Board of Health

City of Nashua Division of Public Health & Community Services 18 Mulberry Street, Nashua, NH 03060 BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING May 9, 2012 12:30 PM 18 Mulberry Street Nashua, NH 03062 MEETING MINUTES BOH Members Present: Dr. Anthony Storace, Dr. Klementowicz, Dr. Ajay Sharma Staff Present: Heidi Peek, Bob Mack, Corinn Dembkoski, Nancy Seskes, Amanda Hyde Meeting called to order at 12:45 p.m. by Dr. Storace 1. Vote on the March 14, 2012 meeting Minutes: a. Motion presented by Dr. Storace to approve the April 11, 2012 Minutes b. Motion accepted by Dr. Sharma c. Motion seconded by Dr. Klementowicz d. All in Favor: Aye 1  Department Reports Community Health – Presented by Nancy Seskes  NH Health Alert Network released the following during April: o One GI outbreak investigation  Immunization o Flu and immunization clinics continue o Four childcare centers have been assessed this month, and sixteen more sites to be visited for compliance of children o One refugee attended clinic for immunizations and testing.  STD/HIV Clinical Services Program o Adult immunization services are being offered through Immunization Clinics at the Health Department and HIV Prevention Outreach Clinics o We have received the STD/HIV Grants  Paperwork is being completed and processes are being evaluated.  HIV Prevention Program o Safety Counts Staff continues to contact high risk IDU persons’ partners of Cycles 3. o Outreach activities will be devoted towards educating high risk persons. o Three street outreach actions were conducted, and 18 high risk individuals contacted. o Four outreach activities were conducted.  Lead Program o Healthy Homes strategic planning continues  New state forms are being trialed  Meetings and Activities o Healthy Kids Health Fair at YMCA o Emergency Preparedness Class at Nashua Community College – 31 attended o Nashua Public Health Week Activities o Education to Head Start Program parents regarding the importance of immunization o Diabetes Education to staff at Clearway High School Health Education and Tobacco – Presented by Corinn Dembkoski  Health Education o National Public Health Week 2012  Partnered with 18 organizations and offered 12 events and workshops throughout the week  Marketing efforts included online and print ads with the Nashua Telegraph, as well as 2 articles in the Telegraph and one in the Union Leader o Health Promotion Summit  Attended the Health Promotion Summit, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research  Purpose was to highlight the vast number of disease prevention and health promotion efforts being done throughout the country. o CHIP – The month of April was used to prepare for the May 3rd strategies meeting. 2   Tobacco Prevention and Control o Nashua Prevention Coalition  At the NACCHO Tobacco Stakeholders meeting, discussion was held on how to move forward with the strategic plan and action items were created.  It was decided that the Nashua Prevention Coalition would be a great place to continue the work, as it strives to increase awareness and education in substance abuse prevention.  This is a great opportunity to revitalize the tobacco efforts of the coalition and move forward with the strategic plan. o Marketing TPCP  We are working with Alpha Graphics to design a Spanish and English postcard to be mailed to Nashua residents.  These postcards will provide information on the Quitline, benefits of quitting and where additional resources are available.  In using the U.S. Census Fact Finder website, as well as the Every Door Direct Mail service, we will be able to target the households we feel would benefit from receiving this information. Environmental Health – Heidi Peek presented  Food Service o A total of 123 Inspections were held during April o Emergency responses included a waste oil spill and a sprinkler release/unsanitary condition situation o Three new licenses were issued o Nineteen annual licenses renewed  Laboratory o Two thermometer quality control tests performed o Eight citizen concerns regarding bed bugs, mold and mosquitoes/wetlands  Public Pools/Spas o Five annual licenses were issued/renewed  Arboviral Surveillance Control o Received a Special Permit from NH Department of Agriculture to allow Dragon Mosquito to spray for mosquitoes.  Rabies Control o Two cat and seven dog reports were processed; results were negative  CDC Associate’s Activities – Victoria Alabi presented by Heidi Peek o Healthy Eating Active Living  Wrote a grant proposal for the City to receive funding and technical assistance from Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Community Grant  The City of Nashua was awarded the Grant in the amount of $10,000, as well as technical assistance for the next two years o CHIP  Worked with Division staff to organize logistics for the CHIP May meeting o National Public Health Week  Co-facilitated a 20 minute hand washing event at the Boys and Girls Club  Approximately fifteen 5-6 year old children attended. 3  o Other  Staff worked on preparation and implementation of National Public Health Week  Environmental Health received Right-to-Know request for food service inspections from Nashua Patch  Staff conducted work on Division’s CHIP  Staff conducted interviews for EHS I vacancy  Budget preparation completed Emergency Preparedness - Patty Crooker presented  Greater Nashua Community Assessment o United Way of Greater Nashua is conducting a community assessment for the Greater Nashua region  The Epidemiologist has been asked to sit on their Steering Committee and will work with them to add pertinent data to the report.  New Hampshire Public Health Association o The Epidemiologist was formally inducted to the Board of Directors for the NH Public Health Association at their annual meeting.  She will sit on this Board for a three year term.  She will share knowledge learned from the 2011 City of Nashua, Community Health Assessment  CHIP o Division staff worked during the month of April with UNH students to prepare for the Strategies meeting, which will be held the first week of May.  UNH students are working on this as part of their Capstone Project.  The three health priorities that will be addressed at the CHIP include obesity, access to health care and mental health.  8th Annual NH Emergency Preparedness Conference (flyers of this event were given to BOH members) o This event will take place on June 26th at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester o The PHEP Coordinator has been participating on the conference planning committee since last fall. o Conference registration will begin on May 7th at the conference website.  www.NHEmergencyPrepConference.com  Family Assistance Center (FAC) Workshop - June 5th o We will host the NH Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team workshop “Working in a Mass Casualty Family Assistance Center”. o This training will provide workers and volunteers assigned to a Family Assistance Center with knowledge and skills necessary to assist family members of victims of a mass casualty event. 4 Welfare - Bob Mack presented  Assistance Expense figures for April 2012 as compared to April 2011: o Expenditures were down in all categories except fuel o People receiving assistance for April 2012 were 117 o Vouchers issued during April 2012 were down  Nashua Welfare Department assisted 3 families and 0 individuals in emergency shelter placements, and referred 4 families and 5 individuals to public shelters and/or homeless outreach during the month of April.  Through the month of April, the Welfare Department has expended $481,741.62 for General Assistance in FY2012. Total expenditures are $86,127.08 less than this time last fiscal year. Dr. Storace: Questions: None Closed this part of the session Public Comments None Public session closed Motion to Adjourn by Dr. Storace Seconded by Dr. Sharma All in favor: Aye Formal Meeting Ended at 1:05 PM. The next BOH Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted: Barbara A. Scacco Administrative Assistant II City of Nashua Division of Public Health & Community Services 5