Health Insurance Navigators at 2 Fulton County Health Centers until Dec 15

Navigators Offer FREE Enrollment Help for Obamacare, Medicaid & PeachCare for Kids

The deadline to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is December 15^th.  That’s nearly six weeks earlier than last year’s deadline.  Navigating through the insurance marketplace to sign up for health insurance can be daunting.  To help health insurance seekers locate an affordable and appropriate health care plan, Insure Georgia providing FREE enrollment guidance for residents who need help with enrolling in health insurance for 2018. 

Certified health insurance navigators will be onsite at Fulton County’s Adamsville and Neighborhood Union health centers to guide residents through the health care market place. The navigators can help Fulton County residents apply for financial assistance, compare health plans, and sign up for insurance.  This includes enrollment help with the federally-mandated Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, which is for people who are uninsured or those who work part-time or are self-employed and do not have insurance.  For those who sign up by December 15th, coverage will begin on January 1, 2017.  To qualify for insurance under the ACA, you must be a resident of Georgia and a U.S. citizen or a U.S. naturalized citizen.

Walk-in appointments will be available as follows:

December 13, 2017                                       2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

• Adamsville Regional Health Center, 3700 Martin Luther King Dr., Atlanta, GA 30331.                                                                Phone:  404-613-4215.

December 8, 2017 and December 14, 2017,     9: 00 a.m–1:00 p.m.

December 15 , 2017                                                   2:00 p.m. – 6:0p.m.

• Neighborhood Union Health Center, 
• 186 Sunset Avenue, Atlanta, GA  30314.                         Phone:  404-612-4665.           

        Six Tips to Expedite Your Health Insurance Enrollment:

• Set up your login and password online at www.healthcare.gov and begin your enrollment application. 
• If you do not have access to a computer, the health navigators will assist you in setting up your account and guiding you through the enrollment process via their computers onsite at the health centers. 
• Bring official identification.
• Bring proof of current insurance, if any.
• Bring proof of income (recent paycheck stubs, W-2 forms or wage and tax statements) if appropriate.
• Allow 60 – 90 minutes to successfully enroll.

The navigators can also assist income-eligible persons with signing up for Georgia Medicaid and Georgia PeachCare for Kids.  Navigators provide unbiased guidance on the health insurance options available on the insurance market exchange.  This is a FREE service that is funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.                    ###

Fulton County Board of Health Observes World AIDS Day with FREE HIV Testing and Counseling 12/1

The Fulton County Board of Health is observing World AIDS Day on Friday, December 1^st by offering  HIV health education and FREE HIV testing and counseling . 

According to the CDC, 1 in 2 people with HIV have had the virus at least 3 years before being diagnosed.  Therefore, Fulton County Board of Health encourages you to know your HIV status by getting tested and to learn about the latest in HIV treatment and prevention services offered through the Fulton County Board of Health. 

This World AIDS Day event is free and open to the public and features:

•          Free condoms and condom demonstrations.

•           Free, confidential HIV testing and counseling .

•           Educational sessions on the medical and dental services for patients who are HIV positive.

•           Information on PrEP, a pharmaceutical drug to prevent the spread of HIV for those who are at high risk. 

•           General health screenings.

Stop by Greenbriar Mall on 12/1 from noon - 7:00 p.m.

Fulton Opens 18 Early Voting Sites for Municipal General and Special Runoff Elections

Early voting polls open November 27^th – December 1^st

Fulton County will open 18 Early Voting sites for eligible residents to cast their ballot in the Municipal General and Special Runoff Elections. The 18 locations will be open Monday, November 27 through Friday, December 1st, 2017 from 8:30 am – 7:00 pm.

“Due to the holidays, we can only offer one week of early voting for these runoff elections,” stated Richard Barron, Director of Registration and Elections. “We encourage residents to verify their eligibility to vote in this runoff before heading to the polls.”

Early Voting - Municipal General and Special Runoff Elections

Monday, November 27^th - Friday, December 1^st  

Polls Open – 8:30am – 7:00pm

It’s Great American Smokeout Day! Sign up for FREE Smoking Cessation Classes

Sign Up for the Next Session of Board of Health’s FREE Smoking Cessation Classes Starting in January

Once people were able to smoke on airplanes, in schools, restaurants, even hospitals, just about everywhere we went.  Not anymore.  The Great American Smokeout, started nationally in 1977 by the American Cancer Society, has helped flip American attitudes about smoking.  Fulton County has outlawed smoking in its buildings and facilities, and most public places and work environments around the country are now smoke-free.

“Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the U.S.”

That’s according to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which also points out U. S. smoking rates have dropped from 42% in 1965 to 15% in 2015.  In Georgia, about 21% of adults still smoke cigarettes.  The percentage of smokers in Fulton County is lower than the state and national averages—13%, or 13 of 100 persons uses tobacco.   Health officials say what’s alarming is the increase in the use of electronic or E-cigarettes, hookah pipe and cigar smoking among young people. 

Our program, Freedom From Smoking^®, is based on science.

The BOH’s Health Promotion Department has just completed its pilot Freedom From Smoking^® program created by the American Lung Association.  This “evidence-based” program has helped hundreds of thousands of smokers to “give it up” over the last 37 years. All of the experts say the best way to quit tobacco is with support, and that’s exactly what the program offers—support and guidance.

Session Topics

Session 1 – Thinking About Quitting

Session 2 – On the Road to Freedom

Session 3 – Wanting to Quit

Session 4 – Quit Day

Session 5 -- Winning Strategies

Session 6 – The New You

Session 7 – Staying Off

Session 8 – Celebration

For information on the smoking cessation classes, contact Health Program Administrator Kristin Dixon by email or phone:   kristin.dixon@fultoncountyga.gov or 404-612-1688. The Georgia Quit Line is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for help quitting smoking:  for English, call 1-877-270-STOP (7867); for Spanish, 1-855-DEJELO-YA; and if the line for persons who are hearing impaired is 1-877-777-6534.  

This Week's Fulton County Service Legend

Tracie Baugh is this week's Service Legend.

  

Tracie Baugh is this week's Service Legend because of her high level of professionalism, along with her kind and loving spirit.  Tracie is a Customer Service representative in the County Manager's Office of Customer Service. Here's her story. 

A caller contacted the Office of Customer Service and was desperate to get information about a Fulton County event.  The caller paid for and was excited about attending the activity; However, the caller had not received information about the location and time of the event.  The caller said, in today's fast paced, computer connected world it seems like people miss the importance of human interaction, For that reason, Tracie Baugh was a breath of fresh air. 

The customer said, "Tracie worked fast, efficiently and was clear in her communication.  She understood my situation and really worked hard to help. 

I really appreciate her and I thought Fulton County leadership might like to know."

Tracie Baugh is this week's Service Legend who believes in and exemplifies the County's customer service slogan - "BECAUSE WE CARE, WE SERVE".

Fulton County continues its work toward making the County 1st in Impact, Service and Efficiency.

Providing quality customer service is a part of the County's strategic plan and employees are key contributors when it comes to accomplishing this goal.  

Leadership recognizes employees are the first point of contact when it comes to service delivery.  In an effort to say "Thank You" for their exemplary service, this publication highlights employees who have delivered excellent customer service throughout their tenure with Fulton County.   

Congratulations Service Legend - Tracie Baugh!         

Upcoming Events for Children From UGA Extension Fulton County

Click Here for the Facebook Event to Learn more. 

Click Here for the Facebook Event Page to learn more. 

Breast Exams Save Lives: Fulton County Offers FREE Screenings at 3 Regional Health Centers

During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Fulton County Board of Health wants to remind women who live in Fulton County to get their life-saving cancer screenings available year round at its Adamsville, College Park and North Fulton regional health centers.  

Breast cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer deaths for women in the United States and in Georgia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The CDC says early detection – through health screenings—can lower the death rate of breast and cervical cancers.  The CDC recommends more women should utilize these life-saving, preventive screenings.

Through Fulton County’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP), women who are income-eligible can receive FREE or low-cost breast and cervical screenings and other diagnostic services.  The program will cover the cost of a mammogram to uninsured Fulton residents who meet the program criteria.  To qualify for Fulton County’s BCCP program, a woman must:

• Reside in Fulton County
• Be uninsured or under-insured
• Be income eligible
• Be between the ages of 40 to 64 year
• Have had her last mammogram more than a year.

Breast and Cervical Cancer Program Services Offered at Three Fulton County Regional Health Centers:

Adamsville Regional Health Center General info: 404-613-4215	3700 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, Atlanta, GA  30331-3674	For breast exam appointments call: 404-612-1649
College Park Regional Health Center General info: 404-613-8865	1920 John Wesley Ave, College Park, GA  30337	404-612-1649
North Fulton Regional Health Center General info:  404-612-1876	3155 Royal Drive, Suite 125, Alpharetta, GA  30022	404-612-1649

Fulton County’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program Offers Services Year Round 

Fulton County’s BCCP program has enrolled more than 10,000 uninsured women between 1995-2015 who received screenings and or diagnostic mammograms.  Fulton County partners with many civic organizations.  This includes providing clinical breast examinations and mammogram referrals to the S.C.L.C. Women’s Organizational Movement for Equality Now, Inc. since 2008. For more information about cancer screenings and other women’s health services, call the Fulton County Board of Health’s Women’s Health Division at 404-612-1649.         

Fulton Law & Justice

Learn more about restorative justice, accountability courts and more in this month's episode of "Fulton Law & Justice."

Fulton County Board of Health Readies for ZIKA Mosquito Season

The Fulton County Board of Health has launched an expanded and coordinated public awareness campaign to prevent any  local transmission of mosquito-borne viruses, especially Zika, from taking hold in metro Atlanta this summer.

Tip ‘n Toss all standing water!  Every three days!  

According to the CDC, one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of the Zika virus is to control the mosquito population by eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed. 

Zika Prevention PSA

Fulton County Board of Health officials strongly advise area residents to actively check around their homes and apartments and Tip ‘n Toss all standing water in flower pots, planters, children’s toys and outdoor furniture,  especially after every rainfall.  

Residents are also advised to clean out gutters, remove piles of leaves and keep vegetation cut low to prevent landing sites for adult mosquitoes to breed. These Tip ‘n Toss efforts will dramatically reduce the chances of local transmission in Fulton County.

To date, there has been NO local transmission of the Zika virus in Georgia.  However, according to the CDC, there have been two confirmed travel-related cases in 2017 in Fulton County—both cases occurred during travel to countries where the virus is active.

This year’s Tip ‘n Toss campaign augments Fulton County’s extensive annual mosquito surveillance and control efforts which include monitoring 12,000 mosquito traps and coordinating mosquito surveillance data with officials from the CDC and the Georgia Department of Public Health.  

If nuisance areas are identified by Fulton County Environmental Health as potential trouble spots for mosquitoes that carry Zika or West Nile Virus, Fulton County’s pest control contractor will immediately conduct barrier spraying and apply naturally derived larvicide dunks to control mosquito growth.  

For more information, check out www.preventzikainfulton.com for prevention information and updates. Residents can call the Mosquito Hotline at 404-613-1303 to report issues with standing water. 

Meet This Week's Service Legend: Kaylon Smalls

Kaylon works for the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's Office at its Alpharetta location. She is the Assistant Division Manager. Kaylon's responsibilities include supervising technical and other staff engaged in revenue collection. She monitors the status of work in progress by her team members and she works closely with them to ensure their work is completed and done well and in the spirit of excellence. 

Kaylon's supervisor is Rodney Floyd.  He says Kaylon has a passion for customer service as she formerly taught customer service for the Georgia Department of Revenue.  "Kaylon was one of the reasons why we were able to increase customer service efficiency.  She is a hard worker, she is self motivated and she relates well with her staff."

Floyd also said she is dedicated to encouraging and motivating her team to ensure the vision and goals of the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's Office are accomplished.     

Kaylon Smalls is a true Service Legend that believes in and exemplifies the County's customer service slogan - "BECAUSE WE CARE, WE SERVE." 

Fulton County continues its work toward making the County 1st in 3 in Impact, Service and Efficiency.

Providing quality customer service is a part of the County's strategic plans and employees are key contributors when it comes to accomplishing this goal.  

Leadership recognizes employees are the first point of contact when it comes to service delivery and in an effort to say Thank You for their exemplary service, this publication highlights employees who have delivered excellent customer service throughout their tenure with Fulton County.   

Fulton County Announces Plans for $1 Billion in Infrastructure Investments

Fulton County has announced plans for $1 Billion in Infrastructure Investments over the next several years. Plans have been presented to the Board of Commissioners as well as mayors of Fulton County's 15 cities.

Plans will include:

• $100 Million+ for Facilities upgrades

• $570 Million for Transportation Infrastructure through the countywide TSPLOST

• $109 Million for Phase II of the Library Capital Plan

• $379 for Water/Wastewater Infrastructure

View the full "Infrastructure for All" presentation.

Brigitte Bailey Named as Fulton County Director of Customer Experience & Solutions

Brigitte Bailey has been named as the Director of Customer Experience & Solutions for Fulton County Government. She will report directly to Chief Operating Officer Todd Long.

Long said of the appointment, “Brigitte is well respected by those who have worked alongside her as a direct result of her tenacity and commitment, accompanied by her theoretical and practical knowledge within the public service arena.”

County Manager Dick Anderson has emphasized customer service delivery since joining Fulton County in 2015. He said of Bailey’s appointment, “Brigitte has the skills, institutional knowledge and commitment to make a real impact in shaping service delivery from the customer perspective. She has our full support as we continue our work to make Fulton County first in customer service.”

Bailey will work with all Fulton County departments to improve the customer experience, including everything from customer greetings to the redesign of the County website.  Her work will include assisting in the County’s Digital government strategy, employee recognition programs, and establishing metrics to track customer service.

Brigitte has served with Fulton County Government for 19 years. During her tenure, she has held a variety of roles, most recently as Audit Administrator in the Office of the County Auditor. Other roles have included Assistant Chief of Administration, Community Research Analyst, Program Evaluation Specialist and Administrative Coordinator.  

Prior to her career in public service, Bailey served as a Trust and Investment Management Officer for SunTrust Bank, Atlanta and worked in various financial coordinating positions for the Northern Trust Company and Citibank Illinois. 

Brigitte holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Spelman College.  She is a candidate for the Certified Public Manager Program where program completion is expected in September 2017.  

Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann Named to National Transportation Board

Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann (District 1) has been named to the Transportation Steering Committee for the National Association of Counties.     

The NACo Transportation Steering Committee is responsible for guiding policy platforms for counties around matters pertaining to federal transportation legislation, funding and regulation and impact on county government. Key issues include highway and bridge development, finance and safety, public transit development and finance, transportation planning, airport development and service, passenger and freight railroads, ports and waterways, freight movement, and research and development of new modes of transportation.

Transportation remains one of the top issues facing Fulton County residents, and Commissioner Hausmann will represent Fulton County along with other county officials from across the country in setting national policy around this issue. 

Fulton County, with the assistance of the Atlanta Regional Commission and the 13 cities in Fulton outside of the city of Atlanta,  have commissioned a Transit Study to recommend a transit plan for Fulton County with preliminary results due in December of 2017.

As the Fulton County Board of Commissioners Executive Sponsor of “All People Have Economic Opportunity,” Commissioner Hausmann played a vital role in collaboration with Fulton County cities in bringing forward the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax approved by Fulton County voters in November 2016.

“Recent events have underscored the continued importance of ensuring that the Atlanta Metro Region has a robust transportation infrastructure in place to continue our economic viability and good quality of life.  I look forward to working with NACo to bring our local issues to the forefront of any national transportation initiatives that may help with our mobility needs in Fulton County”, said Commissioner Hausmann.

Commissioner Hausmann has served on the Fulton County Board of Commissioners since 2011. She came to Fulton County with an extensive record of public service on the Fulton County School Board, the Johns Creek City Council, and numerous civic and government boards.
District One is located in northeast Fulton that includes Johns Creek and portions of the cities of Alpharetta,  Roswell, and Sandy Springs east of Georgia 400.

In Memory of Vice Chair Joan P. Garner

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Fulton County Vice Chair Joan P. Garner.

Chairman John H. Eaves has issued the following statement, “On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, we are heartbroken by the loss of our colleague and friend, Vice Chair Joan P. Garner, who passed away this morning after a lengthy fight with triple-negative breast cancer. We will miss her thoughtful service, her passion for equity, and, especially, her smile and her warmth. Our thoughts and prayers are with her spouse and our friend, Judge Jane Morrison, as well as the rest of her family.

Commissioner Garner joined the Board of Commissioner in 2011, representing a dynamic and vibrant district in Atlanta. She put her heart and soul into her service to citizens, with a particular focus on health. She worked tirelessly to fight against health disparities and became our Executive Sponsor of the “All People Are Healthy” priority area. She also joined me in co-founding the Fulton County Task Force on HIV/AIDS and championed numerous other health initiatives. She also sponsored numerous programs for young people. Even in within the last month she greeted students at the annual “Don’t Touch The Fire” conference for at-risk youth.

Commissioner Garner was also committed to service on a statewide and national scale. She was currently serving as Third Vice President of ACCG – Georgia’s County Association. She was also very actively engaged with the National Association of Counties, serving as past Chair of the National Association of Counties’ Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board, Chair of NACo’s Medicaid and Indigent Care Subcommittee, and as Chair of the Health Policy Committee.

In the midst of our sorrow, I am so glad we took the opportunity to honor Joan and her work on behalf of citizens of Fulton County at our meeting last week. As a group, we were able to let her know how much we cared for her as an individual, and how much we admired her exemplary service to citizens. Her courage and unwavering commitment to service during her long health battle has been an example to all of us.”

Fulton County Office of Vital Records Now Open in Fulton Government Center

The Fulton County Vital Records Office was officially dedicated Friday, April 14, 2017 during a spirited ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by officials and employees from Fulton County and the Georgia Department of Public Health.  

Fulton County leadership, including Commissioner and Chairman John Eaves, Fulton County Manager Dick Anderson and Fulton Health District Director Dr. Kathleen Toomey, emphasized the updated technology and enhanced office atmosphere will provide a better customer service experience for the clients and an enhanced working environment for County employees.  On any given day, 5 hundred clients walk in the office to use the services of the Fulton County Vital Records office, explained Chairman Eaves while another 2 hundred access the services online.
“Our average wait time went from 30 minutes in the old Aldredge location and will now average 10 minutes here in the new office,” said County Manager Dick Anderson.

“Fulton County has not only moved, you have improved,” said Donna L. Moore Moore, State Registrar & Director of Vital Records adding that the Fulton County Vital Records office is only the 4th office to go digital of 159 counties in Georgia.

The technologically updated Fulton County Vital Records Office relocated from the Aldredge Health Center to a spacious office on the first floor, Suite 1029A, of the Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor St. S.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30303.  The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The Fulton County Government Center is accessible via Five Point Marta rail and several Marta buses.  Public parking is available nearby.

For more information about the Fulton County Office of Vital Records, call 404-613-1260.

Election Day is Tuesday, April 18th for Special Elections

Election Day is Tuesday, April 18th for the special elections in the cities of South Fulton, Roswell and Johns Creek, as well as the special election for the 6th Congressional and 32nd Senate districts. Residents must vote at their assigned poll on Election Day as required by Georgia state law.

Election Day polling locations will be open on Tuesday, April 18th from 7:00am – 7:00pm for registered voters in the cities of South Fulton, Roswell and Johns Creek, as well as the 6th Congressional and 32nd Senate districts.

The Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections encourages all voters to verify their poll location by visiting www.mvp.sos.ga.gov website to help them with identifying their poll locations.

For more information about the special elections and the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections, please visit www.fultonelections.com. #FultonVotes

Fulton County Office of Vital Records Relocates to Fulton Government Center

The Fulton County Vital Records Office currently located at the Aldredge Health Center, 99 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr. S.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30303, will close on March 30 in order to relocate to the Fulton County Government Center, less than a mile away.

The newly renovated and technologically updated Fulton County Vital Records Office will re-open on Friday, April 7, 2017, in a spacious office on the first floor, suite 1029A of the Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor St. S.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30303.  The hours of operation will remain Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Our residents can expect state-of-the-art technology and more efficient and friendly service -- all delivered in a comfortable and more accommodating customer service waiting area,” said Dr. Kathleen Toomey, District Health Director for Fulton County.

The new Fulton County Vital Records Office will feature:

• Expanded customer service waiting room that can comfortably seat 52 people and is ADA accessible 
• State-of-the art touch screen kiosks for faster self-check-in and shorter wait times 
• Four customer service counters/cashier windows 
• On-demand printing of birth and death certificates 
• Designated personnel and service area for funeral homes

The Fulton County Vital Records Office registers records for deaths that occurred in Fulton County, however, the Office has the ability to issue certificates for any birth or death that occurred anywhere in Georgia.