North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos announced yesterday that Rear Adm. Penelope Slade-Sawyer will join DHHS’ leadership as the director of the Division of Public Health, effective March 3, 2014. Slade-Sawyer is a Commissioned Corps Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service and serves as assistant surgeon general at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. Secretary Wos made the announcement at the annual State Health Director’s Conference in Raleigh, where more than 300 public health leaders from across the state convene around public health issues of strategic interest.

“From newborn screenings to chronic disease prevention and management, the functions of the Division of Public Health are vital to protecting the health and safety of all North Carolinians,"said Secretary Wos. "Rear Admiral Slade-Sawyer has been instrumental in setting national agendas for public health research, for program and initiative development, and for care. We are excited that she will be joining our leadership team.”

Prior to serving as assistant surgeon general, Slade-Sawyer served for seven years as deputy assistant secretary for Health, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and directed the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, she was responsible for strengthening the disease prevention and health promotion priorities of the Department.

Slade-Sawyer will be working closely with Dr. Robin Gary Cummings, who will continue as acting State Health Director. The DHHS Division of Public Health is responsible for approximately 1,800 employees and $800 million in state and federal funds each year.

Gov. Pat McCrory and Public Safety Secretary Frank L. Perry have launched a new mobile application that will help North Carolinians prepare for everything from minor traffic emergencies to severe storms on a daily basis. 

The app is free and available in the AppStore for iPhones and Google Play for Android devices.

“The ReadyNC mobile application is an all-in-one tool that both residents and visitors can use to get the latest weather, traffic and hazard information and know what to do to be safe,” said McCrory. “None of us can predict when the next disaster will occur, but we can minimize the impacts by preparing ahead of time.”

McCrory stresses the new mobile app does not replace calling 911. However, it can be used to find life-saving information.

The new app provides users with:

• real-time traffic and weather information
• critical information on how to be safe during different hazardous events
• real-time information about opened shelters for evacuees (including addresses, capacity, directions and if the shelter is pet-friendly)
• real-time updates on flood levels of major nearby creeks and rivers
• phone numbers and links to all North Carolina power companies to report outages
• basic instructions on how to develop emergency plans and what to put in your emergency supplies kit
• real-time information on which counties have issued evacuation orders
• contact numbers and links to websites for those who need help recovering from a disaster
• direct links to the ReadyNC.org and NCDPS.gov websites and social media accounts

“We’ve seen countless examples across the country and here in our own state that remind us that those who are prepared ahead of time fare better during disasters,” said Secretary Perry. “This simple app will help each family do just that.”

The mobile application was developed by N.C. Emergency Management using Citizen Corps funds that are designated to foster emergency preparedness.

For the past 10 years, Dr. Nena Lekwauwa has used her spare time to sponsor a medical mission to Nigeria under the auspices of the ACIU-NA, an organization of the Abiriba people where Dr. Lekwauwa chairs the Medical Services Committee.

Dr. Lekwauwa and her husband of 34 years, Aju, have supported the mission/clinic in Abiriba, a town of about 25,000 in the southeast of their Nigerian homeland in the west coast of Africa. When they visit during the Christmas holidays, the town’s population seems to double as families come together and as more patients find their way to the clinic doors. “By mid-January, about half of them leave,” Dr. Lekwauwa said. “So the best opportunity to serve the most people is during the holidays. The exercise is very challenging but remains the most rewarding experience for us, too.” In the beginning, the clinic was open for two to three days every Christmas holiday period. That was when the Lekwauwas first started taking vacation from their jobs in North Carolina to travel to Nigeria to open and operate the clinic.

Today the efforts of the Lekwauwas and others who have been ignited by their passion for care have resulted in the clinic staying open year-round. It has evolved into a Chronic Care Center for Abiriba community. It now serves more than 1,300 registered patients who suffer from conditions ranging from hypertension, diabetes and arthritis to psychiatric conditions, infectious diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“Most of these people would have been dead without care,” Dr. Lekwauwa said. “We decided after years of this mission to focus on treating patients with chronic conditions.” This led to the founding of the Chronic Care Clinic, currently housed in a space donated by the community. A ground breaking ceremony was held on Christmas Day last month for a new building to expand the clinic. Leaders of the community, including the Enachioken (the natural leader of the Abiriba people) and his council of chiefs were present to welcome the building of the Chronic Care Clinic.  

Clinic with patients

The clinic benefits from donations, including pharmaceuticals from manufacturers as well as physician practices that contribute pharmaceutical samples and a long-term care pharmacy that contributes unused unopened returned medications. Volunteer physicians visit from U.S.A. and Nigeria, and there are two paid staff of advance practice nurses, a nursing assistant and a lab technician. 

“We are so pleased to be changing the life expectancy there,” Dr. Lekwauwa said. “You would be surprised by how many people keel over every year.” 

In a way, the clinic in Nigeria may seem like an extension of the work she does in DHHS as the medical director and chief clinical officer for the Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Abuse Services. 

In her role in the division, she often finds herself serving as a liaison with the medical and psychiatric communities in North Carolina, or lending her expertise to the Division of Medical Assistance when questions involving behavioral health or substance abuse issues arise. 

Dr. Lekwauwa started work in 1990 as a staff psychiatrist for Forsyth-Stokes Mental Health (now Center Point Human Services), and in 1996 became medical director. She remained with Center Point Human Services through 2010 when she became clinical director for DMH/DD/SAS. 

Educated at Columbia University at Harlem Hospital, N.Y., her career path rose after she participated in a field trial during the development of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 111-R not long after she and her husband came to the United States. Her husband, Dr. Aju Lekwauwa, holds a PhD in Food Science from Rutgers, the state University of New Jersey. He found a career at Nabisco-R.J. Reynolds, and now teaches Biotechnology at Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina.

Three DHHS teams placed in the top two divisions in the fall of 2013 Miles for Wellness Challenge, Trail to Four Corners. Two winning DHHS teams were from Central Regional Hospital and the other was from the Division of Information Resource Management.

The virtual trail, co-sponsored by the N.C. Office of State Human Resources and WeSave.com, started on Sept. 30 with 168 teams registered and concluded on Nov. 24 with 154 teams completing the eight-week challenge. The journey took participants through nine states, beginning in Wilmington, N.C., and winding to the Four Corners Monument in New Mexico. The trail was studded with 44 points of interest to see along the way and giveaways to eligible winners, including restaurant gift cars and an Apple iPad Mini.

On Sept. 30, 168 teams were registered to participate and on Nov. 24, 154 teams completed the eight week challenge, for a 91.6 per cent completion rate. Those teams in the running for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in their division found the competition stiff. In some cases, it was the difference of 250 extra steps per day per team member.

DHHS teams placed in the two top divisions as follows:

Super Hare

1st Place: Wilmington Wahoos; Division of Water Resources; DENR

2nd Place: Footloose; Central Regional Hospital; DHHS

3rd Place: Rockin’ Record Techs; Central Regional Hospital; DHHS

Hare

1st Place: Got the Runs; Transportation Planning Branch; NCDOT

2nd Place: Hough’s Hoppin’ Hares; William A Hough High School; NCDPI

3rd Place: The Holy Walkamolies; Division of Information Resource Management; DHHS

Congratulations to our DHHS walkers!

2nd Place Super Hare Division: Footloose

Kneeling: Alison Prevost. Standing, left to right: Katherine Hilliard, Statewide Wellness Coordinator, Emily Cox, Team Co-Captain, Ashley Nazworth, William Clemmons, Jr., Lindsay Fought, Team Co-Captain, LeJay Parker, Olivier Goust, Team High Stepper, and Terrance Adams.

Not pictured Stoney Bowman and Nealie Tebb.

3rd Place Super Hare Division: Rockin’ Record Techs

Kneeling, left to right: Kevin Smoak, Team Captain, Crystal Wood, Mike Holt. Standing, left to right: Elva Elliott, Stanley Sanford, Katrina Williams, Kathy Lloyd, Team High Stepper, Diane Oakley. Not pictured Katrina Harris and Frances Pettiford.

3rd Place Hare Division: The Holy Walkamolies

Left to right, seated front row: Jim Golden, Team Captain and Team High Stepper, and Felicia Davis, DHHS Wellness Leader. Left to right, Back row: Arun Kumar, Danielle Brady, Tom Reeher, Jennifer Braley, Lucy Cornelius, Gary Lapio, and Clinton Morrow.

Not pictured: Anita Sundaram and Karen Guy.

Cabrera, left; Valencia, right

Univision 40 honors two in DHHS for Latino outreach

Two DHHS employees who help Latinos connect with the services that they and their families need are back-to-back honorees in 2012 and 2013 for their contributions to the Latino population in North Carolina. Both received Spanish language television station Univision 40’s “Pride of our Community” (Orgullo de Nuestra Comunidad) award.

Univision annually recognizes outstanding Hispanic leaders in the community as part of its Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in the fall.

Felipe Cabrera received the honor in October 2012. Cabrera is Latino outreach specialist for the division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. He has been employed at DHHS for 12 years.

Rogelio Valencia received the honor in October 2013. Valencia works in the Division of Social Services as Latino ombudsman and as privacy and repatriation coordinator. He also serves with the State Emergency Response Team operated by the N.C. Department of Public Safety to coordinate relief efforts and provide support to local and county governments.

The two use their native Spanish language and culture skills to help elevate Latinos’ awareness of services available to qualified adults and families, and to help Latinos connect to the services they need.

Cabrera visits Spanish-speaking consumers across the state to provide information and referral to assist them with accessing services they qualify for, and he provides outreach at many events such as health fairs and Hispanic festivals such as La Fiesta del Pueblo.

He also represents the Department and Latino people with disabilities on various committees such as the Alianza Latina Pro-Educacion en Salud (ALPES), an alliance of concerned community members and agency representatives committed to improving the health and quality of life for Latinos living in Wake County. He has also served on the Department’s Group Health Alliance and the N.C. Assistive Technology Program’s Grant Advisory Council.

Valencia has worked for DHHS for 14 years, collaborating with the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, and with DHHS leaders particularly within DSS and the Divisions of Public Health, and Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. He has helped to develop programs for Latino families and worked with agencies that serve the Latino community. He provides information to families and agencies about the human service programs that benefit families and children.

He also helps the DHHS Office of Communications with timely translations of press releases to Spanish for distribution to Hispanic print and broadcast outlets across the state.

Ella gives a hug

Pictured is trainer Mark Mathis of Ry-Con Service Dogs with registered service animal Ella, a Briard. Ella has been trained to assist Mark’s son, who has autism, and here has responded to Mark’s signal to stand and place her paws on his shoulders. A service animal trained for a person who has autism can calm or “ground” the person when experiencing sensory overload and help initiate social interaction.

Did you know that the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services administers a service animal registration program? But did you also know registration is voluntary, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states a public entity must allow a service animal into areas open to the general public while not asking to see documentation of a service animal? Do you know all of the different work or tasks a service animal can be trained to do?

These are some of the many service animal questions and issues that a new workgroup is tasked with tackling. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) has established a workgroup that is developing public education materials to distribute to businesses, service animal users and the general public to educate them on service animal rights and responsibilities. These responsibilities include the responsibility of the service animal user to ensure that the animal is properly trained and acts appropriately and the responsibility of the business to provide an accommodation by allowing a service animal into the business. 

The workgroup held its first meeting on Dec. 17, and members include DHHS staff (DVRS, the Division of Services for the Blind and the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) service animal users, service animal trainers and advocates for people with disabilities.

DVRS has proposed amending North Carolina General Statute 168 to bring its service animal provisions more in line with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), eliminate the registration program and instead distribute the tools the workgroup develops. This tool could take the form of a brochure or several brochures intended for different audiences and even a video to be posted on DHHS’s website. The proposal also includes limiting service animals to dogs and miniature horses, consistent with the ADA’s revised definition of a service animal.

Many people do not know how to properly interact with a service animal if they see one. Some people think only certain breeds of dogs can become service animals. Some public places do not understand that certain people with disabilities may need the assistance of a service animal to access their facilities, programs and services. The public education tool will help everyone better understand the importance of service animals and how to properly interact with a person with a disability using one.

The ADA defines a service animal as “any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.” A service animal is not a pet. A dog that merely provides comfort or emotional support does not qualify as a service animal. Service animals undergo extensive training to learn how to perform work or tasks to assist people with disabilities and learn how to behave appropriately in public places. Work or tasks can include (but are not limited to) pulling a wheelchair, opening doors, retrieving dropped items, guiding a person who is blind, alerting a person who is deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of sounds, alerting a person with diabetes to changes in the person’s blood sugar level, assisting an individual during a seizure, and interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors in a person with a psychiatric disability.

DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos congratulated three Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) employees for their achievement and contributions during the 12th annual VR All-Star Awards ceremony on Jan. 9. 

Secretary Wos shared with honorees and the audience saying, “we internally fulfill our own potential.” She pointed out that assisting individuals with disabilities in getting jobs creates individual self-worth and “massive savings” for the U.S. Treasury. She encouraged attendees to “continue to improve internal collaboration” to assist in achieving the highest possible return on the department’s investment in VR services.

Those recognized for their exceptional contributions to the Division’s mission are:

Leadership: Becky Setliff, Unit Manager in Wilmington. Setliff, a 30-year veteran of the division, has managed DVRS’ Wilmington office since 2004, supervising a team of 33 staff. Christinia Smith, Rehabilitation Counselor II, presenting the Leadership award to Setliff, discussed how Setliff had provided services for Smith’s grandparents and helped establish DVRS’ Independent Living program and write its Independent Living policy. She related how Setliff taught her the meaning of the word “leader” and nurtures people to perform at their best, allowing her office to be a performance leader in the state and enabling many staff to advance to higher positions. 

Customer Service: Becky Tyndall, Rehabilitation Casework Advisor in Greenville. Tyndall, who has worked for DVRS for 26 years, assists clients with independent living and accessible housing needs. Billy Ross, Manager of DVRS’ Greenville office, presented the Customer Service award to Tyndall, explaining how she strives to find ways to meet the consumer’s needs. He described how she was so focused on assisting a consumer preparing to transition from an institution to community living that she worked during the Christmas holidays to ensure a successful transition. He also related how she helped an East Carolina University graduate student with a project to interview a counselor, and now that student works alongside Tyndall as the Greenville office’s Counselor in Charge. During her acceptance speech, Tyndall asked attendees to go back to their offices and thank staff for their work serving persons with disabilities.

Creativity/Innovation: Lynne Deese, Assistive Technologist in Raleigh’s N.C. Assistive Technology Center. Deese has held a variety of responsibilities for the NCATP over the past 14 years, including assessment, equipment demonstrations, technical assistance, presentations/trainings, state and national project/program collaboration and webmaster duties. Tammy Koger, director of NCATP, praised Deese’s ability to see things differently, allowing her to explore better ways of making things work. Deese, Koger said, has a knack for creating products to meet client needs. Highlighting Deese’s understanding of the Internet’s role in reaching people, Koger noted that in 2013 Deese launched the “Assistive Technology Daily”  blog that reaches AT professionals across the U.S. and in the British Isles and Europe. Already, Denmark has sent a delegation to observe and learn from Deese’s experiences. During her acceptance speech, Deese shared how she values “collaboration and support resulting in the best possible outcome” and how consumers may be overwhelmed by the information she shares but leave with a feeling of hope.

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the State of North Carolina, I am pleased to invite you to the 2014 North Carolina State Employees MLK Observance celebration to be held January 17, 2014, at First Baptist Church on Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina.  This annual event will commemorate the life and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on our state and nation and will be an opportunity for fellowship for state employees and all citizens.  This year’s theme is Content of Character.

Our nation was founded on the principles that all men are created equal.  Dr. King devoted his life to seeking equality and justice for all.  In celebrating his rich legacy, we celebrate his life and the heritage of the civil rights movement that has strengthened us as individuals and as a nation.

An outstanding state employee who has made an impact on human and race relations at work and in the community will be recognized with the John R. Larkins Award.  Dr. Marino Bruce, Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology at Jackson State University in Mississippi, and a North Carolina State University graduate, will be the keynote speaker.  The children from Torchlight Academy will recite verses, in different languages, from Dr. King’s historic I Have a Dream speech.  I hope you can join us for this day of reflection, music and celebration.  Please see our flyer for additional information or contact the Governor’s Office of Community and Constituent Affairs at 919-814-2046. 

Kindest regards,

Pat McCrory

A DHHS employee who gave to the 2013 State Employees’ Combined Campaign before there was an iPad on the table, walked home with it on Dec. 20.

Paul Cole, who works in the DHHS Office of the Controller, received the tablet just hours after his name was drawn from a bag of randomly selected donors’ names.

“I’ve already had offers for this, but I’m going to keep it,” Cole said as he smiled and cradled the boxed tablet like a book. 

Cole said he was surprised to receive a call from Sandra Trivett with the news of his prize. The iPad was donated as an incentive by a generous campaign sponsor, said Trivett, DHHS’s SECC department executive.

The drawing occurred in the lobby of the Adams Building on the Dix Campus. Trivett pulled Cole’s name from a bag held by Mary Paisley, executive director of the statewide campaign. Trivett presented the iPad to Cole at the same spot where the drawing took place.

As the 2013 statewide campaign winds down, the campaign has received donations totaling more than $250,000 from 1,660 DHHS employees. Including all state agencies and state-supported universities, the campaign has raised nearly $3.8 million from 19,000 participating employees.

Find your Healthier YOU in 2014 with Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less Online! Check out this 15-week weight management program that works because it is not a diet - it’s a lifestyle!

All weekly classes are conducted online by a live instructor, fostering interaction between the instructor and all participants. Participants can conveniently attend classes from home or office using a computer.

State Health Plan members…Enroll for Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less Online for $30 and receive $25 back if you attend 10 out of the 15 sessions. 

Deadline to register is Wed, January 8th at 5:00 PM.

Click HERE to see available class times and to register for the upcoming series beginning NEXT WEEK - the week of January 13th through the week of April 21st.

Click here to see a snapshot of how the online classes are conducted.

For questions, please contact Administrator@ESMMWeighLess.com. 

Dr. Robin Cummings, left; Wayne Black, right.

DHHS Deputy Secretary for Health Services Robin Cummings, M.D., and Division of Social Services Director Wayne Black have been appointed by Gov. Pat McCrory to the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities.

McCrory also appointed state Sen. Tommy Tucker of Waxhaw, and Dr. Peggy Terhune, chief executive officer of Monarch Inc., to serve terms on the Council. The four-year terms expire in 2017.

The Council assures that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families participate in the planning of and have access to culturally competent services, supports and opportunities that promote independence, productivity and integration into the community.

The Council has 40 members of whom 60 percent are people with developmental disabilities or family members of people with disabilities. The council awards grants for effective and innovative initiatives that promote community inclusion, independence, productivity, self-determination and integration for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Grants are awarded to grassroots advocacy groups, government agencies, disability nonprofits and other community organizations.