Invitation to comment, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant FFY 2010 Application and Report

In the new millenium, the mission of public health organizations remains the same; to assure the conditions in which all of us can be healthy. New challenges such as the possibility of bioterorism, increased alcohol and substance abuse, escalating diabetes and obesity in children, all keep the public health workforce learning and implementing new strategies to keep the population healthy. The website for the Centers for Disease Control Healthy People 2010 describes the many challenges facing community health in our nation today.

The New Mexico Department of Health is a member of the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance and is the State Licensee for the Fruits & Veggies - More Matters trade mark under the Centers for Disease Control through the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. The Fruits & Veggies-More Matters website offers nutrition information; recipes; advice on shopping, meal planning, and storage; and tips on how to eat more produce. A new Video Center is a recent addition to the site and has a library of 275 videos, each less than 2 minutes, featuring “Your Produce Man,” Michael Marks. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating with public health officials in many states and the USDA-Food Safety Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate an ongoing multi-state outbreak of human infections due to Salmonella serotype Typhimurium.

More information about the investigation >>

• Information from the Food and Drug Administration on the outbreak and related food recalls
• New Mexico State Recalls, Advisories & Alerts-Peanut Butter Recall Information

LEAD AWARENESS CAMPAIGN - New Mexico Department of Health launches public education campaign about Lead dangers. To educate the public about lead in Mexican candles, the New Mexico Department of Health distributed about 1,000 posters titled, “Toxic Treats,” to public elementary schools, Head Start programs and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs throughout the state. Click here for the full press release. Poster can be viewed in English    or in Spanish   (large file).

In the last 30 years, public health programs have played an increasing role in ensuring access to health services, including clinical preventive services such as cancer screening, smoking prevention and cessation programs, diabetes detection and management, family planning, and prenatal care.

New Mexico's healthcare system has several components. They include emergency medical services; primary care; medical specialties; dentistry; and long-term care. Primary care services include the basic diagnostic and treatment services found in general practice, family practice, pediatrics, obstetrics - gynecology, general internal medicine and general dentistry.

As for the prevention of illness or injury, some efforts, such as immunization, take place in medical clinics; others take place outside of the healthcare system. For example, some environmental health problems are prevented by refuse collection and the assurance of safe drinking water; injury prevention includes such things as building codes and enforcement of laws against driving while intoxicated (DWI).

The New Mexico Environment Department handles the following issues for the State on New Mexico:

Drinking Water - Drinking water regulations and other related information
Food Handling Permit - Permit application and plan review forms
Food Handling Regulations - Food service establishment (restaurant) and food processing regulations
Swimming Pool Inspections - Annual operating permit information