will take care of the rest. No questions asked. The multilingual Safe Surrender Hotline, 1-877-BABY-SAFE, is available 24-hours a day for more information and the location of the nearest Safe Surrender site. Surrender sites can also be found by calling the County helpline at 211 or by visiting www.babysafela.org.

76 Safe Surrenders have occurred Safe Surrender since the program began in 2001. The last surrender occurred in Pasadena in October 2009, and a total of seven newborns were surrendered last year. The last abandoned, deceased newborn was discovered in Pomona in April 2009. A total of two abandonments were discovered in Los Angeles County in 2009, down from a high of 14 the year the program was launched.

The program was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse.

Residents/Businesses Urged To Sign Up For Emergency Alerts

With the renewed threat of rainstorms, Los Angeles County officials today urged residents and businesses to sign up for emergency alerts by registering their cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses on the http://alert.lacounty.gov website.

The County’s emergency mass notification system, called Alert LA County, has the capability to use phone, text and e-mail messages to alert residents and businesses when there is an emergency situation in their area and advises of needed actions, like evacuations.

The system was activated 25 times between January 18 – 22 due to rain, flooding and mudslides, with some warnings going to as few as 34 people and some to as many as 513.

All landlines are already included in the system, but people must register their cell phone numbers, Voice over IP phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. This information can be added on the http://alert.lacounty.gov website.

Because the Alert LA County system uses geomapping, each telephone number and/or e-mail address can only be associated with one street address in the system.

The Sheriff’s Emergency Communications Center uses the system to issue local and regional alerts, drawing the boundaries of the area to be notified on a computer map. Recorded alerts provide information on the nature of the emergency and necessary actions.

If calls are picked up by an answering machine, the system will leave a recorded message. If the number called is busy or does not answer, the system will redial the number in an attempt to deliver the message. The system is TTY/TDD compatible.

Until implementation of Alert LA County in May 2009, the County had no consistent way to contact residents and businesses in case of regional or local emergencies.

The notification system improves the County’s ability to communicate faster, better and more reliably, providing the ability to target messages and follow-up information to residents in affected areas, and reduce the potential for miscommunication by distributing accurate and consistent messages.

County Funds Expansion Of Community Clinics

Supervisor Don Knabe was pleased to announce today that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $15.57 million in funding to expand community clinic capacity throughout the County. Seven clinics in the Fourth District will receive almost $5 million for expansion.

The total allocation to Fourth District clinics is $4,795,653, of which $4,016,808 will go to expanding primary care services and $778,845 will go to new and improved infrastructure at the clinics. Included in the overall expansion are 12 new exam rooms. The following is a list of the Fourth District community clinics that will receive funding:

Harbor Community Clinic in San Pedro

Northeast Community Clinic in Wilmington

Norwalk Regional Health Center in Norwalk

Sacred Heart Family Health Clinic in Paramount

The Children’s Clinic in Long Beach

Westside Neighborhood Clinic in Long Beach

Wilmington Community Clinic in Wilmington

With all of the overcrowding issues we are facing throughout the County, community clinics are more important than ever, said Supervisor Knabe. By expanding clinic capacity, we are not only allowing more residents to access low-cost healthcare services, but we are alleviating strain on an emergency care system that is in a very fragile state.

Knabe To Announce $9.2 Million In Long Beach Area Projects

On Wednesday, November 4, during his State of the County address, Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, will announce that he will be funding $9.2 million towards two capital projects in the Long Beach area. The projects, which are the improvement of the Lakewood Golf Course and the refurbishment of the San Gabriel River Bike Path, are part of a larger investment of that Knabe will be announcing at the event.

Residents in Cities of Long Beach, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Norwalk, Whittier, and Downey will soon be able to enjoy vast improvements to the San Gabriel River Bike Path. $3.57 million will be invested to refurbish and rebuild nearly 8 miles of the path, from Del Amo Boulevard to Florence Avenue.

In addition, the Lakewood Golf Course will receive $5.63 million in upgrades for additional storage, numerous handicap access improvements, and junior golf access.

Supervisor Knabe’s commitment of $9.2 million in capital project funds for the Long Beach area and the Gateway cities is part of a series of projects the Supervisor will be funding across the Fourth District this year, totaling nearly $42 million in construction projects that will lead to hundreds of jobs and many new community facilities for recreation, social services, and public safety. Supervisor Knabe will announce all the projects and the funding levels during his annual State of the County address at the Long Beach Convention Center on November 4.

For the first time, Supervisor Knabe’s speech will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.knabe.com. The event begins at 11:30 a.m., but the Internet broadcast will begin at approximately 12:30 p.m., once the Supervisor actually begins his speech. Viewers can log on to on www.knabe.com on Wednesday, November 4, beginning at 12:30 p.m. to see the Supervisor’s speech.

First Symptomatic Human Case Of West Nile Virus Confirmed In Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Health Officer has confirmed the first symptomatic human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection in Los Angeles County for the 2009 season. The case is a teenager, with pre-existing medical conditions, from the Antelope Valley who became symptomatic in mid-July. The individual has now recovered. Earlier this year, two individual blood donors, including one reported in June, tested positive for WNV, but did not show any symptoms (asymptomatic). The donated blood was not used.

People should take precautions to avoid mosquitoes, as that is the primary way this disease is transmitted. Mosquitoes obtain the virus by feeding on infected wild birds, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. West Nile Virus can appear anywhere in Los Angeles County or around the state, and we urge residents to get rid of pools of stagnant water around their homes where mosquitoes breed, and to use a repellant containing DEET or another approved repellent when outdoors in mosquito-prone areas, especially around dawn or dusk.

As of August 5th, Public Health and the independent mosquito abatement districts have detected WNV in 38 dead birds, 6 mosquito pools, and 10 sentinel chickens. The Antelope Valley region of the county has shown the most WNV activity to date in 2009. In past seasons, most infected birds and positive mosquitoes have been found in the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, and East Los Angeles County areas.

Exposure to West Nile Virus

WNV is spread from humans through the bite of an infected mosquito; mosquitoes can become infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. Most mosquitoes do not carry the virus and most people bitten by a mosquito have not been exposed to the virus. The virus is not spread through person-to-person contact, or directly from birds to humans.

In most case, people who are infected with West Nile Virus never become sick, or have only very mild symptoms that include fever, headache, nausea, body aches, and a mild skin rash. Symptoms of West Nile Virus could appear within three to 12 days after infection. Fortunately, fewer than one in 150 people who are bitten by an infected mosquito become severely ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In these rare cases, the virus can cause encephalitis and death. The elderly are most at risk for severe cases of the disease. There is no specific treatment for West Nile Virus. However, individuals with severe symptoms may be hospitalized.

Preventive Measures

People can decrease their risk of infection by following these recommendations:

– Avoid mosquito-infested areas at dawn and dusk.

– Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.

– Repellants containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of eucalyptus, when used as labeled, are effective defenses against mosquitoes.

– Check your window screens for holes.

– Do not allow water to collect and stagnate in old tires, flowerpots, swimming pools, birdbaths, pet bowls, or other containers. These are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

– Clean and chlorinate swimming pools; drain water from pool covers.

– Stock garden ponds with goldfish or other mosquito-eating fish. These eat mosquito eggs and larvae.

– Empty and wash birdbaths and wading pools weekly.

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department has established a toll-free information line that will provide callers with updated information on West Nile Virus within the county. Call (800) 975-4448. If a recently dead bird (less than 24 hours) is found, the public is encouraged to report this by calling (877) 747-2243. If residents see a green pool or stagnant swimming pool at a home, please report this to Public Health’s Environmental Health Bureau at (626) 430-5200.

Where to call with questions about mosquitoes:

Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District: (562) 944-9656

Los Angeles County West Vector Control District: (310) 915-7370

San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District: (626) 814-9466

Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District: (661) 942-2917

Compton Creek Mosquito Abatement District: (310) 639-7375

Pasadena City Health Department: (626) 744-6004

City of Long Beach Vector Control Program: (562) 570-4132

20 Arts Groups From The Fourth District To Receive Grants From The Arts Commission

Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce grants to 20 arts organizations from the Fourth District. The Los Angeles County Arts Commission Organizational Grant Program (OGP) grants were awarded competitively, reviewed and scored by panels, and approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors July 14, 2009.

The grants for the Fourth District are part of awards totaling $4,418,000 to 153 nonprofit arts organizations countywide for fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11. An estimated 9 million people will be served by the organizations receiving grants.

23 additional Fourth District organizations will also receive grant funds in 2009-10 through two-year awards made last year, bringing the total number of Fourth District organizations funded by the Board of Supervisors to 43. A double asterisk next to the organization name indicates a first-time grantee.

ORGANIZATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM I/SMALL BUDGET ORGANIZATIONS

Bluepalm: Art Culture Education (ACE) (Los Angeles)

Grant Amount: $11,400

Project: To provide, for the first time, salaries for the Executive and Artistic Directors

Chorale Bel Canto (Whittier)

Grant Amount: $18,700

Project: To support development of marketing plans, improve the website, and develop a succession plan.

Culture Shock Los Angeles Dance Troupe (San Pedro) **

Grant Amount: $19,400

Project: To support Program Director position, professional development for teaching artists, and program evaluation.

JC Culture Foundation (Cerritos) **

Grant Amount: $4,200

Project: To support the purchase of performance and technical equipment and hire a part-time administrator.

Long Beach Community Concert Association (Long Beach)

Grant Amount: $13,500

Project: To support artists’ fees for two concert seasons.

Los Cancioneros Master Chorale (Torrance)

Grant Amount: $7,800

Project: To support the production of eight concerts.

Whittier Community Theatre (Whittier) **

Grant Amount: $8,900

Project: To support musicians for productions.

ORGANIZATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM II/MID-SIZE BUDGET ORGANIZATIONS

Downey Symphonic Society, Inc. (Downey)

Grant Amount: $13,500

Project: To support funding for the live concert part of our Music In the Schools Program.

Hernandez Mariachi Heritage Society (South El Monte)

Grant Amount: $15,200

Project: To recruit sponsors, help sites become financially self-sustaining,establish new sites and provide curriculum training.

Institute of Art, Music and Science (Bellflower)

Grant Amount: $11,500

Project: To support fundraising and development plans to increase the participation of low-income children in music education.

Khmer Arts Academy (Long Beach)

Grant Amount: $38,600

Project: To support the Salon Series.

Regina Klenjoski Dance Company (Long Beach)

Grant Amount: $14,100

Project: To support the administrative manager and booking managers .

Rio Hondo Symphony Association (Whittier)

Grant Amount: $17,700

Project: To support planning initiatives with new conductor and a grant writer.

San Pedro City Ballet (San Pedro)

Grant Amount: $11,600

Project: To support the development of a year-round studio performance program that advances works-in-progress.

Shakespeare by the Sea (San Pedro)

Grant Amount: $21,600

Project: To support the Artistic Director and Festival Producer staff positions.

South Bay Ballet (Torrance)

Grant Amount: $21,400

Project: To support artistic and administrative staff.

ORGANIZATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM 2.5IMID-SIZE BUDGET ORGANIZATIONS

Angels Gate Cultural Center (San Pedro)

Grant Amount: $31,900

Project: To support visual and performing arts programming.

Arts Council for Long Beach (Long Beach)

Grant Amount: $75,500

Project: To support temporary public arts projects in vacant lots.

Friends of the Cerritos Center (Cerritos)

Grant Amount: $45,100

Project: To support educational programming and professional development workshops for teachers.

Long Beach Opera (Long Beach)

Grant Amount: $35,700

Project: To support two fully-staged large scale contemporary operas.

Childhood Lead Awareness Art Contest Winners Recognized

Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, presented honorary scrolls to the winners of the Department of Public Health’s 2009 Lead Awareness Art Contest. The contest encouraged youth to demonstrate ways to reduce lead hazards in the home and environment through educational art.

This art contest helps educate parents, teachers and students by promoting awareness on lead poisoning prevention, said Supervisor Knabe, who led the presentation at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

The most common way children in Los Angeles County are poisoned is through exposure to lead-based paint, especially if it is deteriorating. Lead-based paint is commonly found in houses, apartments, and buildings built before 1979. Dust and chips from the paint can settle on toys, windowsills and floors, where they can be swallowed by children. In addition, some traditional or folk health remedies, imported dishes and ceramics, and imported candies may bring lead into the home.

In 2008, more than 900 children in Los Angeles County suffered from lead poisoning, which is as preventable as it is tragic, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. This art contest is designed to highlight the problem and provide resources for families to address it.

Contestants’ entries were judged according to grade level, originality of art, and design quality. Judges also looked for a good demonstration of knowledge of lead sources, and different ways that lead poisoning can be prevented. The panel of judges included community stakeholders, staff from Public Health and community service organizations. Winning contestants received trophies and other prizes that were presented to them during school assemblies.

We promote the Lead Awareness Art Contest every year as a way to educate students, their parents, teachers and the community about lead poisoning prevention, said Angie Toyota, director of Public Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. In addition to the art contest, Public Health works with schools in a variety of ways, such as providing educational information at parent meetings.

Most children affected by lead poisoning do not look or act sick, so the only way to know if a child has been lead poisoned is through a blood test. Children under the age of six are at greatest risk of negative health effects, including permanent learning disabilities and behavior problems. Parents who suspect that their child has been lead poisoned are encouraged to take their children to a doctor and to specifically ask for a blood lead test. More information on lead poisoning prevention and lead-safe work practices is offered at 1-800-LA-4-LEAD or click here for more information.

Two County Hospitals Rated Among America’s Best

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (Rancho) and the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center (LAC+USC) have made the list of America’s Best Hospitals in an annual ranking of the nation’s elite medical centers by U.S. News & World Report. Both hospitals are run by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS).

Rancho once again made the Top 20 list of Rehabilitation Hospitals where it has remained for two decades – and the only rehabilitation hospital in California to have that distinction. LAC+USC made the Top 50 list of Ophthalmology Hospitals.

The U.S. News ranking, now in its 20th year, differs from other rankings by looking at how well a hospital handles complex and demanding situations, and involves surveys completed by 10,000 physicians nationwide. A total of 4,861 hospitals were considered for the survey, but only 174 hospitals (less than 0.4 percent of the total), were ranked in one of 16 specialties, including cancer, heart and heart surgery, kidney disorders, urology, neurology and neurosurgery.

Scoring criteria included reputation, mortality index, patient safety, and care related factors such as nurse staffing, and available technology, however in the ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation and rheumatology specialties hospitals were ranked on reputation alone.

This ranking illustrates that our world-class clinical care has earned the respect and admiration of our national peers, said Rancho Chief Executive Officer Jorge Orozco. All of Rancho’s highly trained and dedicated health care providers share in this prestigious recognition of our work and mission.

We are extremely proud of the high-quality care that our public hospitals provide to the residents of the County, added DHS Interim Chief Medical Officer Robert G. Splawn, MD. Both of these remarkable hospitals, which have trained generations of physicians, continue to raise the bar in clinical outcomes through research and innovation.

Of the 174 hospitals ranked in one or more specialties, 21 qualified for Honor Roll by earning high scores in at least six specialties. Click here for more information.

First Human Case Of West Nile Virus Confirmed In Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Health Officer has confirmed the first human case of West Nile Virus in Los Angeles County for the 2009 season. The case is a blood donor from the Antelope Valley who donated blood in early June. The person does not show any symptoms (asymptomatic), and is feeling well. The donated blood was not used. Health officials are determining where the patient may have contracted the virus. T his is the first documented human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in California.

People should take precautions to avoid mosquitoes, as that is the primary way this disease is transmitted. Mosquitoes obtain the virus by feeding on infected wild birds, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. West Nile Virus can appear anywhere in Los Angeles County or around the state, and we urge residents to get rid of pools of stagnant water around their homes, where mosquitoes breed, and to use a repellant containing DEET, or another approved repellent, when outdoors in mosquito-prone areas, especially around dawn or dusk.

As of June 19th in Los Angeles County, Public Health and the mosquito abatement districts have detected WNV in five dead birds, two mosquito pools, and three sentinel chickens. In past seasons, most of the infected birds and positive mosquitoes have been found in the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, and East Los Angeles County areas.

Exposure to West Nile Virus

WNV is spread from humans through the bite of an infected mosquito; mosquitoes can become infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. Most mosquitoes do not carry the virus and most people bitten by a mosquito have not been exposed to the virus. The virus is not spread through person-to-person contact, or directly from birds to humans.

In most cases, people who are infected with West Nile Virus never become sick, or have only very mild symptoms that include fever, headache, nausea, body aches, and a mild skin rash. Symptoms of West Nile Virus could appear within three to 12 days after infection. Fortunately, fewer than one in 150 people who are bitten by an infected mosquito become severely ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In these rare cases, the virus can cause encephalitis and death. The elderly are most at risk for severe cases of the disease. There is no specific treatment for West Nile Virus. However, individuals with severe symptoms may be hospitalized.

Preventive Measures

People can decrease their risk of infection by following these recommendations:

Avoid mosquito-infested areas at dawn and dusk.

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.

Repellants containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of eucalyptus, when used as labeled, are effective defenses against mosquitoes.

Check your window screens for holes.

Do not allow water to collect and stagnate in old tires, flowerpots, swimming pools, birdbaths, pet bowls, or other containers. These are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Clean and chlorinate swimming pools; drain water from pool covers.

Stock garden ponds with goldfish or other mosquito-eating fish. These eat mosquito eggs and larvae.

Empty and wash birdbaths and wading pools weekly.

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department has established a toll-free information line that will provide callers with updated information on West Nile Virus within the county. Call 800-975-4448.

If a recently dead bird (less than 24 hours) is found, the public is encouraged to report this by calling 877-747-2243.

If residents see a green pool or stagnant swimming pool at a home, please report this to Public Health’s Environmental Health Bureau at 626-430-5200.

Where to call with questions about mosquitoes:

Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District: (562) 944-9656

Los Angeles County West Vector Control District: (310) 915-7370

San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District: (626) 814-9466

Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District: (661) 942-2917

Compton Creek Mosquito Abatement District: (310) 639-7375

Pasadena City Health Department: (626) 744-6004

City of Long Beach Vector Control Program: (562) 570-4132

LA County Celebrates 25 Years Of Trauma Services

Los Angeles County is unveiling a new emergency mass notification system to alert residents and businesses by phone, text, and e-mail of emergencies in their area, Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors announced today.

Called Alert LA County, the system will allow the Sheriff’s Emergency Communications Center to activate local and regional alerts by drawing the boundaries of the area to be notified on a computer map. Recorded and written alerts will provide information on the nature of the emergency and necessary actions, such as evacuations. The system is so precise it will allow the exclusion of a single home, useful in situations involving hostages or crimes in progress.

The County’s 7.1 million land-line phone numbers are programmed into the mass notification system, but the public must register Voice over IP lines, cell phones and e-mail addresses. The website http://alert.lacounty.gov may be used to register your cell phone number, Voice over IP phone number, and e-mail address with the Emergency Mass Notification System. Registration of this information can be done on the County’s Alert lacounty.gov website. Each telephone number and e-mail can be associated with only one street address.

If a call is picked up by an answering machine when an alert is being issued, a recorded message will be left. If the number is busy or does not answer, the number will be redialed twice. The system has the ability to detect and communicate with telecommunication devices for the deaf (TTY/TDD).

The Alert LA County system project will cost $1.97 million cost over five years, which includes the purchase of the 911 data from the local telephone companies. Land-line numbers will be refreshed on a monthly basis to ensure accuracy and numbers registered on the website will be added to the database on a nightly basis.