Health department looking out for public

Public health professionals at the Floyd County Health Department, 16 E. 12th St., promote and protect the health and safety of Rome and Floyd County residents and strive to make the community one in which people can live the healthiest lives possible.

The department provides medical services, works to track and prevent the spread of disease, promotes health and safety through education and communication, monitors area environmental safety and ensure the community is prepared for public health emergencies.

The Health Department features an Environmental Health Office, a Clinical Office, the Floyd County Dental Clinic, a Vital Records Office and the Ryan White Specialty Clinic, which provides specialized outpatient primary care and referrals for HIV patients. Daily operations at the Health Department are managed by Nurse Manager Alison Watson and Environmental Health Manager Shane Hendrix.

From January to June 2016, the Environmental Health Office, in conjunction with the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, conducted the Silver Creek Watershed Grant Program, which was designed to improve water quality in south Floyd County’s Silver Creek and make it safer for fishing and swimming. The program focused on maintaining and repairing septic systems in the creek’s drainage, and property owners were eligible to receive a $200 voucher toward pumping their septic tank and/or up to 60 percent reimbursement on repair costs.

Eighty-seven Floyd County property owners received $17,4000 in pump-out vouchers, and 20 received financial assistance to repair failing septic systems. For the duration of the program, we also conducted monthly educational classes for the public on septic-system maintenance.

Physical therapist and Get Up and Go! Coordinator Marge Kinder works with participant Barry Wright at Redmond Regional Medical Center. Story on page 8.