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, June 24, 2021
(Remote Meeting Via Zoom)
4:30 pm - Regular Board of Directors Meeting
Present: J. Donaldson, P. Marone, C. Goldberg, P. Sandor, S. Yarbrough. R. Ivins, J. St. Peter, K. Blake, R. Martinello,
Absent: B. Thornquist, C. Lewis, A. Levison, J. Nuzzolillo
Staff: K. Wolujewicz, L. Fox
President’s comments:
J. Donaldson welcomed all to the June Board of Directors meeting. She wished everyone a happy Juneteenth and called the meeting to order at 4:36 pm.
Approval of May 27, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes:
A motion was made by P. Marone and seconded by C. Goldberg to approve the May 27, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes. The motion passed unanimously.
Juneteenth Day of Observation
On June 18th, President Biden proclaimed June 19, 2021 as Juneteenth Day of Observance. Additionally, Governor Ned Lamont issued a proclamation declaring June 19, 2021 to be Juneteenth Day in Connecticut.
As per the Union Contract, “in the event that the President of the United States, the Governor of the State of Connecticut, or the Board of Directors, declare a holiday by proclamation, each employee shall be granted a paid holiday in addition to the holidays listed in Section 6.0 above.”
R. Ivins reported that the personnel committee met virtually and recommends that the management policy and full-time grant personnel policy be amended to include Juneteenth Day as a paid holiday.
A motion was made by R. Ivins and seconded by P. Marone to approve an amendment to the management policy and full-time grant personnel policy to include Juneteenth Day as a paid holiday. All applicable staff will choose a day within the next two weeks and submit approval to their supervisor to receive the paid holiday.
Financial Report (L. Altieri)
K. Wolujewicz reported on behalf of L. Altieri. K. Wolujewicz stated that local health districts were informed by CTDPH at a local health meeting that the state per capita will be increasing to $2.60. This is a significant increase from the previous year of $1.85 per capita.
A motion was made by J. St. Peter, seconded by K. Blake to place the financial report on file. The motion passed unanimously.
Committee Reports:
Finance – P. Marone shared that the finance committee plans to meet to discuss how to utilize the increase revenue from the state per capita. He also mentioned the need to focus on prioritizing the (ELC) program projects identified from the Board Retreat.
SBHC – no report
By-Laws – no report
Special Projects Committee – no report
Personnel Committee – R. Ivins provided the personnel committee update in the Juneteenth Day discussion.
Administrative Reports:
Director of Health:
COVID-19 Updates:
- None of QVHD’s towns are in the red (15 or more cases per 100,000) for COVID-19 cases.
- Since March 2020, there have been a total of 9,418 reported cases of COVID-19 within QVHD’s jurisdiction.
- The most affected age group with COVID-19 is 20-29 followed by the 50-59 age group and 30-39 age group within QVHD’s jurisdiction.
- The number of reported COVID-19 cases between April – June within QVHD’s jurisdiction have decreased.
COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics:
- To date, QVHD has administered 5,133 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and has administered vaccine to 2,837 total individuals.
- Among those that QVHD has administered vaccine to about 2,400 individuals completed their 2-dose series with QVHD. QVHD has been successful at managing second doses for those receiving their first dose of the vaccine at a QVHD COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
- QVHD continues to vaccinate homebound individuals within the district and plans to partner with Whitney Rehabilitation Care Center to set up a pop-up clinic.
Administrative:
- QVHD management met with our HR consultant on the development of a QVHD employee handbook. The employee handbook will include policy and procedures that are essential to the operations of QVHD, as well as required for applying for Public Health Accreditation in the future.
- K. Wolujewicz noted repairs on both the AC unit and generator were performed.
Community Health:
A. Mulvihill met with CSHHC SBHC leadership to discuss QVHD’s SBHC subcontractor agreement. The subcontractor agreement will be extended for one year to finish the current grant cycle. QVHD and CSHHC will look to review the subcontractor agreement for the next grant cycle to follow.
A. Mulvihill worked to establish a partnership with CSHHC on QVHD’s Vaccine Equity Partnership vaccination activities.
OD2A outreach has launched bus ads with CT Transit – running on 8 different buses for 12 weeks throughout the Greater New Haven Area.
K. Sepulveda has been working with BOWDAAC (Bethany Orange Woodbridge Drug Alcohol Action Council) Coordinator on implementing the state’s campaign #Letsmentionprevention. Let’s Mention Prevention is a substance use prevention, education and awareness campaign that was created to address the timely substance use-related issues that our community faces. The committee will be targeting different establishments in Bethany/Woodbridge that sell alcohol to praise them for their continued efforts to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors and share some guidance available to distribute to both staff & customers.
QVHD has worked with Data Haven to complete the grant required community needs assessment related to opioid use in our jurisdiction.
Environmental Health:
L. Fox shared that environmental health related activities are returning to pre-COVID levels and staff response to COVID-19 related activities is declining.
L. Fox applied for a $30,000 AFDO grant for digitalization efforts which would include purchasing a program to scan property files, as well as the related scanning equipment.
Public Health Emergency Preparedness:
QVHD is working on the BP3 summary for next year and will be submitting soon.
Executive Session:
A motion was made by R. Ivins, seconded by P. Marone to go to Executive Session at 5:24 pm. The motion passed unanimously.
A motion was made by C. Goldberg, seconded by P. Marone to exit the Executive Session at 5:27pm. The motion passed unanimously.
J. Donaldson shared that there is a motion to extend K. Wolujewicz’ s contract for three years. C. Goldberg made a motion to accept, seconded by P. Marone. This motion passed unanimously. K. Wolujewicz duly accepted.
J. Donaldson read the resolution to authorize the Director of Health as signatory for grants and contracts. The following resolution was read into the minutes:
This is to certify that Karen Ann A. Wolujewicz is the Director of Health of Quinnipiack Valley Health District, 1151 Hartford Turnpike, North Haven CT 06473 and that on June 24, 2021, pursuant to Sec. 19a-243 of the Connecticut General Statutes, is authorized to make, execute and approve on behalf of this corporation, any and all contracts or amendments thereof with the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health on behalf of said organization, in order to operate a(n): Per Capita grant, Academic Detailing for Opioid Safety (ADOPS) program, Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Enhancing Detection grant for the Enhanced Detection, Response, Surveillance, and Prevention of COVID-19 (ELC) program, Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) in Connecticut Communities, PHHS Block Grant Program for activities toward Public Health Accreditation, Public Health Emergency Preparedness, School Based Health Center at Hamden High School and Church Street School, and Vaccine Equity Partnership Funding (VEPF) grant.
A motion to adopt the resolution, as read by J. Donaldson, was made by P. Marone and seconded by J. St. Peter. This motion passed unanimously.
Adjourn:
A motion to adjourn was made by C. Goldberg, seconded by J. St. Peters at 5:32 pm.
