Travis County Commssioners Court
April 22, 2003
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Item 18
18. Consider designation of adolfo valadez, m.d., M.p.h., As local health authority alternate for Austin/Travis County health and human services department, effective April 22, 2003, and take appropriate action. Good morning, mr. Lurie.
>> good morning.
>> good morning, Commissioners.
>> good morning, david lurie with the health and human services department. Here for a couple of purposes, one to introduce to you dr. Adolfo valdez and request -- he recently joined our department as our director for medical services, we will be responsible for -- for the overall clinical and medical services provided within the health and human services department. And also with the team of doctor sherwood as our interim health authority and doctor duly also designated around an alternate health authority, we have a very effective and comprehensive team of if I sees serving us in terms of the health -- of physicians serving us in terms of the health authority in both the county and city. As you are aware, there are some specific legislative responsibilities of local health authorities, particularly as it relates to the reporting of communicable diseases, as it relates to possibly a quarantine and providing us with overall guidance in disease surveillance, disease control activities in our community, which of course is extremely important from a public health perspective and in some respects more demanding these days than perhaps it has been in recent years. We are really pleased to have this team of physicians providing us this important support. Dr. Valadez received his medical training here in the state of Texas. Master's in public health from harvard university and most recently served as the medical director for the martha elliott community health center in the boston area. He is originally from san antonio and we are very pleased that he's chosen to return to Texas, particularly to join us here in Travis County. Dr. Valadez.
>> thank you, Commissioners, I want to say that I’m pleased to be here to be working with you to improve the health of the county and also the city of Austin. I particularly would like to -- to express my willingness to help you in any way that I may with any issues pertinent to public health or health care delivery for the Travis County system. And particularly we are going to be needing more -- as you know -- cooperation, david lurie, you know, referenced public health as -- has come to the forefront again, but it's always been there providing safe water and safe food in restaurants and other services that kind of go unrecognized and I’m here to hopefully also bridge the medical care with the public health services. I’m really looking forward to working with you all.
>> great, thank you, welcome.
>> any questions or comments from members of the court.
>> thank you, welcome.
>> I move approval of the designation of dr. Valadez as our at health authority. Seconded by Commissioner Davis.
>> welcome.
>> thank you, further discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote we will show judge Biscoe gone until he gets back. Thank you.
>> thank you, you're welcome.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 5:52 PM