Health Equity Committee

Health Equity Committee Minutes Monday, July 10, 2023 Meeting called to order at 2:34 pm Attendance: Dr. Mohammed. Qureshi, Jennifer Granger, Laura Dietrich, Chief Patrick Daley, Kate Milde, Patrick McCormack, Joseph Zuzel, Shiela Hayes, A quorum is present. A motion to approve the Minutes of June 12, 2023 meeting was made by Patrick McCormack and seconded by Chief Patrick Daley. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Zuzel – Discussion of moving the meeting to the 1st Monday of the month but no decision was made Semi-annual report will be due by September 30, 2023 Kate Milde – Chairman Zuzel is reading Katie Milde’s response with her permission. Kate Milde is a voting member, all city employees are full voting members, Health Equity Solutions Report – never completed a report and they were never contracted nor paid a fee. HES is an option if the HEC community would like to engage in the future. Demographic Perspective was paid a fee for meetings and the contract is not longer active. Discussion on funding for presentation of existing data. Possible engage a summer intern from TRCC. A motion to authorize Kate Milde to contact CT State Colleges at Norwich Campus to enage a student intern interested in complining health equity data on behalf of the Health Equity Committee was made by Dr. Mohammed. Qureshi and seconded by Patrick McCormick. Motion carried unanimously. Redline list for discussion and recommended amendment are as follows: 1. City Manager or a representative 2. Representative of the Uncan Health District 3. Representative of the Norwich Police Department 4. Representative of the Norwich Department of Human Resources 5. Director of Human Services or their successor or representative 6. Representative of the NAACP Norwich Branch 7. Representative of the United Community & Family Services Healthcare 8. Representative of the Otis Library 9. Dr. Mohammed Qureshi or a representative of the Hospitalist at Hartford Healthcare 10. Dr. Alexander Mbewe, or a representative of Outpatient Services at Hartford Healthcare 11. Director of Community Health or a representative at Hartford Healthcare 12. Chief Executive Officer or a respresentative of Generations 13. Norwich Public Schools Director of Equity or a representative Suggested amended resolution from the Health Equity Committee A motion to change Norwich Public Schools Director of Equity or representative to Norwich Public Schools Representative. was made by Katie Milde and seconded by Jennifer Granger. Motion carried unanimously A motion to accept the Redline list as amended by Dr. Mohammed Qureshi and seconded by Patrick McCormack. Motion carried unanimously. A motion to remit the accpeted Redline changes to the Health Equity Resolution dated October 3, 2022 to the Norwich City Manager for consideration for Norwich City Council adoption was made by Jennifer Granger and seconded by Chief Patrick Daley. Motion carried unaimously. The City Manager approved funding for a paid Recording Secretary for the Health Equity Committee for 2023 – 2024 Fiscal Year. Guest Speaker Keving Brown, President Norwich Community Development Corporation (NCDC). Discussion on HEC leading multi-disciplinary conversation regarding educating, regulating and understanding legal cannabis use in the City of Norwich. 1st Reason – Social Impact and 2nd Funding. Today’s report of the first 6 months of $122 M in retail sales in CT, Norwich Retail Sales of Cannabis will start Friday, July 16 and Norwich may net $350,000 in sales by the end of this fiscal year. Discussion on HEC leading on the Multi-Disciplinary areas “Education, Regulating and Understanding” on legal cannabis use. By CT laws “6 categories for funding from Tax Revenue for allocation.” The HEC discussed how this committee will addressed the issue through the lens health equity lens with respect to underserved and underspresentated population. Mission and Vision – the Chair is requesting language for the Mission and Vision and email to Shiela Hayes, Secretary for discussion at the next meeting. 6 Areas of focus – requesting email be sent to Shiela Hayes, Secretary indicating which area of focus or areas of focus each member to service on the focus area committee: Health Equity Plan (3 & 4) Data (aggegation and Analysis (5 & 6) Direct Services (7 & 8) Internal City Processes (internal operations 9 & 10) Legislative Advocacy (13 & 14) Goals and Objectives (12) A motion to send a letter of terminationto Erica Brennan from the Health Equity Committee Chair was mad by Patrick McCormack and seconded by Dr. Mohammed Qureshi. Motion carried unanimously. A motion to adjourn was made by Patrick McCormack and seconded by Kate Milde. Motion carried unanimously. Respectively Submitted Shiela Hayes Secretary Health Equity Committee