In Attendance: J. Donaldson, C. Goldberg, K. Blake, R. Martinello, P. Marone, J. O’Neill St Peter, N. Spector (by telephone)

Absent: T. Mitchell, J. Solimene, B. Weeks, A. Levison, R. Ivins

Ex Officio: L. Balch              Staff: K. Sepulveda

President’s Comments

President Donaldson called the meeting to order at 4:48PM and declared a quorum with all four towns represented. Donaldson welcomed J. O’Neill St. Peter’s return and announced that after speaking with the first selectman’s office, William Kohlhepp of North Haven has been invited to return to the board.

Approval of Minutes

A motion was made by C. Goldberg, seconded by J. O’Neill St. Peter’s, to accept the December 2018 minutes. The motion carried unanimously.

Financial Report

 L. Balch shared the annual financial report with the board at 4:50PM.

Target: 75%, Revenue through March 31, 2019 79.9% and Current Expenditures 64.56%

L. Balch highlighted that QVHD now has a new bookkeeper and is transition to desk top deposit with Capital One at a significant savings in fees.

L. Balch stated that while some expenditures need to be reallocated to the grants, she predicts the reserve will remain untouched. QVHD has received the first payment for the PHEP grant, Balch reported that a 30-39% cut is expected next year.  Per capita funding is also in the Governor’s budget at a 20% decrease in Statewide allocation. We are still awaiting payment for the HERR grant for Public Health Accreditation.

Committee Reports:

L. Balch reported that while no committees have met to date, both SBHC’s (Hamden High & Church Street) Advisory Committees will meet as one in May and determine how they wish to proceed with the bi-annual meetings.  

The finance committee will be preparing the FY20 budget for Board approval at the April 25, 2019 Board meeting. The Board consensus is to schedule the public hearing on the proposed budget for April 29, 2019.   

R. Ivins, chair of the Personnel Committee, has worked with the Personnel Committee on revisions for the Management and Confidential Employee Policy manual. Revisions will be presented to the Board upon completion.

C. Goldberg is in the process of reviewing the by-laws and will report back next meeting.

Administrative Reports

Community Engagement and Promotion

Kara Sepulveda updated the Board on Opioid-related prevention activities.

• QVHD arranged a provider education course at Quinnipiac’s School of Medicine on 03/19/19.  Thirty-eight medical providers attended the 4-hour training, which fulfilled half of the requirements needed to obtain their buprenorphine waiver for the treatment of opioid use disorder. A representative from the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) attended as well to encourage compliance with the state’s PDMP.

• In partnership with North Haven, QVHD will be launching Resource Corners at local churches. The corners will have a range of public health materials including substance use, chronic disease prevention, emergency preparedness and upcoming events/trainings. The first corner will be launched at North Haven’s Congregational Church later this spring.

• QVHD continues to arrange Narcan trainings, that now include a suicide prevention component (QPR) in response to the rise in intentional overdoses, both North Haven CERT & Hamden CERT have arranged to receive the trainings. QVHD joined the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk Committee, the next meeting will be held at QVHD on Wednesday, April 17^th at 6:30PM.

• A Substance Abuse Panel consisting of a recovery coach and her mother will present their experiences with substance use disorder to students from Hamden High School health and physical education classes on April 10. The arrangements and engagement by QVHD with school district staff is a program of SBHC outreach, health education and substance use disorder awareness. 

• National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness day is April 10, 2019. The SBHC will share information, answer questions and provide prevention facts with the high school student body to inform and promote the availability of related services at the SBHC.

Directors Report:

The District is still receiving a steady number of influenza case reports, is following our second (non-linked) case of active TB. All other reportable diseases are noted to have usual patterns and trends for the District.

QVHD has relaunched a district column to be published monthly, called QVHD Connections. Health/wellness topics, tips and upcoming training opportunities will be public shared local publications, on www.qvhd.org  and on social media. The first column is shared with you tonight. Comments are welcome.

QVHD continues our efforts toward accreditation. The Stratford Director of Health & Chief of Environmental Health were guest speakers at a recent QVHD staff meeting to share their experiences with the process of becoming accredited. They sighted the feeling of accomplishment and the benefits of the outcome as a stronger, better organized and accountable health department. We will continue with our documentation and plan to follow their advice to hold monthly staff meetings to be inclusive and focus on the revision and/or development of standard operating policies.

Board member K. Blake reported on her attendance at, and related follow-up from, a Community Conversation on Health co-sponsored by QVHD and the Greater New Haven Partnership on 3/21/19.  Resident representation was geographically limited to Southern Hamden but the discussion rich in content of issues, strengths and areas for improvement. 

Upcoming Events: Two MRC/Volunteer/community trainings are scheduled for Saturday April 6^th at QVHD. Until Help Arrives will be held from 1-3PM and teach attendees how to respond to medical emergencies before professional help arrives. Two separate CPR/AED certification courses will be held following the training, 3:15-4:45PM & 5:00-6:30PM.

Hamden Health Fair at the Keefe Center (4/13/19 10AM-2PM); Hamden Earth Day (4/27/19 10AM-3PM); Rx Drug Take Back Day (4/27/2019 10AM-2PM at North Haven Fire Headquarters); QU Medical School Health Fair North Haven (Sat. 05/04/19 10AM-3PM); Health Food Drive (Hamden Stop & Shop, 06/22/19)

Environmental Health

Implementation of the new FDA Food Code has been delayed and will most likely be pushed out in January 2020.

Radon Home Test Kits were distributed to 90 residents, as of last month only 1/3 have been returned for processing.  Reminder calls were made twice, 1/3 of those that came back had a high reading and re-testing was recommended.

Environmental staff has been recertified for lead assessment and trained to the new FDA inspection code.  

In addition to trainings and meetings, the 4 environmental staff conducted the following field activities in the months of January and February:

• 138 food establishment inspections;
• 21 septic system related activities, 14 of which required soil testing;
• 4 elevated blood lead cases being followed and 38 case managements in process;
• response and inspections on 17 complaints conducted, with 16 notices of violation served;
• 26 open student housing inspections completed or scheduled, all of which require reinspection;
• 3 local hearing for variances attended; and 6 new cosmetology application reviewed and inspected.

Directors Report

Secretary I Search: 56 resumes received for the position, 25 were contacted, 15 interviewed. No candidate has accepted. L. Balch will share the ad with the board to share with anyone that may be interested.

A strategy to digitize our records is being pursued for activities going forward rather than retroactively now that the files have been relocated. Two vendors have been contacted and a third is scheduled to present a demonstration in April. Cost, scope and applicability to needs will be considered before moving forward.

Executive Session

P. Marone moved to enter executive session at 6:23PM to discuss upcoming contract Negotiations. The motion was seconded by K. Blake and passed unanimously.

Return to regular session at 6:45 PM

Motion made to adjourn at 6:50

Respectfully submitted,

Kara Sepulveda, Temporary Clerk