Board of Health

EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 MEETING MINUTES Meeting Call to Order – 5:40 PM Board President Christine Harris read the following Sunshine Law: This meeting, which conforms to the provisions of the Open Public Meeting Act, Chapter 231, and Public Law of 1975, is a regular meeting of the City of East Orange Board of Health. Notices have been filed with our official newspaper, with the City Clerk, and posted on regular bulletin boards. The public is permitted to participate at this meeting. Zoom Communication ID: 848 8810 1910 Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84888101910?pwd=cVFsYU1jYW1HTHlwcnlJeDZyd2RuUT09 After the roll call, it was determined there was a quorum to convene the meeting. Board Members Present: Christine Harris, President Tobbia M. Corbitt, Vice-President Deanna Phillips Dr. Tonya X. Cook Council Liaison: Mustafa Al-M. Brent - absent Board of Health Counsel: Attorney Emeka Madubuogo Health Department Staff: Horace Henry, Acting HHS Director Health Officer Vincent DeFilippo, Orange Mayoral Staff: Jada Braime-Butler Guests: None pg. 1  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 Public in attendance: None Approval of November 21, 2023, Meeting Minutes: Approved Unanimously Director Henry Updates: HO DeFilippo Director Henry shared that HO DeFilippo is still with us and thanked him for his continued presence and support. Staffing Director Henry shared that documents submitted by Ms. Blue to employ two WIC nutritionists are presently being processed and we belief that by early next year, they will be onboarded. Dir. Henry shared that the staff requisition forms have been updated and now must indicate where the funding will come from, grant, city line, or otherwise, and what percentage of that fund is allocated toward staff salaries. Nurse Ankrah also requested two public health nurses as a matter of urgency, and the Administration has asked us to supply a staff requisition form to facilitate this request. Director Henry shared they interviewed a potential REHS candidate today, and we're hoping that, too, will come to fruition as we are looking at succession planning, bearing in mind that we have a fast-growing population and as the population increases, then the challenges and the demand for our service increase BOH Funding Dir. Henry shared he has yet to have an opportunity to discuss the municipal funding for the Board of Health members but believes it will be revisited by early January so he can share any updates by the next Board meeting. Organizational Chart Dir. Henry stated they are still working on the organizational chart for the department and would share it with the Board once it is completed. Mammogram Program Dir. Henry shared we have a tentative start date of February 21, 2024. We will use the Council chambers to host our guests, and the mobile van will be parked in front of City Hall. Police and public safety are also planning to assist. We are expecting that this day will come to fruition to not only serve the public, but we are hoping the City's female staff would take advantage of the opportunity to receive a mammogram. pg. 2  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 Wheelchair Ramp Dir. Henry revealed that the wheelchair ramp proposed for the front of the building had been deemed impractical due to the architectural design of the building and the need to allow a minimum five-foot turn. So, as a compromise, we will access the back door used during COVID- 19. The passageway will be cleared, and the two rooms in that area will be used, handicapped accessible. Also, the general hallway that connects the doctor's section back to the nursing section will be wheelchair accessible. We also have a room for private consultation as needed where staff can service the handicapped clientele. Handicap Accessible Restroom Dir. Henry stated they have identified a room that can be converted into a restroom for people with disabilities. We are waiting for DPW to send us a proposal from the contractor. President Harris asked if the renovation would include adequate ventilation. Mr. Henry stated they would open door space and include air conditioners to ensure adequate ventilation. Health Department Renovations Director Henry stated that we are waiting for the contractor to submit a quote for painting some areas, following their assessment. We are also waiting for quotes from various contractors to update the department's lighting, but we will continue to work with DPW to ensure the quotes are received. Vehicles Director Henry shared that the PO for the first vehicle was issued to us. We contacted the vendor, who informed us the vehicle would be delivered within two to three weeks. The BA has asked us to complete a resolution for the second vehicle to be submitted to the first committee meeting in January. Staff Performance Evaluations Director Henry shared they also have our staff performance evaluations coming due. The supervisors have been completing the evaluations, and hopefully, he can begin meeting with the supervisors to review them. The supervisors complete the evaluations for the staff, and then the director evaluates the supervisors. Baby Shower Initiative The Mayor's Office of Employment and Training and WIC spearheaded the city-wide baby shower. It was a successful program in the early years, so we want to bring it back. pg. 3  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 Dental Program Director Henry shared initial contacts have been made for a future partnership with CareWell Health. Three CareWell Health individuals will visit the office tomorrow to determine whether we can collaborate efforts. We contacted the VA and will share additional details once we receive them. President Harris asked if CareWell would participate in the City's Assessment for the Community Improvement Plan. Dir. Henry stated he would have more information on their participation once they had an opportunity to meet. Chamber of Commerce Dir. Henry shared that he contacted our local Chamber of Commerce to foster a reconnection. A meeting will be held with the President to see if a partnership would benefit our business owners and assist them with keeping in line with the City's ordinances, policies, and regulations. Operation Warm Dir. Henry stated that the outreach team partnered with another agency that provided 100 coats via the Campus Student Assistance program as a part of their anti-bullying initiative. Our outreach team attended the event and provided information regarding vaping, as requested by the program coordinator. Internships/Nursing Students Director Henry shared that Bloomfield College, now operating under Montclair State, is working on a proposal allowing them to send nursing students beginning in 2024. Air Conditioners Dir. Henry shared that they received the air conditioners and humidifiers they ordered and placed them in the various offices where they will be installed. Domestic Abuse President Harris shared that she recently attended a state function where the topic of domestic abuse, as a major issue, was broached, and asked if we had any statistics of this, involving East Orange residents, and, if yes, is it significant enough to create a program that might assist in addressing the issue? Dir. Henry shared that Keyron Blakely, Manager of the Mayor's Homelessness Taskforce, and his team mentioned that this is one of the issues they encounter when interacting with the residents. They also reported that domestic abuse is high within the City, and abuse has a direct correlation with some of our homeless populations. Dir. Henry shared that he would speak with the Homelessness Task Force to determine how best pg. 4  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 their program can undertake that task, or we may have to create a separate entity to address it. The Homeless program is now under the HD. Health Officer DeFillipo Updates: COVID/RSV/Flu HO DeFilippo shared that there has been a rise in the number of COVID cases in 17 states and in the past four weeks, influenza went up over 200%. RSV cases rose to 60% with 12 COVID- related pediatric deaths between September 2023 and now. You can obtain free COVID-19 test kits by calling. 1-800-232-0233. HO DeFilippo shared there is a new strand of COVID out in case individuals want to wear masks as a precaution. E-cigarette License Fee Ordinance President Harris asked if our Attorney Madubuogo had contacted him regarding the ordinance for e-cigs. HO DeFilippo stated that he was unaware of anyone contacting him but would provide a copy to Director Henry. HO DeFilippo advised that the ordinance using language that reflects the fees would be prorated and stated we should include the same when we draft our ordinance. Prorating the fees allows us to collect the fees for each month after the ordinance passes. President Harris stated that HO DeFilippo would share the ordinance to sell electronic cigarettes with Attorney Madubuogo. Attorney Madubuogo shared that he plans to mirror the e-cig ordinance for our municipality, which would mitigate the tobacco issue. NACCHO Grant HO DeFilippo stated we recouped some of the funding from the previous expenditures. We have one check for $52, 411.72 and the second was approximately $48,000. WIC Updates: Staffing Ms. Blue shared that the WIC office is short-staffed and expressed hope that the new hire will be on board by January 2024. 50th Celebration Ms. Blue stated that WIC is celebrating 50 years in 2024 nationwide. The state of New Jersey is planning a celebratory event around September for WIC. Ms. Blue remarked that the East Orange office is believed to be one of the first WIC offices established in NJ, so it will be significant for our program. Phone System President Harris asked if the phone system was working. Ms. Blue stated the phone system is working and thanked the Administration for their assistance. President Harris asked if they pg. 5  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 have Language Line. Ms. Blue stated that her program always had Language Line, which is required when submitting for the WIC grant. Dir. Henry shared that some painting was done in their suite. Ms. Blue concurred. Staff Meeting Director Henry stated that he attended WIC's staff meeting and had an opportunity to connect with the great, warm group of people there. Dir. Henry shared that he pledges to ensure that they have a structured time for their staff meeting so he can get feedback and provide support. Open Discussion: Weights & Measures President Harris welcomed Mr. Seiden, Superintendent for Weights and Measures, as this was his first appearance at a BOH meeting. Mr. Seiden explained that Weights and Measures is a law enforcement agency that provides consumer protection and equity in the marketplace. We enforce state laws pertaining to the sale of goods by weight count, quantity, cost, and length, and we inspect and certify devices that measure and sell goods. We also audit businesses to verify posted prices. For example, if you are at a store and see an item marked as $1.99, but when you go to pay for the item, it scans as $2.59. Our responsibility is to ensure the store corrects the discrepancy, so consumers do not get overcharged. Package commodities are another function of Weights and Measures. So, let's say you go into the supermarket, and you buy something for a pound or two and believe the purchase feels lighter; we would go into the store with a scale and weigh various items in the supermarket, grocery stores, and delis to make sure that their pricing matches the weight. We also inspect scales. That could be grocery scales, deli scales, cash for gold warehouses, healthcare facilities, and, more recently, marijuana dispensaries. So, anything that comes by weight, we're inspecting it. We're making sure that the scales are accurate. This also includes testing timing devices such as dryers and tanning beds. So, when you go to the laundromat, and the dryers are priced at $.25 for eight minutes, we test them to ensure that they're eight minutes and give you the right amount of time you paid for. Pharmacies also fall under our purview. During our inspection we would test all of the scales and pill counters. We're running medicine through the pill counters to ensure they're dispensing the right amount. And when they make their own stuff, we ensure they're accurate. We also inspect Gas Stations to ensure the air machines and vacuums have the appropriate timers. We use a measure kit to ensure consumers receive the right amount of purchased gas. The gas stations are inspected annually. All retail inspections are conducted 2-3 times yearly to ensure they accurately represent the pricing and price posted. If you are in a store in East Orange and see a blue sticker that New pg. 6  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 Jersey Weights and Measures, it means our office conducted the inspection. Any stickers you see should have the current year, meaning they received our inspection. If an item has a yellow sticker labeled condemned, don't use it. Mr. Seiden emphasized the importance of contacting the Health Department if you see anything that needs to be corrected. President Harris thanked Mr. Seiden for sharing the information and hoped he would continue to join the meetings and share pertinent information with the Board. Mayor's Wellness Campaign VP Corbitt shared that for the past two years, she has attended the sessions for the Mayor's Wellness Campaign during the League of Municipalities. VP Corbitt remarked that she attended the sessions as they seemed to benefit our community. During this year's session, the aim was to clarify the full scope of how we can participate in the program because there are over 400 municipalities currently enrolled, many of whom are not urban communities. During the session, VP Corbitt learned that there is an application process, and that the Mayor has to buy in by signing a pledge or proclamation to allow full participation in the program. VP Corbitt shared that she attended an in-depth informational webinar on December 5th, which involved the application process. Unfortunately, based on the information shared, East Orange may not be ready to participate at this time as the application is due January 19, 2024. Also, the information they request to accompany the application is a huge undertaking. We would also be required to have a committee to obtain the necessary data that the application requests. VP Corbitt also explained that the program seems prone to accepting those who are past applicants as this is a three-tiered program. The three designated categories are Healthy Town, a gold designation that gives you full-blown participation in supportive services. Then there's the Silver, which is a Healthy Town to watch, and then the bronze Home Town that's up and coming. And again, the processes go over the years that you are participating with them that you receive these designations. Also, with the information they requested for the application, they use a rubric scoring tool, and based on the number per question they may assign to you, it may make you ineligible for the year. VP Corbitt suggested that she and President Harris meet with the Administration and representatives from the Wellness Campaign so we can all be on the same page concerning our understanding of the requirements; however, the representatives from the Campaign would not agree to meet without the Mayor's pledge. So, instead, we should have further discussion with the Administration to determine whether a committee can be formed, even if it comprises Board of Health members because the health issues we mention in our meetings relate to the Wellness Campaign. The hope is to apply in 2024, keeping in mind that much of what's being done across our City from the Recreation perspective is already being done as it pg. 7  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 19, 2023 relates to the Mayor's Wellness campaign. It's just a matter of putting it all together, putting it on paper in the format for which they are requesting. President Harris concurred, stating that the application is quite intrusive. They're also asking for a tremendous amount of information, much of which is required through your community health assessment program. The organization that seems to be spearheading this is the New Jersey Healthcare Quality Institute. It is not affiliated or endorsed, although they have several sponsors. Their website explores a global approach, a lot of which Sustainable Jersey focuses on. However, Sustainable Jersey also incorporates many environmental elements from that perspective, requiring a lot of work and effort. President Harris stated she would share the information with Jo-Ann to be dispersed amongst members of the Board. Ms. Blue remarked that around COVID, we were a member of the Mayor's Wellness Campaign, and our municipality is listed as a member on their webpage. Ms. Blue stated she is unsure whether we need to reapply, but EO General participated in the East Orange community assessment before becoming CareWell Health. President Harris said she remembered East Orange was not very well represented. President Harris shared that we were informed that we were not members, so maybe it is something that has to be renewed. At the conclusion of Board business, President Harris adjourned the meeting at 6:42 pm. Respectfully submitted, Jo-Ann Lowe Board Clerk pg. 8