HomeMy WebLinkAboutHealth Board Feb 4 2020Whatcom County
Council as the Health Board
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Minutes - Final
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
10 AM
Council Chambers
COUNCILMEMBERS
Rud Browne
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Carol Frazey
Kathy Kershner
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council as the Health Board Minutes - Final February 4, 2020
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:04 a.m. in
the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: 6 - Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Carol Frazey, Ben Elenbaas and
Kathy Kershner
Absent: 1 - Todd Donovan
Public Session
The following people spoke in support of the Child and Family Action Plan:
Vince Foster, Unity Care Northwest board member
April Barker,
Monica Burke on behalf of herself and of Monica Koller
Jennifer Moon
Ken Gass, M.D.
Child and Family Action Plan Presentation
AB2020-070 Presentation Regarding Child and Family Action Plan
Carol Frazey introduced the presentation and referred to a handout (on file)
submitted by the presenters providing extra letters of support.
The following people presented:
Rachel Lucy, outgoing Chair of the Public Health Advisory Board
Debbie Ahl, Mt. Baker Foundation Executive Director
Emily O'Connor, Lydia Place Executive Director
The presenters summarized the proposed next steps for the County to
implement the recommendations on packet page 5. They asked
Councilmembers to adopt the plan and to commit to the next steps.
The following people answered questions:
Heather Flaherty, Chuckanut Health Foundation
Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director
Rachel Lucy, Peace Health
Sterling Chick, Health Department
Emily O'Connor, Lydia Place
Astrid Newell, Health Department
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Council as the Health Board Minutes - Final February 4, 2020
Councilmembers discussed and asked questions about how helping a child
now using the recommended plan will help that child overcome the
obstacles in the longrun without addressing the root causes of the obstacles;
addressing those root problems such as literacy and housing; finding ways
to fund the solutions, such as Economic Development Investment (EDI)
funds, that don't take resources from other programs; looking at zoning
restrictions that keep businesses from housing childcare facilities; what
data is being used to track the effectiveness of the plan should it be adopted;
why Lynden has a lower rate of child abuse and neglect (packet pg. 33) than
the other cities; looking at broader causes and solutions to child and family
issues that don't necessarily cost money; how trauma affects children and
adults; and looking at the history behind the data trends presented in the
packet.
Frazey moved to adopt the Child Family Action plan. The motion was
seconded.
Councilmembers discussed a suggestion that the PHAB and Health
Department reach out to the for -profit businesses in the community for
support, looking for ways to address the issues holistically and ways that do
not require money, and addressing other current needs causing barriers first
before following the recommendations of the plan.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 5 - Browne, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 1 - Byrd
Absent: 1 - Donovan
Buchanan moved to formally commit to the following four proposed next
steps for the County to implement the plan's recommendations on packet
page five:
1. Request the Office of the County Executive assess infrastructure and
budget needs required to realize commitment to an integrated focus on
child and family well-being across county government departments.
a. Receive from the County Executive a proposed infrastructure model to
implement, aiming toward establishment of an "Office of Child and Family
Well-being" or other structure that will embed a focus on children and
families across county government.
b. Request that biennial budget proposals be submitted to support actions
contained in this Action Plan, with a focus on housing, child care, and
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Council as the Health Board Minutes - Final February 4, 2020
Director's Report
behavioral health care.
2. Develop an ordinance to create a county task force, or other official
county committee, with high-level staffing and resources to ensure that
diverse community partners are informed, coordinated, and included in the
implementation of this Action Plan, make additional recommendations, and
regularly report progress to the County Council.
a. Using the highly effective Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task
Force as a model, the task force will include representatives from
government, community organizations, and families. The task force will
focus on tracking and furthering progress of community efforts to achieve
the desired results for children and families.
3. Support and actively participate in fiscal analysis in early 2020 to
identify existing and potential funding streams for child and family
programs. Potential new funding streams may include a future bond, levy,
taxes, federal funding, etc.
4. Fulfill prior commitments to resource and fund two critical efforts,
including:
a) adoption of culturally and linguistically appropriate services and
trauma -informed approaches in all County departments; and
b) development of a culturally and linguistically responsive health
navigation system for families seeking information and assistance with
health and social services.
The motion was seconded and Councilmembers discussed the motion, and
the recommendations, including the formation of a new task force.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 5 - Browne, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 1 - Byrd
Absent: 1 - Donovan
This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED and two motions
were approved.
Regina Delahunt, Health Department, gave a brief update and stated this is
her last Health Board meeting before her retirement. Councilmembers
thanked her for her service to the County and the community. She
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introduced the Health Officer Update.
Health Officer Update on Coronavirus (2019 nCoV)
Other Business
Adjournment
Greg Stern, Health Department Health Officer, briefed the Council on the
Coronavirus and how the Health Department is responding to it. His report
included a description of the Coronavirus, the transmissibility and severity
of the illness it causes, how the virus can be detected and how that detection
translates to how transmissible it is, current statistics of how the virus is
spreading, control measures the Health Department is taking, and
coordination efforts with other agencies and organizations. He stated there
have been no confirmed cases in Whatcom County.
He and Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, answered questions
about Health Department communication efforts to manage public
awareness and angst and to sort out facts vs myths, what the RO "R naught"
value (the measure which tells the number of people who become infected
by one case) is, whether the virus is transmittable before a person exhibits
symptoms, the survival rate of the virus outside the host, and the survival
rate of those who contract the virus.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 12:07 p.m.
The County C�gpiiproved these minutes on February 25, 2020.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
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WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
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