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Home My WebLink About01 January Jefferson County Health & Human Services ~~ CASTLE HILL CENTER' 615 SHERIDAN' PORT TOWNSEND, WA . 98368 " HEALTH BOARD MINUTES JANUARY 28, 1997 CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND REPRESENTATIVE: Ted Shoulberg, City Council Member STAFF MEMBERS: David Specter, Director of Health and Human Services Jean Baldwin, Director of Nursing Services Larry Fay, Director of Environmental Health Chester Prudhomme, Director of Substance Abuse Thomas Locke, M.D., Health Officer BOARD MEMBERS: Glen Huntingford, Chairman Richard W ojt, Member Dan Harpole, Member The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Richard Wojt. The following Board and staff members were present: Commissioners Dan Harpole and Glen Huntingford, David Specter, Larry Fay, Jean Baldwin, Chester Prudhomme, Judi Morris, and Health Officer Thomas Locke, M.D. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN: Commissioner Wojt moved to elect Commissioner Huntingford as Chairman. Commissioner Harpole seconded the motion which carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner Wojt moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 26, and the special meeting of December 23, 1996 as presented. Commissioner Harpole seconded the motion which carried unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENTS: No public comments. .~ .. DIRECTOR'S REPORT ..... ... David Specter discussed a form used by the various departments in preparation of the Health Board agenda. This form will be given to the Board of Commissioners for any additional items they might have for the agenda. FINANCIAL REPORT: David Specter reported on the Year End Financial Report for 1996. Revenue was projected at $2,090,000 and actual revenues collected were $2,205,000. Expenses were in line with budget projections. An operating balance of $121,000 was carried over into the 1997 Health and Human Services budget. Commissioner Harpole asked what conditions, if any, are attached to the amount carried over? David Specter answered that there are no restrictions on that money. HEALTH DEPARTMENT 360/385-9400 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 360/385-9444 DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 360/385-9400 ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE CENTER 360/385-9435 FAX 360/385-9401 HEALTH BOARD MINUTES - JANUARY 28, 1997 Page: 2 David Specter added that the Community Health Report is done and copies have been disbursed to the community. The first portion of the report covers the history ofJefferson County and then goes into the findings of the study. This study was funded by $15,000 from a partnership grant, $20,000 from Jefferson General Hospital and $20,000 from a Jefferson County grant. Commissioner Harpole asked what the strategy is for getting this information out to the public? David Specter responded that the partnership group will be taking the report around to different organizations, and 150 copies were sent out to local schools, libraries and local government officials. ~ NURSING DIRECTOR'S REPORT ~ PROGRAM UPDATE: Jean Baldwin discussed the findings of the Community Health Report. The number of pregnant/parenting teens is up from previous years. Currently there are no programs in the local schools that help teen parents graduate from high school. She is looking into a State program called GRADS that helps teenagers get through school. Port Townsend and Chimacum School Districts are interested but are concerned about funding. Jean stated that the Health Department is willing to work with the citizen's group, but will not be the primary director of the program. Jean Baldwin reported that a public hearing will be held on February 19 at 7:00 p.rn. in Chimacum regarding the Network Program. She stated that a representative from the Board needs to attend. Chairman Huntingford volunteered to be the County's representative. Jean went on to update the Board about the Community Mobilization Partnership with the school districts. The Health and Human Services Department organized the first meeting and now the school districts are preparing a meeting for mid March. She will keep the Board advised of the meeting dates. The Quilcene School Board is still holding public hearings regarding a contract with Jefferson County to provide sex education and mv mandatory education to students. Jean stated that sexual assault forensic exams have been privatized. The Health Department is helping with filling out forms and the billing for these exams but primary responsibility is held by two local physicians. These physicians are being trained in courtroom procedures funded by scholarships. The County is working with insurance groups, local physicians and a State project called Child Profile on the best way to handle immunization tracking. There will be a series of meetings held in February to discuss this further. Chairman Huntingford asked how the South County Medical Clinic in Quilcene is working out? Jean said the County still uses that facility for WIC and immunization clinics. The hospital is slow in billing customers, but they are working on that. Jean said that the Health Department has a system available for billing and scheduling appointments but the hospital will not buy a computer. Chairman Huntingford said that he has heard only good comments about the clinic. HEALTH BOARD MINUTES - JANUARY 28, 1997 Page: 3 @, %.~ ., ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DIRECTOR'S REPORT ~ G:'I PROGRAM UPDATE: Chester Prudhomme reported that he attended a meeting, as a representative ofJefferson County, in which the Health Department opted into a system offered by the State to all Counties to have funds to pay for detox. Ten years ago Jefferson County was detoxing 100 people a year in the local hospital. That number has dropped to six or eight people for 1996. The main reason for the decline is the criteria are very stringent. People cannot voluntarily admit themselves to detox, they have to show symptoms of withdrawal. The State system would offer per capita detox funding in which $1.75 per head, spread over a two year period would give the County $45,000. Chester proposed to take the $22,500 a year and allow the Alcohol Program to be the lead agency to decide who will get referred to detox rather than a physician. This program would not start until July. The State is offering $8,000 to the County for children offamilies who have been referred to Child Protective Services for treatment or legal process. A contract is in the process of being approved by the Board of County Commissioners, Chester updated the Board on the status of a possible methadon maintenance program in Jefferson County. The State may offer some funding for this program but it is still in the planning stage. Jean Baldwin said there is interest in starting a needle exchange program with surrounding counties. ~. ......_~ ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR'S REPORT /~, Larry Fay informed the Board on proposed legislation of search warrants for public health jurisdictions to carry out inspections. This legislation would allow health inspectors to get an administrative warrant to inspect for health violations without going through criminal actions. Larry recommended that the Board support this legislation even ifit is rarely used. Commissioner Wojt moved to have the Chairman sign a letter of support when it is prepared. Commissioner Harpole seconded the motion which carried unanimously. Larry reported that the first meeting of the Onsite Advisory Committee was held last week. This committee, made up of homebuilders, real estate agents, designers, installers, engineers and local business owners, was put together to look at the issues of operations maintenance (OM) such as sewage systems. An OM program has to be in place by the year 2000. The Committee is looking at programs already in place in Thurston, Kitsap and Mason Counties. T HEALTH OFFICER REPORT T Dr. Tom Locke discussed proposed legislation. He stated that there are several programs, with local impacts, that have funding issues: 1) Health Services Account. This account is set up primarily to fund health reform, the basic health plan and the public health improvement plan. The money comes from sin taxes, i.e., tobacco and alcohol. HEALTH BOARD MINUTES - JANUARY 28, 1997 Page: 4 2) Vaccine Program. The State of Washington provides vaccines at no costs to the individuals. This program has been very successful. When this program began in 1990, immunization of2 year olds was 52% in Washington State. It is now approximately 75%. 3) Public Water Systems. The new Federal Clean Water Act causes higher standards for many jurisdictions and has a lot more data and reporting requirements. 4) Infant Death Review. This is a systematic way of investigating deaths in infants and children. Not only for criminal proceedings but to prevent future deaths. Dr. Locke stated that there is a new progress report on the Public Health Improvement Plan. The focus of this report is on collaboration, information-based decision making, and accountability. NEW BUSINESS David Specter discussed 3 options to expand the Jefferson County Board of Health. The expansion would allow for better city and community involvement on health policy. +- Community Advisory Board. This board would make recommendations to the Board of Health on specific issues. +- Health District. This independent district would be made up of City and County Officials. This option is used for bigger counties and is not recommended. +- Expand existing Health Board as allowed for in BSSB 5253. David Specter reported that currently the Health Board consists of 3 County Commissioners only. The City of Port Townsend appoints a representative which is a non-voting member. This matter was tabled for further discussion until the February 25 meeting. Hearing no further business, the meeting was adjourned. JEFFERSON COUNTY BOA '-~ , OF HEALTH ... ~ '.1_ 1820 Jefferson Street PO Box 1220 Port Townsend, WA 98368 Daniel Harpole, District 1 Glen HuntlD&f'ord, District 2 Richard Wojt, District 3 Representative Lynn Kessler P.O. Box 40600 Olympia, W A 98504-0600 Re: Support of Search Warrant Legislation HB 1558 and SB 5636 Dear Representative Kessler, During the January 1997 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health a motion was made and unanimously passed to express our support for HB 1558 and SB 5636, the administrative search warrant legislation which has been introduced by Senator Oke. As Board of Health members, it is our responsibility to protect the health of our communities through the enforcement of state and local public health codes. The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled that the authority to seek administrative search warrants has been delegated to local health jurisdictions only in cases involving violations of the Safe Water Drinking act. The lack of this authority for other public health programs seriously compromises the ability of our public health officers to enforce food safety, on-site sewage, and solid/hazardous waste codes. The administrative search warrant legislation introduced by Senator Oke provides the necessary balance between the privacy rights of individuals and the duty of public health officials to prevent community-wide disease outbreaks. Health officials are required to demonstrate to the courts that probable cause exists prior to issuance of a search warrant and the due process rights of those who object to public health-related inspections are fully preserved. HB 1558 restores to local health authorities an essential investigation and enforcement tool assumed to already exist prior to the Supreme Court's Seattle v McCready decision. We understand that there is opposition to this proposed legislation and suspect that it stems primarily from concerns about violations of an individual's right to privacy. We appreciate that concern, but as in many public policy matters there is a balance between individual rights and community rights. In this case, the balance or compromise is necessary to enable public health officials to carry out activities required to minimize public exposure to disease-causing organisms and chemicals that can cause illness. Phone (3601385-9100 I 1-800-831-2678 Fax (360)385-9382 jeffbocC@olympus.net :- i.-~ J. Support of Search Warrant Leliiis1ation February 19, 1997 Paliie2 In the final analysis, the Jefferson County Board of Health feels that county governments' should not be called upon to enforce state statutes without the delegation of authority necessary to care out the task. We expect that the need for administrative search warrants will be rare. We also expect that when they are required, the need will be urgent and the threat to public health potentially severe. Thank you for your support of this important piece of legislation. Sincerely, ~ingf~r BOCCllrl Phone (360)385-9100 I 1-800-831-2678 Fax (360)385-9382 jeftbocc@olympua.net ... ~ .. ~+- LG+rer to: Senator Jim Hargrove Lois Cotton P.O, Box 40482-0600 Olympia, WA 985(1.4-0482 email: cotton_lo@leg,wa.gov tel: 360-786-7646 fax: 360-786-7524 Representative Jim Buck Brenda Lee P.O. Box 4~600 Olympia, WA 98504 email: (was infonned they do not use an email address!?) tel: 360-786-7916 fax: 360-786-1066 (be sure to include his name as fax machine is shared) (no home office number). Rep. Lynn Kessler . Gloria De Garmo (mornings) Nora Porter (afternoons) P.O, Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504-0600 email: degarmo..llI@leg,wa,gov(Gloria) porter _ no@leg,wa.gov (Nora) tel: 360-786-7904 fax: 360-786-1247 home tel: 360-533-1944 (out-of-session) c:\winword\joney\legislat.doc( 1/29/97) 'Sen. O~L ~ p.o. L!OY~:1 O\j ~q-Oltn