HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Health August 1 20171
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Board of Health
August 1, 2017
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
1.
2.
Present: Barry Buchanan, Barbara
Sidhu, and Carl Weimer
Absent: Ken Mann
PUBLIC SESSION
No one spoke.
Brenner, Rud Browne, Todd Donovan, Satpal
DIRECTOR /HEALTH OFFICER REPORT
Greg Stern, Health Officer, reported on local laboratory changes when Peace Health
lab was acquired by Quest and problems with data sharing to providers. The entire system
of healthcare in the community is having to be restructured due to the lack of data
coordination from changes to this one piece of the system.
Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, reported on the State operating
budget and money for foundational public health services from the State operational
budget; increasing capacity in communicable disease services with the additional operating
funds; the delay in State adoption of the capital budget; building problems at the State
Street facility; the public health accreditation annual report regarding the Health
Department's performance management system; the Women, Infant, Children (WIC)
Program low caseload and other service delivery options in 'the community; a study of
barriers to Health Department services; and an effort by the North Sound Behavioral Health
Organization to consider early integration of medical care and Medicaid sooner than the
2020 deadline.
She answered questions on the possibility of having an excise tax for solid waste
funding, the source of odor problems at the State Street facility, the reason for the low
caseloads for the WIC program statewide, the possibility of providing WIC services at the
East County Regional Resource Center, how the WIC program is funded based on population
and caseload, and whether a decline could be related to the federal policy stance on
undocumented workers.
3. PROPOSAL FOR ACCOUNTABLE COMMUNITIES OF HEALTH (ACH) BOARD
MEMBER
Delahunt stated the County Council needs to nominate a councilmember or appoint
Human Services Manager Anne Deacon to serve on the Board.
Browne moved to appoint Anne Deacon as the Council representative.
Board of Health, 8/1/2017, Page 1
1 The motion was seconded.
2
3 Councilmembers and staff discussed whether there is value to having a
4 councilmember on the ACH Board or attend the meeting; whether each county has the
5 same number of representatives, despite population; and other regional areas in the state.
6
7 The motion carried by the following vote:
8 Ayes: Brenner, Donovan, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, and Weimer (6)
9 Nays: None (0)
10 Absent: Mann (1)
11
12 4. PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD (PHAB) UPDATE
13
14 Sue Sullivan, Public Health Advisory Board Vice - Chair, updated the Board on the
15 recent July meeting focus on childcare. There were three topics. The first is regarding the
16 cost of childcare. The second is that many childcare providers are living in poverty. The
17 third is that returning veterans who use their GI Bill and have children are under stress
18 because the GI Bill doesn't cover the cost of childcare. The first recommendation is to
19 advocate for reducing veteran barriers. The second recommendation is to bring the issue
20 forward to the Whatcom County economic development partners, such as the Chamber of
21 Commerce or Choose Whatcom project.
22
23 Liz Harmon - Craig, Health Department, answered questions.
24
25 Councilmembers and staff discussed the ability for people to get their college
26 degrees online using the GI Bill; whether the federal government has. any initiative to do
27 what it is recommending; whether there are other models for creative and cooperative
28 childcare options, besides federal and state funding; and including Whatcom Community
29 College and Bellingham Technical College in the survey.
30
31 Weimer moved to send the letter as shown on Board packet page 5.
32
33 The motion was seconded.
34
35 The motion carried by the following vote:
36 Ayes: Brenner, Donovan, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, and Weimer (6)
37 Nays: None (0)
38 Absent: Mann (1)
39
40 Astrid Newell, Health Department, reported on the recommendation to reach out to
41 community partners about childcare issues and businesses.
42
43 David Webster, Opportunity Council, answered questions on what they hope to
44 achieve by reaching out to community partners, helping childcare providers build their
45 business, learning what issues and barriers local companies face regarding employee
46 childcare, quality childcare, economic development funds for childcare, and the trends in
47 supply and demand for childcare.
48
49 S. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL IN WHATCOM COUNTY
50
51 Joni Hensley, Health Department, read from a presentation in the Board packet (on
52 file) and answered questions.
53
54
Board of Health, 8/1/2017, Page 2
1 The following staff also answered questions:
2 Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director
3 Dr. Greg Stern, Health Officer
4
5 Councilmembers discussed and asked questions about staffing levels; the source of
6 antibiotic - resistant gonorrhea; how to use the $100,000 from the State for communicable
7 diseases; the cost of a shingles vaccine in Canada; what happens with an active
8 tuberculosis case in the jail; educating employers on the cost of not providing sick leave;
9 advising sick employees to not go to work; and whether vaccines come in a generic form.
10
11
12 ADJOURN
13
14 The meeting adjourned at 12:04 p.m.
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16 C L�ici fdved these minutes on September 26, 2017.
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18 ATTjjS .` «'�� I l q p•�•�t/ WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
19 C.} �`' CUiJi7y WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
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23 Darts Bro i =,i r i s, Cgdncil,�lerk arr chanan, Council Chair
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28 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
Board of Health, 8/1/2017, Page 3