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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM101719 JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MINUTES October 17, 2019 Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend WA 98368 Board Members Staff Members Kate Dean,County Commissioner District#1 Thomas Locke,Health Officer David Sullivan,County Commissioner,District#2 Vicki Kirkpatrick,Public Health Director Member Greg Brotherton,County Commissioner,District#3 Stuart Whitford,Env.Public Health Director Pamela Adams,Port Townsend City Council Veronica Shaw,Public Health Deputy Director Sheila Westerman,Vice Chair,Citizen at large Michael Dawson,Water Quality Manager Kees Kolff,Chair,Public Hospital District#2 Commissioner Pinky Mingo,Env.Public Health Manager Denis Stearns,Citizen at large Apple Martine,Community Health Director Jenny Matter,Clerk of the Board Vice Chair Sheila Westerman called the October 17, 2019 meetingof the Jefferson CountyBoard of Health to order at 2:30 p.m. A quorum was present. Members Present: Greg Brotherton, Kate Dean, David Sullivan, Sheila Westerman Staff Present: Michael Dawson, Vicki Kirkpatrick, Thomas Locke, Apple Martine APPROVAL OF AGENDA Vice Chair Sheila Westerman asked for approval of the agenda for October 17, 2019. Member Greg Brotherton requested to remove Old Business and Informational Items,Number 1: Jefferson Healthcare Update from the agenda. Member Greg Brotherton motioned to approve the agenda as amended. The motion was seconded by Member Kate Dean. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Vice Chair Sheila Westerman asked for approval of the minutes for the September 19, 2019 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health. On behalf of Chair Kees Kolff, Vicki Kirkpatrick requested to change the first sentence in Old Business and Informational Items,Number 1: Jefferson Healthcare Update to read the master site plan had started instead of completed. Member David Sullivan motioned to approve the minutes as amended. The motion was seconded by Member Kate Dean.No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously. Page 1 of 5 PUBLIC COMMENTS Vice Chair Sheila Westerman opened the public comment period. Rebecca Ramsey of the Port Townsend Psychedelic Society presented a resolution in support of decriminalization of entheogenic plants and fungi. Vice Chair Sheila Westerman closed the public comment period. OLD BUSINESS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 1. Jefferson Healthcare Chief Medical Officer,Dr. Joe Mattern,Receives Outstanding Rural Health Care Practitioner Award Dr. Tom Locke, Health Officer,provided a brief history of the Outstanding Rural Health Care Practitioner Award and congratulated Dr. Mattern for receiving this high honor. NEW BUSINESS 1. 2018 Performance Measures—Targeted Clinical Health Services Susan O'Brien, JCPH Lead Nurse Practitioner, reviewed the 2018 performance measures for targeted clinical health services. Ms. O'Brien reviewed the goals for each targeted clinical health service and provided explanations to statistical variances between years. She also gave status updates for the internal billing process, web-based search engine optimization,the school-based health care clinic in Quilcene, and the foot program for seniors. Ms. O'Brien informed the Board about the partnership with Upstream and how they are helping JCPH with inventory, marketing and financial support. 2. 2018 Performance Measures—Communicable Disease Program Lisa McKenzie, JCPH Public Health Nurse, reviewed some of the goals and performance indicators from the performance measures for the communicable disease program. The areas she highlighted were DOH notifiable conditions (i.e. gonorrhea, pertussis, etc.), communication to medical providers, and vaccine and immunization related data. Ms. McKenzie provided background information on the programs related to each goal and factors that contributed to the increase or decrease in numbers. She said the main priorities for the Communicable Disease Program are to maintain staffing levels, cross train staff, and fully participate in the Community Health Improvement Plan. 3. Community Health Program Updates: Quilcene School Based Health Center, Changes to Title X Family Planning Funding,WIC Transition to EBT cards and Cascade Software Transition Apple Martine, JCPH Community Health Director,provided background information and the current status of the school-based health clinic in Quilcene. She praised Margie Boyd for her participation and commitment to that process and said she was encouraged that both mental health and physical health services will be available there. Sheila Westerman,Vice Chair, explained the history of how the school- based health clinics became funded by Hargrove funds (1/10t''of 1 percent). Page 2 of 5 Ms. Martine informed the Board that Chimacum Middle School has been integrated into Chimacum High School and a new clinic space will be available for the school-based health clinic once they are done renovating. She also told the Board they will be looking for a new practitioner since Sarah Kirkegaard (Nurse Practitioner)has resigned and will be working at Jefferson Healthcare. Ms. Martine explained funding and projected legislative changes due to no longer receiving Title X funding through the federal government for reproductive health services. She said this was an abrupt change and handled smoothly by the clinic staff. She also informed the Board about the transition from issuing checks to cards in the WIC program and said clients will have their new cards assigned on or after November 1St 4. Proposed November 14 Board Meeting re: Environmental Health Fee Schedule Dr. Tom Locke said Stuart Whitford, Environmental Health Director, requested a special meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health on November 14th to review the fee schedule so a public hearing could take place in December and the fees, if approved, would be effective January 1, 2020. Member Kate Dean motioned to hold a special meeting on November 14th at 2pm to discuss the environmental health fee schedule. The motion was seconded by Member Greg Brotherton. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously. 5. Multistate Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with Vaping: State Board of Health Emergency Rule, Signage, and Local Health Department Responsibilities Dr. Tom Locke said there has been an increase in severe lung disease due to vaping. Nation-wide over 1,479 incidents of vaping-associated lung injury have been reported along with 33 deaths. Vaping- associated lung injury is defined as lung disease occurs without infection or any previous inhalational exposure to chemicals, except for vaping. Dr. Locke said the State has made this a notifiable condition and placed a temporary(120 day) ban on flavored vaping products. He also discussed the rapid rise in teen nicotine use due to electronic nicotine delivery systems and said increased regulation, restricted access and changing public norms will help reduce use. The Board had comments and questions about regulating electronic nicotine delivery systems, guidelines for disposing of vaping liquids as a dangerous waste, educational materials and signage, and social norms of vaping. 6. 2019-20 Influenza Season Preparation Dr. Tom Locke informed the Board about the availability of a high potency flu vaccine for those 65 years of age and older. He said the flu season in the southern hemisphere had just ended and was one of the worst as far as duration, severity and number of deaths. Sometimes the flu season in the southern hemisphere is a good predictor of the severity of the flu season in the northern hemisphere. The severity of the flu is also determined by how well the vaccine matches the circulating flu strain(s) and how many people are vaccinated. Page 3 of 5 The Board discussed the efficiency rates of the flu vaccine in different populations and using social media to encourage vaccination and advertise the services offered by JCPH. ACTIVITY UPDATE Vicki Kirkpatrick said she has been working with the Local Homeless Housing Task Force to submit a five-year housing plan to the Department of Commerce by December 1, 2019. Michael Dawson, JCPH Water Quality Manager, said Anderson Lake has lower toxins levels and may be open soon but Lake Leland is at a warning level due to elevated toxins. They continue to gather field data for the Lake Anderson Management Plan. The EPA is holding a conference on toxic cyanobacteria this week that he will attend and is hoping progress has been made on response plans and the new guidance for recreational toxin levels will be clarified. The Board and Mr. Dawson discussed interagency coordination, monitoring and response to high toxin levels. Member Greg Brotherton said he will be talking to an Oakland city councilman who passed a similar resolution to the one presented by Rebecca Ramsey on behalf of the Port Townsend Psychedelic Society. PUBLIC COMMENT There was no public comment. AGENDA PLANNING CALENDAR The regularly scheduled meeting for November has been cancelled but a special meeting to discuss environmental health fees will take place on November 14, 2019 from 2:00—3:00pm. NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING The next Board of Health meeting will be held on Thursday,November 14, 2019 from 2:00—3:00 p.m. at Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Sheila Westerman adjourned the October 17,2019 Jefferson County Board of Health meeting at 4:30 p.m. Page 4 of 5 JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH Excused Kees Kolff, Chair Kate D-.1 Member 0 ,614t-At Sheila We -rman, Vice- hair r eg01007on, Member / Excused Day' n, -".e Pamela Adams, Member Excused Denis Stearns, Member Respectfully submitted J. Matter Page 5 of 5