Tag Archive for: #lisaharrison

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TownTalk: Healthy Moms And Healthy Babies

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Have you heard of something called “centering pregnancy?” It’s a practice that’s been around since the 1990’s, and it is a way for expectant mothers to have support from health care professionals and other pregnant moms as they prepare for the moment that they deliver their newborn.

Granville Vance Public Health offers Centering Pregnancy through its clinics and GVPH Director Lisa Harrison said it’s something that’s been blazing trails across rural areas in the U.S. when it comes to maternal health.

“You have to be accredited as an agency to provide centering pregnancy,” Harrison said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. It’s designed for women with low- to moderate-risk pregnancies and it can help reduce the risk of health issues like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, among other things.

“It’s exciting work,” she said, to provide an environment where women can learn and come together in a group setting. Women who participate in the program get one-on-one time with health care professionals, but they also join in small-group sessions where they can ask questions and learn from each other.

“It empowers women to be actively involved in their own health care decision-making,” she noted.

The Centering pregnancy program does not take the place of prenatal care that women receive elsewhere, and Harrison said it’s designed to complement the care that women receive from their own providers.

Given the health disparities that exist, especially among underserved populations, Harrison said this program offered by the health department is just one intervention to address maternal and infant mortality.

“It’s a way to set mom and baby up for the best outcomes,” she said.

In addition to the small group sessions during pregnancy, GVPH nurses also make home visits once mom and her newborn are home from the hospital. This service offers support to make sure mom and baby have the resources they need, and can connect them to additional resources to help them survive and thrive.

Harrison is no stranger to identifying best practices to support maternal and infant health. In fact, she and a colleague have recently written a chapter on this very topic for a book titled The Practical Playbook III. The first edition was published in 2019, and since then, it has become widely used among public health professionals.

When it comes to improving outcomes for maternal and infant health, it’s important for communities and providers to know what it takes – the policies and practices put in place – to support maternal health, she explained.

Community collaboration is “a critical piece of the safety net,” Harrison said.

To learn more, visit https://www.gvph.org/clinic/maternal-health-clinic/.

 

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TownTalk: Granville-Vance Health Dept. Director Lisa Harrison Pleased with Cohen Visit

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When it’s added altogether, Granville Vance Public Health is getting $9 million in federal and state funds to be used to improve access to mental health resources and battle substance abuse disorders through a variety of programs for young people and families.

For GVPH Director Lisa Harrison, that’s a big deal.

“Our dream is that this is ‘difference-making’ money,” Harrison said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

Specifically, the health department has received $4 million – $1 million each year for the next four years – in federal money to provide behavioral health programs to the school districts in Vance and Granville counties to combat drug use and substance abuse. The $5 million award comes from the General Assembly that will create spaces within the Emergency Department at Maria Parham Health to safely provide care for patients in mental health crises and intensive outpatient services at Maria Parham’s Franklin campus in Louisburg.

“I could not be more excited about all of these opportunities to address these issues. It’s definitely an interesting and exciting time to be in this work.”

Part of the excitement comes from a special group of visitors that spent most of a day last week in Granville and Vance counties. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were the main attraction at Medical Arts Pharmacy Friday afternoon to discuss the importance of access to health care and more in rural America.

“It was such a wonderful opportunity” to host the two high-profile health professionals in Henderson and Oxford, Harrison said. “It was such an amazing visit and so much fun.”

Becerra and others stopped in at the Oxford health department for a roundtable discussion, during which Harrison said Becerra asked good questions of the local representatives and seemed engaged in the dialogue.

Then it was on to Medical Arts Pharmacy, where Becerra, Cohen and others offered remarks about health care equity and the importance of providing adequate health care in rural areas.

In health departments like GVPH, Harrison said there’s always more need than money to satisfy that need, at least from local and state funding sources. Under Harrison’s leadership, GVPH has been awarded federal grants totaling more than $6 million since 2015.

The networking and partnerships across agencies – local, state and federal – are key to providing the very best care in the two counties, she said.

As governmental agencies, hospitals, schools and others all work together for a common goal, Harrison said she believes it will make a difference in the overall health outcomes for youth and families in the community.

Hear the complete interview with Harrison at www.wizs.com

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Town Talk 11/25/20: Harrison Discusses COVID at Courthouse, Senior Citizens Home

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Lisa Harrison, director of Granville-Vance Public Health (GVPH), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

According to Harrison, GVPH and its support teams have been working with the local public school systems, private schools and charter schools to ensure safety and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible.

“We have some dedicated nurses who have been working really hard since March with our school systems who are trying to figure out how to manage in this new world order of COVID-19,” said Harrison. “We are trying to provide enough data, updates and information for our school systems to make good decisions and to manage any outbreaks or clusters.”

At this time of Thanksgiving, Harrison said she is thankful for the positive working relationships that she and GVPH have with community partners. Addressing one such partner, the Vance County Court System, Harrison said their partnership led to the quick handling of the Vance County Courthouse’s recently reported cluster of positive COVID cases.

“We have taken a tour of the courthouse a number of times over the past eight months just to make sure we’re informing all on the procedures that are new and different, to make sure that people are screened and to make sure that we are preventing the spread of COVID as much as possible,” explained Harrison. “Unfortunately, it [COVID spread] still happens.”

Due to a reported COVID cluster, Vance County court sessions were canceled beginning November 19 and will remain canceled through December 3, 2020, as of the time of this posting. The courthouse will remain open for necessary business during this time.

Clarifying the term COVID ‘cluster’ versus an ‘outbreak,’ Harrison said clusters are defined as five or more cases in one location that are tied together. Clusters are also commonly referred to in locations that are not healthcare-related, such as schools and courthouses.

Outbreaks, on the other hand, are defined as two or more cases in healthcare settings and long-term care facilities where the spread can be more rapid and detrimental if not quickly controlled.

Data reported ahead of Thanksgiving Day indicated 1,604 total confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Vance County, with 446 known active cases.

Of those 1,604 cases, 1,434 are associated with community spread, 58 are associated with Pelican Health of Henderson, 49 are associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, 62 are associated with Senior Citizens Nursing Home (42 of which are new and still active) and one is associated with Alliance Rehabilitative Care.

These numbers include 54 individuals who have died from COVID-related complications in Vance County.

COVID testing is ongoing through Maria Parham Health, GVPH and private institutions. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest local information.

To hear the interview with Harrison in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

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Town Talk 07/13/20: Harrison Encouraged by Positive Local COVID-19 Trends

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Lisa Harrison, director of Granville-Vance Public Health (GVPH), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

With 905 known Granville County COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths, and 561 known Vance County cases and 40 deaths reported as of Friday afternoon, Harrison said precautions still need to be taken to stop the spread of the virus.

“It is really critical to drive home the point that wearing a face covering and staying six-feet away from other people is the way we prevent this from spreading,” explained Harrison. “Everyone has the opportunity to help us with these numbers.”

In addressing national news reports of large increases in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past week, Harrison said the trend is similar to the days following Memorial Day weekend when a spike in positive test results was recorded.

“We do see spikes in the numbers when we have weekends like Memorial Day or July 4th where people want to spend time with their family and friends. Wearing a mask, staying six-feet apart and washing hands becomes more challenging,” said Harrison.

According to the CDC, the incubation period for COVID-19 is thought to extend to 14 days, with a median time of four to five days from exposure to onset of symptoms.

While Harrison acknowledged the numbers reported may not reveal the entire picture when considering those who do not seek testing or medical treatment, she is encouraged by the recent increase in testing in the local area.

“I feel good about the amount of testing being done in Vance and Granville County,” Harrison said. “I feel like we are testing symptomatic and asymptomatic. We’re testing contacts and anyone who comes to GVPH and needs a test.”

In addition to increased access to testing, Harrison is encouraged by other positive trends locally including the stabilization of COVID-19 cases in congregate living facilities.

In Granville County, there are currently outbreaks at four congregate living facilities including the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner; Murdoch Development Center in Butner; Central Regional Hospital in Butner; and Brantwood Nursing and Rehab Center in Oxford.

In Vance County, there are currently outbreaks at two congregate living facilities including Kerr Lake Nursing Home and Senior Citizens Home in Henderson.

There was previously an outbreak at Pelican Health in Henderson that is no longer active.

“We’ve worked really closely with our long-term care facilities. They’ve done a really great job of doing regular testing, making sure they are isolating those who have symptoms and have tested positive and minding infection control so they can reduce spread as much as possible while also monitoring the health and wellbeing of residents and staff,” said Harrison. “It’s been a heavy load these last three months; I’m pleased the stabilization does seem to have started.”

As far as community-based cases, or those not connected with a congregate living facility, Harrison is pleased that the majority of Granville and Vance residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 have been released from isolation.

Qualifications for ‘release from isolation’ status is set by the CDC and is determined by a combination of symptom-based, time-based and test-based strategies (click here to learn more).

As of Friday afternoon, of the 480 total community-based cases in Granville County, 348 have been released from isolation and five are currently hospitalized.

In Vance County, 364 of the 439 community-based cases have been released from isolation. Five individuals in Vance County are currently hospitalized.

“More people have been released from isolation than current numbers of those positive with COVID-19,” Harrison stated. “The majority are in recovery mode and are past the approximate 14-28 day experience.”

Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information and to sign up for daily email updates.

To hear the interview with Harrison in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

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Town Talk 06/08/20: Harrison & Short Discuss Increased COVID-19 Testing, Need for Continued Precautions

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Lisa Harrison, director of Granville-Vance Public Health (GVPH), and Brian Short, director of Henderson-Vance Emergency Operations, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

With 449 known Granville County COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths, and 355 known Vance County cases and 27 deaths reported as of Friday afternoon, Harrison and Short said precautions still need to be taken to stop the spread of the virus.

According to GVPH’s website, there are currently four outbreaks at congregate living facilities in the district, including the Federal Correctional Complex and the Murdoch Development Center in Butner and Pelican Health and Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson.

Of the Granville County community-based cases, 97 have been released from isolation and five are hospitalized. Of the 263 community-based cases in Vance County, 127 have been released from isolation and nine are hospitalized.

Harrison reported that 696 NC residents are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state. “The reason we keep promoting wearing face coverings, washing hands and practicing social distancing – and the point of flattening the curve – is so that we don’t overwhelm our health care system,” said Harrison. “We’ve seen in other countries how horrible it is when there aren’t enough ventilators for people. More than half-a-million tests have now been given in NC; we’re going to see the number of positives increase, and we are going to, unfortunately, see a number of those people need the hospital.”

According to Harrison, the report of increased cases is due, in part, to more testing and quicker turnaround times. “At the beginning of the pandemic response, getting access to test kits, swabs and the medium to be able to send off to a lab was really difficult to do,” stated Harrison. “We are seeing the number of available tests increase across NC because of private labs and our State lab. Mako, in our own backyard here in Vance County, is leading the charge in developing, as quickly as they can, more test kits.”

Explaining the two primary test types, Harrison said testing is currently done in the form of a nasal swab or a blood test with either a 24-48 wait for lab results or a rapid response with an answer in minutes.

An issue with the rapid result method and with the blood test is that results are not yet 100-percent accurate, which can result in false positives, according to Harrison.

For those that suspect they may be suffering from COVID-19, Harrison said the best thing to do is to contact a doctor’s office to discuss symptoms and testing. “COVID-19 is still a diagnostic test that requires a doctor’s order, that’s why we suggest contacting your primary care doctor first,” said Harrison. “We have not been able to do the sort of mass testing that people see on tv in big cities here locally yet. We will get there; I’m certain.”

In fact, Harrison said the health district’s first attempt at mass testing will be held in the parking lot of Shiloh Baptist Church in Henderson on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Details are still being discussed and will be announced at a later date.

Short, who has worked closely with GVPH, Harrison and Granville County Emergency Services Director Jason Reavis through the pandemic, praised the business community for their response to COVID-19 restrictions.

“This is just my observation, but the overwhelming majority of people inside businesses seem to be wearing masks or face coverings,” Short said. “However, I’m not seeing a lot of social distancing, and that is disappointing. I think businesses have gone to great lengths to mark places for people to stand, place signs in the aisles and place revised occupancy notices on doors, but it’s so hard for them to enforce that inside the business. You almost need as many employees working as you have customers to really enforce them properly. I think the businesses are doing the best they can to try to protect the employees and the public, but it’s an almost insurmountable task.”

GVPH updates its website daily with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.

To hear the interview with Harrison and Short in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

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Town Talk 05/07/20: Public Health Director Encourages ‘Vigilance in New Normal’

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Lisa Harrison, director of Granville-Vance Public Health, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

With Phase I of NC Governor Roy Cooper’s easing of COVID-19 restrictions beginning Friday at 5 p.m., Harrison said it is important that the public remain vigilant in the “new normal” of washing hands frequently, wearing face coverings while out in public and maintaining physical distance when possible.

Informing listeners that coronavirus is transmitted through air particles in a process known as aerosolization, Harrison said wearing a mask is one way to protect others from your germs.

“Your mask protects everyone around you from your aerosolized particles and someone else’s mask protects you from their aerosolized particles,” explained Harrison. “Wearing a face mask to keep your germs to yourself is a beautiful sign that you care about other people.”

While COVID-19 is not thought to be spread through food, Harrison said it is important when preparing meals to practice good hygiene such as hand washing, thoroughly cleaning utensils and properly wiping down surfaces that food may touch.

With fever, coughing and shortness of breath remaining the primary symptoms of coronavirus, Harrison said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also added muscle pain, sore throat, chills and loss of taste and smell to the list of possible indicators.

“We have learned that the coronavirus affects everyone differently. One person may get a couple of these symptoms, while another person may experience more of these symptoms. The large majority of people that get coronavirus will not have severe illness, will not need oxygen and will not need to go to the hospital. More than 95 percent of the population who get coronavirus will have mild or moderate illness,” Harrison stated.

Protecting the remaining five percent of the population is the primary purpose of COVID-19 restrictions. “The reason we are taking precautions is for the rest of the population that will have severe illness, will need oxygen at the hospital and are in danger of losing their lives,” said Harrison.

This vulnerable population includes those who reside in congregate living areas such as prisons, nursing homes and group homes; people over the age of 65; and those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, severe obesity and those on dialysis.

With two percent of coronavirus patients dying from related complications, Harrison said a common link on death certificates has been the presence of a previous underlying health condition.

“We want to make sure we protect all of these vulnerable populations that have a much greater risk of severe illness and death,” Harrison said.

For additional information on COVID-19 and updated statistics, visit the Granville-Vance Public Health website at www.gvph.org and the CDC website at www.cdc.gov.

To hear the interview with Harrison in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.