Quinnipiack Valley Health District
A Regional Health Department Serving Bethany, Hamden, North Haven and Woodbridge, CT
1151 Hartford Turnpike . North Haven . CT . 06473 . tel (203) 248-4528 . fax (203) 248-6671 . www.qvhd.org
Thursday, December 7, 2023
Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting Minutes
Present: K. Blake, J. Donaldson, R. Ivins, A. Levison, C. Lewis, P. Marone, R. Martinello, P. Sandor, J. O’Neil St. Peter, E. Thornquist, S. Yarbrough, L. Altieri
Absent: C. Goldberg, J. Nuzzolillo, B. Bildstein
Staff: L. Pantoja
Vice President
P. Marone, Vice President started the meeting at 4:30 PM
Approval of the October 26, 2023-- Board Meeting Minutes
Motion by S. Yarbrough, seconded by K. Blake, to approve the QVHD Board Meeting Minutes of the October 26, 2023 Board Meeting.
Motion to accept the minutes passed.
Financial Report
L. Altieri presented the monthly Financial Report and noted that QVHD received payments from our four Towns, The State per Capita and the Grant money per agreement.
She noted that expenses are on par with what we need to spend.
Motion by K. Blake, seconded by P. Sandor, to place the Financial Report on file.
Motion passed.
Administrative Reports – report is attached.
Director of Health - L. Pantoja highlighted the following topics:
Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC2) Funding
Submitted Proposal:
a. PH Program Assistant à COVID 19 Program Manager (35 hrs) | (5 hrs)
- b. Health Educator & Public Health Nurse (35 hrs)
- c. Data Haven CHA subcontract
Immunizations & Vaccines for Children Funding
Executed Proposal:
a. PH Program Assistant (5 hrs) | OD2A (30 hrs)
b. Health Educator & Public Health Nurse (35 hrs)
c. RCA, Media Campaign & Vaccination support subcontracts
d. QVHD Production Studio
Public Health Workforce Development & Infrastructure Funding
Executed Proposal:
a. PH Program Assistant (5 hrs) | OD2A (30 hrs)
b. Health Educator (35 hrs)
c. Employee Assistant Program, Human Resources, Laptops & Conference support
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding
Lead Epidemiological Investigations
Apple Puree Recall Lead Epi Investigations
Overdose Data to Action Grant
Subcontract with New Haven Health Department
QVHD will assume responsibility for Wallingford Health Department.
CT DPH – QVHD XRF Loaner Program
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA): 11/1/23 – 9/30/33
The XRF will be housed at QVHD and the following towns are authorized to borrow it: CT River Area Health District, Meriden, New Haven & Wallingford.
Academia & Professional Development
Master of Public Health Workforce Internship:
University of Connecticut (UCONN) Program in Applied Public Health Sciences
Makayla Dawkins (10 hrs. /week)
Responsibilities: Mandatory Reportable Disease Surveillance & Production arm
L. Pantoja
a. Gave Public Health Informatics lecture at UCONN on 11.15.23
b. Attended the Northeast Epidemiology Conference in Mystic for all Health Departments on 11.30 & 12.1.23
c. CT DPH Commissioner invited L. Pantoja to the Semiannual Directors of Health Meeting to participate in the Opioid Panel Discussion (SOR & OD2A) on 12.13.23
Information Technology
a. Agency Webpage: Thank you to K. Sepulveda for cloning QVHD’s website
b. Square 9 Global Search: Improvements have been made.
Building Maintenance & Repairs: were discussed
a. Air Conditioning
b. Furnace
c. Electrical Panel
d. Increased Security
e. Building Restoration (Exterior)
Community Health: Presented by L. Pantoja
Data Haven:
- Community Health Assessment was completed and will be published soon.
- Focus Groups were attempted to be done in the community but were not successful due to a lack of enrollment in the first and second scheduled Group and then a spam block attack on attendees in the third Group.
QVHD Annual Report:
- FFY 2023 will be published soon.
- FFY 2022 was amended at the request of the Office of Local Health Administration for: Outdated SOPs regarding HIPPA (Private Health Information) and digital storing of information.
Tuberculosis Case Management:
Looking into Assistance from:
Quinnipiac University Physician Assistant Program
Deferred until February 2024
Medical Reserves Corp (MRC) – for TB & Lead
Environmental Health: Presented by L. Pantoja
Retirement:
The Chief of Environmental Services, Lynn Fox will retire on December 31, 2023. She worked for QVHD for 36 years. She possessed a lot of institutional knowledge and will be missed.
LIRA:
G. Sanchez, just completed the Lead Inspector | Risk Assessor Training Course and is now certified.
Lead Case Management
a. Lead Epidemiological Investigation (7/1/23 – 12/31/26) – comprehensive inspections to test water, dust, soil, and paint. (10 micrograms per deciliter and above)
b. Lead Epi Investigation Wana Bana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree recall (7/1/23 – 12/31/23 (5 micrograms per deciliter and above)
Emergency Preparedness : Presented by L.Pantoja
a. Hamden Public Schools Annual Emergency TableTop Exercise
Methamphetamine Laboratory Explosion
b. CRI Region 2 PHEP Pandemic Influenza Tabletop Exercise
Branford Fire House – 12.8.21
2024 Meeting Dates
Motion by E. Thornquist, seconded by P. Sandor, to approve the 2024 QVHD Board Meeting Dates.
Motion passed with one abstention by J. Donaldson (concerned March 28, 2023 is a Religious Holiday.)
Per Capita Increase
Motion by R. Ivans, seconded by S. Yarbrough, to increase the Per Capita from $7.20 to $7.50 for our Member Towns.
Motion passed.
Executive Session
Motion by J. Donaldson, seconded by S. Yarbrough, to move to Executive Session at 5:16 p.m.
Motion passed.
Motion by P. Marone, seconded by R. Ivans, to leave Executive Session at 6:05 p.m.
Motion passed.
Adjourn
Motion by R. Ivans, seconded by K. Blake to Adjourn was made at 6:15 PM
Motion passed.
