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Model Practice
Florida Dept of Health Santa Rosa County
County Health Department
Coalitions and Partnerships | Community Involvement | Emergency Preparedness | Health Equity
  • Brief description of LHD- location, demographics of population served in your community.                                 Our Health Department is located in Milton, Florida (Santa Rosa County) a predominantly rural county with an estimated population of 174,272, a median age of 39.5 and a poverty rate of 12.3%.  The population of Santa Rosa County is approximately 83.1% White, 5.62% Black and 5.11% Hispanic.  5.83% of the population primarily speak a language other than English.
  • Describe public health issue.                                                                                                                           Rabies and Influenza are an ongoing public health issues which create significant morbidity burdens on Santa Rosa County residents and their pets. Since January 2015, Santa Rosa County has reported eight confirmed cases of animal rabies, including four raccoons, three cats, and one dog. From 2015-November 2018, rabies post-exposure prophylaxis was recommended for approximately 204 individuals following exposures to potentially rabid animals. Additionally, last influenza season Santa Rosa County, like many counties throughout the country, experienced historically high levels of influenza. At its peak, nearly 16% of all emergency department visits in Santa Rosa County were due to influenza-like illness. It is recommended that pets receive an annual (or three-year) rabies vaccination, and that individuals receive a flu shot annually; however, many rabies exposure investigations result in rabies testing due to the animal having no history of vaccination, and the CDC estimates that less than 50% of adults receive a flu vaccine each year.
  • Goals and objectives of the proposed practice.                                                                                                 Since 2011, the LHD has conducted an annual Rabies Point of Dispensing (POD) Exercise, during which the LHD conducts a mass prophylaxis exercise where Rabies Vaccines for Cats and Dogs (by two local veterinarians are offered for only $10.00 per animal to the population of Santa Rosa County, in an effort to mitigate the on-going rabies issues in Santa Rosa County, and to exercise the LHD Point of Dispensing and Mass Prophylaxis Plans.  This year, a decision was made to add Flu vaccinations at no charge to the attendees/participants in this annual exercise event.  Our overall goal is to vaccinate as many animals as possible against rabies, and to vaccinate 100 people against the flu.
  • How was the practice implemented/activities.                                                                                                      This practice was implemented and executed through the use of an annual point of dispensing mass prophylaxis exercise
  • Results/Outcomes (list process milestones and intended/actual outcomes and impacts. In order for the LHD to dispense prophylaxis to the population of Santa Rosa County in the event of a disease outbreak, the LHD would need to process 220 patients/clients per hour.
  • Were all of the objectives met?  Among the objectives (in addition to the hourly target rate of 220 patients/clients per hour), other objectives include testing radio communications, remote data entry, set-up and tear down of the POD, use of Incident Command and all related ICS forms.  Nearly all objectives were met - the target of 220 patients/clients was not met, but that number is solely based upon active participation of patients/clients bringing their animals for rabies vaccinations, and this year flu vaccines were included.                                                                                                                                        

    Historical Event Data

  • 2018                                                                                                                                                                       405 total rabies vaccinations (202.5 patients/hour) Goal was 220/hour.                                                                                                                                                                303 Dogs, 39 Cats, 63 Flu Vaccinations

  •             2017

    328 total patients (191/hour)

    319 dogs, 63 cats

    We broke last year’s record which was our biggest effort since the Rabies POD exercises began in 2011 – here is a little historical data:

    2016 – 122 dogs + 14 cats = 136 vaccinated animals  (65 cars)

    2015 – 172 dogs + 18 cats = 190 vaccinated animals  (car count not available)

    2014 – 183 dogs + 39 cats = 222 vaccinated animals  (115 cars)

    2012 – 214 animals – no distinctions between dogs and cats were made. (car count not available)

    2011 – 197 animals – no distinctions between dogs and cats were made. (car count not available)

  • What specific factors led to the success of this practice?                                                                                        In addition to seven years of experience in performing this annual event, after action improvement reports after each event which were implemented for each successive event, advertising along with collaborative relationships with county government and local veterinarians helped ensure the success of this event.
  • Public Health impact of practice.                                                                                                                    Successful rabies vaccinations to cats and dogs and a continuing rabies education to pet owners on the value of rabies vaccinations, and this year we vaccinated 60 people with the influenza and educating these recipients on the value of continuing yearly flu vaccinations.
  • Website for your program, or LHD.  http://santarosa.floridahealth.gov/
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County Health Department

Category

Health Equity and Social Justice

Description

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Winner Status

  • Model Practice