Thursday, March 28, 2024

Team spirit

Posted

Hood County residents and surrounding communities are fortunate to have extraordinary health care partners – EMS, first responders, hospital, clinics, home health, hospice agencies, at-home support companies, various nonprofits, nursing homes, non-emergency medical transportation, long-term care facilities, suppliers and local leaders.

Dr. David Blocker, Hood County’s first public health authority, has been an integral part of the city, county, and emergency management team staying abreast of monitoring, tracking and reporting coronavirus testing and results.

He said, “My goal is to build public health infrastructure within Hood County so we can proactively focus efforts to the greatest needs all the time and not just react to immediate threats to the community like COVID-19. I have full support from our Hood County and city of Granbury officials, and want to build this interest into a lasting commitment to public health after this crisis.”

Blocker is a native Texan, retired Air Force physician and relocated to Granbury with his family in 2018. He is board certified in aerospace, preventive medicine and public health.

“Eighty percent of our individual and community health is determined by choices we make and things we do (or avoid) outside of the typical health care arena,” Blocker said. “That means that you can influence YOUR health and your family’s health by staying physically and mentally active, spending time with others who are a positive influence and reinforce healthy behaviors, making healthy food and lifestyle choices, and avoiding unhealthy behaviors and substances like tobacco, vaping and excessive alcohol use.”

Everyone, even the general public, has been working for weeks to prepare and to respond proactively for the safety and well-being of our family, friends and neighbors.

Especially this year, it is important to point out a national week of awareness. This week marks 25 years of annual celebrations focused on improving the public’s health.

Annually, National Public Health Week is the first full week of April. Collectively, the nation celebrates how far public health has come, and it turns a critical lens on the work left to be done.

Just like the American Public Health Association (APHA) promotes healthy and safe communities for ALL on the national stage, our entire community has now turned a watchful eye to public health initiatives as well.

In 2020, APHA’s daily themes focus on some of the public health issues that are the most critical to achieving good health.

Monday: Mental Health – advocate for and promote emotional well-being;

Tuesday: Maternal and Child Health – ensure the health of mother and babies throughout the lifespan;

Wednesday: Violence Prevention – reduce personal and community violence to improve health;

Thursday: Environmental Health – help protect and maintain a healthy planet;

Friday: Education – advocate for quality education and schools;

Saturday: Healthy Housing – ensure access to affordable and safe housing;

Sunday: Economics – advocate for economic empowerment as the key to a healthy life.

‘My goal is to build public health infrastructure within Hood County so we can proactively focus efforts to the greatest needs all the time and not just react to immediate threats to the community like COVID-19.’ -

Hood County Health Authority Dr. David Blocker