General News

Press Release

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Fort Bend County 

Health & Human Services 

4520 Reading Road- Suite A- Rosenberg, TX 77471

M. desVignes-Kendrick, M.D., Director

June 13, 2017

For immediate release 

Fort Bend County Collaborative Information System – Back to School Event

Rosenberg, TX– Fort Bend County Collaborative Information System (FBCCIS) is hosting its third annual countywide Back to School event on August 19, 2017 from 8am to 3pm at University of Houston, Sugar Land Campus.

What is FBCCIS? – FBCCIS is a collaborative of nonprofit organizations and county agencies partnering to deepen their impact, reduce duplication of services and better serve the community. Current members include East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, Second Mile Mission Center, Rosenberg/Richmond Helping Hands, Katy Christian Ministries, Fort Bend County Social Services and Fort Bend EMS – Community Paramedics.

What is provided at this Back-to-School Event? – Eligible children in Fort Bend County will receive a new pair of shoes, backpack, and school supplies to start their school year off right.

Who is eligible? – Parents or guardians must show proof that they are a resident of Fort Bend County by producing an ID card, Driver’s License, or bill stating their address. They must provide proof of income, such as current pay stubs, Worker’s Comp, Unemployment benefit statement, etc.  Families currently receiving SNAP/TANF or are on the Free and Reduced lunch program are automatically eligible. Family income must be at or below 180% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines in order to participate in this event. http://safetyweb.org/fpl.php

Where can I apply? – Registration forms may be picked up in person at any of the following locations:

• Fort Bend County Social Services – 4520 Reading Rd., Ste. 900 Rosenberg, TX 77471 or

307 Texas Parkway, Ste. 235 Missouri City, TX 77459

• East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry – 435 Stafford Run Rd, Stafford, TX 77477
• Second Mile Mission Center – 1135 US-90 Missouri City, TX 77489
• Rosenberg/Richmond Helping Hands – 902 Collins Road Richmond, TX 77469
• Katy Christian Ministries – 5504 1st Street Katy, TX 77493

What is the deadline? -The deadline for all applicants to have forms filled out and approved is June 30, 2017. You must register for this event and meet eligibility requirements to participate in this program.

Can I donate? – What supplies are needed the most? – Donations of backpacks, crayons, color pencils, loose-leaf notebook paper, highlighters, pens (black or blue), pencils, glue sticks, folders with brads and pockets, composition notebooks, 3-ring binders and scissors are needed.

Are there volunteer opportunities? – Volunteers are needed to help with distribution of supplies, backpacks and shoes. If you would like to volunteer or have questions about how you can help, please contact Vickie Bernal, FBCCIS Coordinator at 281-238-3507.

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Press Release

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Fort Bend County

Health & Human Services

4520 Reading Road – Suite A

Rosenberg, TX 77471

M. desVignes-Kendrick, M.D., Director

For immediate release

 June 2, 2017

Fort Bend County Veterans Service Office and Richmond VA Out-Patient Clinic to Host a Health and Benefits Fair

On June 10, 2017, Fort Bend County Veterans Services and Richmond VA Out-Patient Clinic will be hosting a free health and benefits fair for all veterans at 22001 Southwest Fwy., Ste. 200, Richmond, TX 77469 from 10:00AM to 1:00PM.

Veterans and their spouses are welcome to attend this event This is an opportunity to get information on county, state, and federal benefits and services that veterans are entitled to.

Featured organizations to be in attendance are:

• The Department of Veterans Affairs,
• Texas Veterans Commission
• The Texas General Land Office,
• Fort Bend County Veterans Services,
• Fort Bend County Social Services,
• Fort Bend County Animal Services, and
• Fort Bend Transportation.

Dwight Marshall, Veterans Service Officer, stresses the importance of seeking services that are specifically for veterans and their dependents, “…it’s never too late to start your benefits”.

For more information on this event, please contact Fort Bend County Veterans Service Office at 281-238-3587.

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HELP US PREVENT DOG & CAT OVERPOPULATION!

Neuter or Spay your pet!

Fort Bend County Health & Human Services is hosting the Spay & Neuter SNAP Clinic on:

June 20, 2017

Rosenberg Annex

4520 Reading Road

Rosenberg, TX 77471

Please note the NEW appointment procedure:

You must call 713-522-2337 to schedule an appointment.

Free spaying and neutering is available from the SNAP mobile spay-neuter clinic to Fort Bend County residents who qualify.

IMPORTANT: The selection process has changed. Services offered by the SNAP clinic are no longer on a first come, first serve basis. Individuals seeking spaying or neutering services must call 713-522-2337 to schedule an appointment.

During your call, you will verify that you are Fort Bend County resident and you will also schedule an appointment for your pet to be spayed or neutered on June 20, 2017. On the day of the appointment, you will need to bring a valid photo I.D. and proof of participation in the following programs: food stamps, free lunch program in schools, Medicaid, Major VA Disability, Section 8 Housing, SSI/SSD, TANF, WIC, or if you are 65 years or older.

REMEMBER: No food for your pet after 10 p.m. Exceptions to this rule are pets that are 4-6 months old. All animals MUST be brought on a leash or in a carrier.

If you do not qualify, please call 713-862-8001 for information on reduced-cost options to spay or neuter your pet.

¡AYÚDANOS A PREVENIR LA SOBRE POBLACIÓN DE PERROS Y GATOS!

¡Esteriliza tu perro o gato! 

Tenga en cuenta el NUEVO procedimiento de cita:

Usted debe llamar al 713-522-2337 para hacer una cita.

Los residentes del Condado de Fort Bend que califiquen pueden recibir servicio gratuito de esterilización para su perro o gato en la clínica móvil de SNAP.

IMPORTANTE: El proceso de selección ha cambiado. Las personas que buscan los servicios ofrecidos por la clínica móvil de SNAP ya no son elegidos por sorteo. Personas que buscan servicio gratituo de esterilización tienen que llamar al 713-522-2337 para hacer una cita. 

Para verificar que usted es un residente del Condado de Fort Bend, llame al 713-522-2337. Durante la llamada, tendrá la oportunidad de hacer una cita para la cirugía de su mascota el 20 de junio del 2017. Por favor de llevar una identificación con foto y algún comprobante de su participación en uno de estos programas a su cita: estampillas para alimento, comidas gratis o a precio reducido en las escuelas, Medicaid, Descapacidad de VA, Vivienda de Sección 8, SSI/SSD, TANF, WIC, o prueba de que usted tiene 65 años o más.

RECUERDE: No se debe dar comida a su perro o gato después de las 10 p.m. Las excepciones son perros o gatos de 4-6 meses de edad. Todos los animales deben de ser llevados en correa o en un portador.

Si no califíca, llame al 713-862-8001 para información de servicios de esterilización de bajo costo para su mascota.

 

First West Nile Case Highlights Precautions for Mosquito-borne Diseases

Everyone Can Help Prevent West Nile and Zika

Texas’ first West Nile illness of the year has been reported to the Department of State Health Services, an adult woman from Montgomery County who developed the neurologic form of the disease in late April. As mosquito counts climb, the state of Texas is appealing to the public to help with the effort to stop mosquito-borne diseases by preventing mosquito bites and eliminating areas where mosquitoes can reproduce.

“Diseases like Zika and West Nile remain threats in Texas, and we need everyone to do their part to protect themselves, their families and their communities,” said DSHS Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt. “These are simple steps, and if people take them consistently, they will go a long way toward reducing the number of cases of either disease transmitted in Texas.”

To help stop the spread of Zika and West Nile, people should

• Use EPA-approved insect repellent every time they go outside.
• Cover exposed skin with long pants and long-sleeved shirts whenever possible.
• Use air conditioning or window and door screens that are in good repair to keep mosquitoes out.
• Limit outdoor activities during peak mosquito times.
• Remove standing water in and around homes, including in trash cans, toys, tires, flower pots and any other containers so mosquitoes can’t lay their eggs.
• Use a larvicide in water that can’t be drained to keep mosquitoes from developing.

In 2016, Texas reported 370 human cases of West Nile illness, including 18 deaths. Most people who get infected don’t get sick, but about 20 percent will experience symptoms like headache, fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea and fatigue. In about one percent of infections, the virus can affect the nervous system, causing neurological symptoms such as disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, coma and even death.

On the other hand, the illness Zika causes is usually mild, but the virus can have a profound effect on unborn babies whose mothers are infected during pregnancy. In some cases it can cause severe birth defects like microcephaly, a defect leading to a small head because the brain doesn’t grow sufficiently during pregnancy. Texas has had 334 cases of Zika virus disease since the virus became a concern in the Western Hemisphere in 2015. The vast majority have been contracted abroad, though six cases were transmitted by mosquitoes in Brownsville late last year, and others spread through sexual contact or from mother to child.

DSHS recommends pregnant women avoid traveling to locations with sustained, local Zika transmission, including all areas of Mexico. Because Zika can also spread through sexual contact, pregnant women and their sexual partners who have traveled to those areas should use condoms or avoid sexual contact during the course of the pregnancy.

With transmission occurring in Mexico, the border region remains the most likely area in Texas for Zika to spread, though much of the state is at risk due to the distribution of the mosquitoes that transmit the virus. DSHS continues to be on guard for Zika by recommending expanded testing that aims to identify cases transmitted within Texas so state and local governments can respond quickly to stop the spread. The state public health lab in Austin continues providing testing to find the virus in people and is now testing all mosquitoes capable of transmitting Zika that are submitted as part of routine mosquito surveillance. DSHS also has recently issued mosquito control guidance for local governments on how best to use the tools at their disposal to fight Zika by reducing mosquito populations.

DSHS is currently working to train at least 500 community health workers along the border to educate the public and pregnant women about Zika and help them get the appropriate testing. DSHS is also planning to support teams of community health workers and case managers inside local health departments who will work directly with pregnant women who may have been exposed to Zika to help them access specialized prenatal care and help affected newborns get the care they need.

Starting May 1, Texas began providing this year’s statewide Medicaid benefit for mosquito repellent to prevent Zika virus transmission. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is offering the repellent to more Medicaid clients to ensure additional Texans are protected from the virus. For the first time in Texas, some boys and men will be eligible to receive the benefit, as well as women ages 45 to 55.

DSHS Zika testing recommendations, insect repellent information and more is available at TexasZika.org. Texas recommends testing pregnant women who have traveled to areas with ongoing Zika transmission and anyone statewide with at least three of the four most common Zika symptoms: rash, fever, joint pain and conjunctivitis (eye redness). Additionally, DSHS recommends all pregnant women living Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties be tested along with anyone in those counties who has a rash plus one other Zika symptom.

Health care providers can subscribe at the Health Care Professionals page of TexasZika.org to stay up to date with DSHS recommendations. There is more information about West Nile virus at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/idcu/disease/arboviral/westnile/.

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(News Media Contact: Chris Van Deusen, DSHS Director of Media Relations, 512-776-7119)

 

 

HELP US PREVENT DOG & CAT OVERPOPULATION! Neuter or Spay your pet! Fort Bend County Health & Human Services is hosting the Spay & Neuter SNAP Clinic on: May 16, 2017 Missouri City Animal Control 1921 Scanlin Road Missouri City, TX 77459 Please note the NEW appointment procedure: You must call 713-522-2337 to schedule an appointment. Free spaying and neutering is available from the SNAP mobile spay-neuter clinic to Fort Bend County residents who qualify. IMPORTANT: The selection process has changed. Services offered by the SNAP clinic are no longer on a first come, first serve basis. Individuals seeking spaying or neutering services must call 713-522-2337 to schedule an appointment. During your call, you will verify that you are Fort Bend County resident and you will also schedule an appointment for your pet to be spayed or neutered on May 16, 2017. On the day of the appointment, you will need to bring a valid photo I.D. and proof of participation in the following programs: food stamps, free lunch program in schools, Medicaid, Major VA Disability, Section 8 Housing, SSI/SSD, TANF, WIC, or if you are 65 years or older. REMEMBER: No food for your pet after 10 p.m. Exceptions to this rule are pets that are 4-6 months old. All animals MUST be brought on a leash or in a carrier. If you do not qualify, please call 713-862-8001 for information on reduced-cost options to spay or neuter your pet. ¡AYÚDANOS A PREVENIR LA SOBRE POBLACIÓN DE PERROS Y GATOS! ¡Esteriliza tu perro o gato!  Tenga en cuenta el NUEVO procedimiento de cita: Usted debe llamar al 713-522-2337 para hacer una cita. Los residentes del Condado de Fort Bend que califiquen pueden recibir servicio gratuito de esterilización para su perro o gato en la clínica móvil de SNAP. IMPORTANTE: El proceso de selección ha cambiado. Las personas que buscan los servicios ofrecidos por la clínica móvil de SNAP ya no son elegidos por sorteo. Personas que buscan servicio gratituo de esterilización tienen que llamar al 713-522-2337 para hacer una cita.  Para verificar que usted es un residente del Condado de Fort Bend, llame al 713-522-2337. Durante la llamada, tendrá la oportunidad de hacer una cita para la cirugía de su mascota el 16 de mayo del 2017. Por favor de llevar una identificación con foto y algún comprobante de su participación en uno de estos programas a su cita: estampillas para alimento, comidas gratis o a precio reducido en las escuelas, Medicaid, Descapacidad de VA, Vivienda de Sección 8, SSI/SSD, TANF, WIC, o prueba de que usted tiene 65 años o más. RECUERDE: No se debe dar comida a su perro o gato después de las 10 p.m. Las excepciones son perros o gatos de 4-6 meses de edad. Todos los animales deben de ser llevados en correa o en un portador. Si no califíca, llame al 713-862-8001 para información de servicios de esterilización de bajo costo para su mascota.