Montachusett Public Health Network

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Nov 07 2024 1:30 pm MONTACHUSETT PUBLIC HEALTH NETWORK MEETING EXECUTIVE/GOVERNING BOARD MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, June 26, 2024 LegislaHve Building, 700 Main St., Fitchburg MA 01420 In-Person A+endance: Micah Blondeau, Michelle Powell, Phil Leger, Ruth French, Victoria Selser, Catherine Hoover and Laura Wade Virtual A+endance: Jane O’Brien, David Favreau, Laurie Wiita and Steve Curry Mee#ng opened: Micah Blondeau and FATV is recording. Public – Chelsea Patriss, Westminster resident – PHE Grant funding/partnership. Health equity partnership. They represent 20 ciTes and towns in North Central Massachuse+s. There are several opportuniTes for partnerships and new funding to benefit the region. Would like to connect to discuss how we are stewarding those resources. Phil suggested puYng Chelsea on a future Agenda for further discussion. Past mee#ng minutes approval: Move to approve April 2024 Minutes by Phil. Roll call was taken. Minutes approved. Approval of FY 2025 Budget: Victoria Selser to review the MPHN budget for FY25. Budget is level funded from FY24 – no increases or decreases. Reviewing changes only. Shared services coordinator changed – fully funded by PHE due to changes in other funding streams. Public Health Nurse change – FY25 PHE fully funded because of municipal budget shor]alls. Need to uTlize PHE for the nurse fully funded. Phil – will nurse serve all communiTes – yes. Fitchburg porTon taken out of city budget. Used to spend half Tme in Fitchburg and half Tme regionally. Due to changes in staffing, the nurse and staff will be allocated fully regionally. Fitchburg no longer has a public nurse on budget for FY25. Phil asked for clarificaTon. Steve added – all depts were requested to make 3-5% budget cut. Also the City had a hiring freeze. The nurse posiTon was vacant during budget meeTngs and we were unable to rehire. PosiTon not filled yet, should be in FY25. Who is doing to the job now? Maven and case invesTgaTons are handled by the InfecTous Disease Team and Victoria. When nursing is needed we uTlize our per diem nurses. Next update for FY25 – other public health staff – case invesTgaTon and resource coordinator – similar to shared services coordinator – using PHE – wide variety of work in MPHN – Maven, billing for clinics, manage phone calls, assist at clinics, childhood lead prevenTon work/case management, school districts on immunizaTons, support work in emergency shelters. Staff line item change – PHE – clerk – decreases for one grant (MassCall) – review budget for parTculars. As of the meeTng date, we do not have NCOA funding. No changes on fringe benefits – percentages did not change. Consultant line item – nurses, (clinics can’t happen with just one nurse – we uTlize reTred nurses to assist). AddiTonal cost for health communicaTon, we will partner with communicate health, it’s an organizaTon who will support us region wide, via social media educaTonal materials, health fairs, etc. This will assist our communicaTon in MPHN. Victoria will receive material and share with towns to post on their social media pages. Technology soiware – changes – we purchased new thermometers for our vaccine fridge to assist in the event of a power outage (temperature monitors). They will send a text or call alerTng to any temp excursions for Tmes when we aren’t in the office to keep vaccine safe. We will be purchasing interpretaTon equipment for ESL residents. Significant challenge and need for us – clinics it is needed as phone interpretaTon is difficult. The equipment will be used only when necessary. Agency Admin Support – sTpend for Fitchburg to support work done by other depts. to support MPHN – other depts. that interface with MPHN to keep us running smoothly. Impact Melanoma: Impact Melanoma – iniTaTve funded. We have purchased dispensers. All dispensers are ready to go. Victoria will reach out to all towns, 12 out of 13 were interested. Started distribuTons in Athol, Gardner and Templeton. Will conTnue and finish by Friday, June 28th. Pool staff in Gardner were happy to see the dispensers. What is servicing protocol – will take Tme – depending on usage. They should be serviced weekly – wiping down and has sunscreen. Some will be less frequently and some more. We will learn as we go and see what the needs of each locaTon is. Issues with vandalism or stolen – never an issue with stealing, however they have had experience with vandalism. Impact Melanoma will replace the unit and ask we place it in a different spot. If vandalized again, it’s up to MPHN to deal with it. LocaTons that are more secure are be+er, if possible. Had a successful skin cancer clinic – scanned 32 paTents. This will happen again. Q’s – Phil – can we make it an even number on administraTve support. We have to include the .80. Budget must be down to the cent. Can’t change the budget. Contract amount should be $555,779.80. Budget on first page cell was rounded. MoTon for approval of budget. Roll call - MoTon passes Respiratory Clinics for 2024/25 Season: WaiTng on recommendaTons for covid vaccine – most likely similar to last fall. We will schedule once we are told recommendaTons. North Central Free Medical Program: many schools in our area have needed assistance with students new to the state or country. Due to Tme constraints, the schools have had difficulty addressing the issue. Our students go to Worcester Free Care Program – several in Worcester. Unfortunately they are overwhelmed with capacity. Collaborated with UMass Memorial care mobile, however, capacity is limited. Ability to visit MPHN on regular basis limited as they work out of Worcester. Can’t work out of Umass system, Gardner for example. We want to open a free care program in Fitchburg to address this. Twice monthly basis for two hours – hosted at local church basement – fully staffed by volunteer clinicians, nursing, nursing students, residents, a+endings, etc. Working on grant funding, working with FSU and Fitchburg family pracTce to collaborate with us. Should be ready for late August to serve as a resource for our school districts in the MPHN community. Opioid Abatement Funds: do towns know what is happening to the funds in their towns? Asked at last meeTng. WaiTng for answers from towns. Survey Results: (1) MTCP Program (other towns besides Hubbardston): who is not part of this program? Need clarificaTon. Answers unknown from members present. (2) FY25 PHE Workplan: was developed and submi+ed mid-June. Reviewing the survey plan – what is needed – 4 performance standard goals to work on – InspecTons – food – we will check on inspecTon reports for all towns to be sure they are consistent. Title V – review with ciTes and towns looking for areas of improvement Tobacco Use PrevenTon – geYng all ciTes and towns into the program and offer support Training for staff members to meet performance standards – offer support you need for training (3) Monthly meeTng preference day: MeeTngs coming up to see where everyone is. Monthly meeTng preference day – Catherine reaching out to each city/town. Will focus on improving the work plan (4) BOH Member Training requirements: BOH members and training requirements – Workforce standards – are your BOH members up to date with training requirements – should take foundaTons course and orientaTon to local public health. Should be taken by BOH members. FoundaTons course is extensive and Tme consuming. State is asking all BOH members do this training. There are waivers available for people who have been  in the field for a long Tme. Phil believes starTng with OrientaTon might be easiest, rather than starTng with FoundaTons. Phil believes we should think more about the foundaTons course as its extensive. If the workforce standards are not met, apply for waivers (based on years of experience) Training Hub PresentaTon and Q&A by Mishel, Public Health Training Manager. One of 10 statewide training sites that DPH funds in the state. Training HUB wants to be a resource for MPHN communiTes. We are in Tier 3 – applied pracTce. What will the training pertain? Provided handout with info on how to get training. Offering support with workplans and workforce standards. Aware of different requirements per municipality. Any talk about foundaTons course in person or doing the modified course? Mishel indicated no. If you have completed these courses before but aren’t able to get your cerTficates reach out to Mishel for assistance. Announcements – Nothing Adjourn – MoTon to adjourn. Next meeTng is scheduled for August 28, 2024 at 10:30 in LegislaTve Building.