The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About11 November COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL ~ PUBLIC HEALTH,,' NURSING I I i HOME NURSiNG VITAL STATIST!(">; ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HEALTH EOUCA TION JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 802 SHERIDAN PORT TOWNSEND, WASH. 98368 (206) 385-0722 HEALTH BO RD Minutes: November 21, 1984 Board Members: B.G. Brown, Chairman John L. Pitts, Member Larry W. Denhison, Member Glen Ison, Member Randall M. Durant, R.S. Gretchen Gephart, D.O.N. Joseph Fischnaller, M.D. Gael Stuart, Administrator Approval of Minutes: minutes ot October 17, 1984. Commissioner Pitts moved to approve the Commissioner Dennison seconded the motion. Nursing Director Report: Nursing Director, Gretchen Gephart reported the tollowing tor Octooer: * 349 Flu immunizations were given and the number of people requesting all types of immunizations was up by 123. * Two Class 5 cases of Tuberculosis were put on drugs. * There were two suspected cases of measles. * Child Health services: 110 pre schoolers were referred by physicians for audiograms and tympanograms . 'k Community Education: Program for the elderly at Kai Tai Center; "Understanding of Senses Vision & Hearing" for Brinnon School 7th and 8th Grade classes; Tooth Brushing for the Chimacum Kindergarten classes; "The Body Machine" for the Grant Street Kindergarten classes;an in-service training session for the Grant Street teachers; ''Understanding Teenagers for Ra1cyon.House. ,,< Participating in the Puget Sound Health Systems Agency development of a State Health Plan. * Emergency Medical Services: There has been an increase in the number of adults requesting these services for such things as precriptions. * Have seen an increase in the number of young people needing housing. Many are referred to the Fort Worden Hostile which costs $7.00 per night without bedding or $10 per night with bedding. Some who do not have enough money for this are referred to the Salvation Army. Health Office Report: Dr. Fischnaller reported that it is a shame that the condition exists that some doctors will not provide med- ical services for people who do not have funds, but noted that the druggists have been giving the drugs for prescriptions requested of them by the Health Department at cost and commended them for their help. Health Board, Minutes of November 21, 1984 Page 2: Dr. John A. Beare, State Health Officer, will be present when the discussion of the Health Department/Hospital relationship tak~place, Dr. Fischnaller further reported. Environmental Health Director: Randy Durant made the following comments on his October report: * There was an increase in final inspection of on site sewage disposal installations. * Septic tank permits are down from the same period last year from 28 to 22, while site evaluations are up from 12 to 19. * Dr. Fischnaller and Randy Durant had a hearing with a food service operator in regard to poor inspection reports. The situation has im- proved as noted during the follow up inspection. * Randy spoke to the Port Townsend Board of Realtors in regard to the new State Board of Health Regulations. * Followed up on reports from the Nursing staff on living conditions with regard to water supply and sewage disposal. Administrators Report: The Early Identification Grant which funds the program services of Mary Tudor for early identification of developmental disabilities runs out on June 1, 1985, Gael Stuart reported. The State has given some assurance that they will pick up that grant funding as of July 1, 1985. The University of Washington may take over that grant which is a problem in that a small program such as this is not that important to them, and would probably be one of the first things to be cut if that became necessary for the University. The Health Department is going to write a letter to Dr. Beare, State Health Officer and to Patricia Wilkins asking that the State pick up that grant when it ends at the end of six months. Financial condition: The expenditures will be over by about $7,200.00 and the budget has-Deen extended to cover that overage. There are two large payments coming in December and the budgeted versus actual revenue is in excellent shape. Mr. Stuart concurred with the Board that a letter be sent to the Department of Social and Health Services with regard to the need and value of the Well Child Clinic Program and the Internal Child Health Program. Gael Stuart will write a letter for the Board signa- ture. Letter re: PUD and Health Department Technical Assistance Proposal: Gael Stuart read a letter trom Ethan Moseng, Regional Engineer tor the Department of Social and Health Services to Bob Wubbena of Economic and Engineering Services regarding the technical assistance agreement proposed by Jefferson County PUD #1. Discussion of the amount of work that this proposed agreement would put on the Health Department ensued. Gale Stuart noted that the Environmental Health staff is presently saturated with the amount of work they have to do and this agreement would just add more work. Health Board, Minutes of November 21, 1984 Page 3: Randy Durant and Gael Stuart both advised that the Department of Social and Health Services should be asked to take the lead role in this agreement. Gael Stuart re: Memo about Court case in Lewis County: Gael Stuart read a memo about a 1976 Court case in Lewis County that was settled out of court with the County Health Department and the County's insurance carrier sharing the cost of the settlement. A site inspection form was checked "su able" in error even though the soil logs were marked correctly on the form as "unsuitable". A building permit was issued on the basis of the erroneous check, but when the error was detected a stop work order was placed on the construction. A mound system installed by the property owner failed within four months of installation. This type of suit is becoming more and more prevalent. Reaction to immunizations: Commissioner County is being sued by someone because they had ization and asked if this is being discussed or County is giving the safer "killed" vaccine? Gretchen Gephart advised that the oral vaccine is less expensive, but the Salk or injected vaccine is given if someone requests it. Injected polio vaccine does not protect all persons against the paralytic manis- festations of the disease. Commissioner Pitts asked that the Health Department consider only giving Salk "killed" vaccine. Pitts noted that a reaction to an investigated and Lincoln immun- if the Fee Schedule Discussion: Clallam, Mason and Kitsap counties were contacted to determine what they were going to do with their fee sched- ules in 1985, Gael Stuart advised, and submitted a report on those findings. The percentages of revenue derived from all fees for the department are 1982 figures and have all gone up since then. Jefferson County's fees in 1983 were 20% of the budget, with 1984 being 24% of the department budget. Randy Durant added that in the first six months of 1984, 53.17% of the costs of the Environmental Health section of the Health Department was covered by its fees. Commissioner Pitts suggested that the Board set a policy for the future regarding fees and possibly a goal to aim at on the percentage of revenue derived from those fees. After the first of the year the Building/Plan- ning Department, the Commissioners and the Health Department will need to sit down and discuss these ideas. Gael Stuart then presented the new suggested fee schedule for the Board to consider. A hearing date will be set and the fees published after the Board has reviewed the proposal. The hearing for the changes pro- posed in the Food Service Ordinance will be set up for the same day to expedite both of these matters. Discussion on 1985 Budget Requests: A detail of the budget request Dy category with an explanation was handed out by Gael Stuart, who went on to note the following concerns: * Need for more people: One Environmental Health Specialist to handle the workload created in part by new regulations. There should be more food service establishment inspections as well as more final inspections of septic tank installations and enforcement of all programs. Health Board, Minutes of November 21, 1984 Page 4: * Need for more people (continued): Requested another Public Health Nurse due to increases in services being put on by the shift of services to the local level. * Computer use is being looked into which could possibly allow enough time saving to not require another secretarial position. Commissioner Pitts asked that if only one position could be provided which one would be the most vital for the department? Gael Stuart replied that both positions are desparately needed but if only one could be provided he would ask for the nursing position. The meeting adjourned after the Board went into executive session. JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH B.G. Brown, Chairman John L. Pitts, Member Larry W. Dennison, Member