Planning and Capacity Building Activities
| Grantee: | Houston Department of Health and Human Services |
|---|---|
| Contact: | Raouf Arafat, MD, MPH Assistant Director |
| Telephone: | 713-794-9185 |
| Fax: | 713-794-0862 |
| E-mail: | raouf.arafat@cityofhouston.net |
| Address: | Office of Surveillance and Public Health Preparedness Houston Department of Health and Human Services 8000 N. Stadium Drive, 8th Floor Houston, TX 77054-1823 |
| Web site: | http://www.houstontx.gov/health/index.html [external link] |
| Funded Since: | September 30, 2002 |
| Funded Program: | National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, Part A |
Program Description:
The Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) proposes to develop a local environmental public health tracking system that builds on existing local data systems and integrates with the Texas Department of Health’s chronic disease, injury, and birth defects surveillance systems; the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission’s monitoring data; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s tier-two data to provide a local response, surveillance, and research resource to mitigate the effects of environmental exposures on the health of Houstonians.
HDHHS has prioritized the upgrading of the department’s computer infrastructure to allow continued progress toward an integrated surveillance network with an Internet-based reporting graphic user interface for local providers and reporters. HDHHS has the resources to develop a secure, encrypted, Web site for all Houston Medical System Response participants. This will be the vehicle used for integrating access to information, as well as for reporting by local providers of medical care and first responders during environmental exposure incidents. Existing surveillance and monitoring systems that may be integrated include (1) blood lead surveillance, (2) heat-related mortality, (3) cancer registry, (4) birth defects registry, (5) injury data project, (6) drowning, (7) vital statistics, (8) child fatality reviews, (9) air monitoring, (10) food establishment inspections, (11) hazardous materials incidents, (12) chemical facility and storage data, and (13) city business and housing geographic information.
