Health Department

The third annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day takes place this year on May 7, 2024. Fentanyl Awareness Day is observed to help inform communities like ours about the dangers of illegally made fentanyl. In the Fairfax Health District, emergency department (ED) visits for opioid overdoses rose 33% from 2022 to 2023. Opioid overdose ED visits increased 115% among youth under age 18. Across all ages, almost all (95%) fatal opioid overdoses in 2023 involved fentanyl. Illegal fentanyl is dangerous, but you can take steps to prevent overdoses. See the infographic below to get the facts on fentanyl and learn how to help prevent fentanyl overdoses in our community.

The Fairfax County Health Department honors Nurses Month as a celebration of the tremendous impact that public health nurses have on wellness in our community. The month-long celebration of the nursing profession allows for many opportunities to appreciate the invaluable contributions of nurses. We are all indebted to nurses for their unwavering commitment to patients, their communities, and our healthcare system. Nicole Morales, Nurse of the Year Each year, the Health Department singles out one Public Health Nurse who goes above and beyond in their work, and honors that individual as Public Health Nurse Nurse of the Year. On April 5, that honor was bestowed upon Nicole Morales, a Public Health Nurse Manager in the School Health program. “Being named Nurse of the Year was such a shock, and such an honor,” said Nicole. “It makes me feel very proud that I've had a big impact with the schools and the students I’ve served, and honored that my team would think that of me.” In her role, Nicole oversees 26 public health nurses and 43 school health aides providing health support services in 43 Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). Her tireless efforts in recruiting and managing school health aides, as well as her involvement in critical assessment and safety campaigns, are a testament to her commitment to excellence. The fact that her career is focused on the well-being of young people is rooted in her personal experience. Nicole recalls an inspirational nurse she encountered as a young girl. “In high school, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease, and I had to get a PICC line [peripherally inserted central catheter] put in. So, there was a home visiting nurse that would come once a week, and she would change my site for my PICC line.” Nicole cites not just the physical care that nurse provided, but also the support she got with the other aspects of the illness as the sparks that made her consider a nursing career. But the path to school nurse was far from a straight line. There was a detour that, for a while, saw Nicole on the trail to a pharmacy career. “I was interested in pharmacy because I started working as a pharmacy tech when I was 15 in high school,” said Nicole. “And then when I moved here to Virginia, I started working as a pharmacy tech here at CVS.” Ultimately, it was the realization that she needed to finish the degree she had started that put her back on the road to nursing. First came the nursing classes that led to her degree in Health Systems Management and a desk job working for a health insurance company, a job she kept — working 20 hours a week — while putting herself through nursing school. During her studies at Marymount University, Nicole had another “ah-ha” moment. “In nursing school, I had a school health clinical, and I was with a nurse in Arlington County. I really, really enjoyed that clinical, seeing what the school health nurse did in the school. And that's what really made me choose to do school health nursing.” Nicole Morales receives the Nurse of the Year award from Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, Kimberly Smith, and Brian Hochstrasser. In 2018, Nicole was hired as a school public health nurse, and the goal was achieved. Since becoming a school health nurse, there’s one particular public health issue that she’s most passionate about addressing. “In my experience within the schools, I would definitely say it’s pregnant and parenting teens,” said Nicole. “My first school assignment was in a middle school, and I had pregnant middle schoolers every year.” She says that it was the relationship building that allowed the students to feel comfortable in talking with her about maternity services and other community resources they needed. In fact, it was her relationship with her first pregnant student that stands out as a time where she knew she made a difference. “I have found in my experience that pregnant students are not always treated in some offices the same as an adult who's pregnant and getting prenatal care,” said Nicole. “So, this one student would come to me with questions like, ‘What does the baby look like about this week?’ And I would use books that I got from my doctor when I had my kids to show her different pictures and answer her questions. Questions that she was too scared to ask the nurses at the clinic she was going to, she would come in and ask me. ‘I'm feeling like this. Is this normal? Is it not normal?’ Building that relationship with her and then seeing her actually coming back to school after having the baby, was when I said to myself, ‘Oh, you know, I really made a difference.’” What makes nursing so rewarding is the tangible results, and for Nicole it was seeing these young mothers through their greatest challenge. For anyone considering a nursing career, Nicole reminds us that there’s more nursing careers available than just a doctor’s office or hospital setting. “I chose school health as a career goal,” said Nicole. “I knew I did not want to work in a hospital. That was never something that appealed to me. School health nursing is very unique from any other nursing job. Every day is different, and you'll never be bored. If you want to help the community and help school aged children, being a public health nurse within school health is definitely the job for you. It's a very rewarding job.” Learn more about public health nursing and how they make a difference in our community.   

Updated May 8: New Screening Date Added! To raise awareness about disorders related to hearing, voice, speech, or language, the Fairfax County Health Department joins the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and other organizations in observing National Speech-Language-Hearing Month in May. This observance provides an opportunity to learn about the importance of human communication and what we can all do to prevent and address communication disorders, and to encourage people to think about their own hearing and get their hearing checked. In the United States, at least 46 million people have a hearing or other communication disorder. An estimated 17.9 million adults report having a voice problem. Throughout the month, the Health Department's Speech and Hearing program will offer free speech screenings (testing) for children ages 3 – 7 years at several county libraries. No appointments are necessary, screening is first-come, first-served at the following locations and times. Location Screening Dates and Times Burke Centre Library 5935 Freds Oak Rd. Burke, VA 22015 Thursday, May 23 10:00am – 2:00pm Centreville Regional Library 14200 St. Germain Dr. Centreville, VA 20121 Friday, May 24 1:00 – 4:30pm Chantilly Regional Library 4000 Stringfellow Rd. Chantilly, VA 20151 Friday, May 3 12:30 – 4:30pm City of Fairfax Regional Library 10360 North St. Fairfax, VA 22030 Monday, May 20 Thursday, May 23 10:00 am – 12:00pm Herndon Fortnightly Library 768 Center St, Herndon, VA 20170 Saturday, May 11 12:15 – 4:00 pm Reston Regional Library 11925 Bowman Towne Dr, Reston, VA 20190 Tuesday, May 30 10:15 am – 2:00pm Richard Byrd Library  7250 Commerce St. Springfield VA 22120  Monday, May 20 1:00 – 4:00pm Sherwood Regional Library 2501 Sherwood Hall Ln, Alexandria VA 22306 Wednesday, May 29 1:00 – 4:00pm  Early identification and intervention for speech and hearing disorders is important. Often, speech and hearing disorders go unnoticed due to fear of being singled out or a lack of knowledge. The key to better management includes being able to identify problems at an early stage, allowing for remedial therapy, particularly where such issues may affect the quality of life. Jessica Kollaros, the Rehabilitation Services Manager at the Health Department's Speech and Hearing Clinic, advocates for greater awareness of speech and language disorders. “We urge community members to engage with their local health department to access speech, language, and hearing services. The clinic stands as a valuable asset within Fairfax County's public health program.” The Fairfax County Health Department Speech and Hearing Services Program helps children and adults communicate more clearly with speech, hearing, and reading services. Services include screening and evaluation, group and individual speech therapy, teletherapy, a club for stroke survivors, and a reading program for children. These services are usually provided at clinics in Reston, Alexandria, and Fairfax. To schedule an appointment at a Speech and Hearing clinic, call 703-246-7120.