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, September 23, 2021
(Remote Meeting Via Zoom)
4:30 pm - Regular Board of Directors Meeting
Present: J. Donaldson, C. Goldberg, R. Ivins, R. Martinello, P. Sandor, D. Clemente, A. Levison, E. Thornquist, J. Nuzzolillo S. Yarbrough, J. St. Peter, K. Blake, R. Martinello,
Absent: P. Marone, S. Yarbrough, K. Blake, C. Lewis
Staff: K. Wolujewicz, A. Mulvihill, L. Fox, L. Altieri
President’s comments:
J. Donaldson welcomed Hamden’s newly appointed Board of Director, Daniel Clemente to QVHD’s Board of Directors. Daniel introduced himself to the board.
Approval of June 24, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes:
A motion was made by C. Goldberg and seconded by E. Thornquist to approve the June 24, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes. The motion passed unanimously.
Financial Report (L. Altieri)
The financial report was reviewed and questions were addressed.
A motion was made by R. Ivins, and seconded by A. Levison to place the financial report on file. The motion passed unanimously.
L. Altieri shared that QVHD has researched utilizing MuniciPAY. MuniciPAY is an electronic payment processing company providing credit and debit, electronic check acceptance, and e-commerce solutions. There is a one-time purchase fee of $199 for the credit card reader, with no additional costs to QVHD for utilizing.
A motion was made by C. Goldberg, seconded by E. Thornquist for QVHD to use MuniciPAY to process credit card and electronic payments.
Committee Reports:
Nominating Committee – On behalf of the nominating committee, A. Levison nominated
P. Marone as President and C. Goldberg as Vice President of QVHD’s Board of Directors.
A motion was made to elect the slate as nominated by R. Ivins and seconded by R. Martinello. The motion passed unanimously.
J. Donaldson shared that P. Marone has a conflict during the scheduled Board of Directors meetings for September, October and December and that C. Goldberg will be conducting the meetings as Vice President for the next couple of months.
Finance – no report
SBHC – no report
By-Laws – no report
Special Projects Committee – C. Goldberg reported that the special project committee is starting the process of determining what is most cost effective regarding QVHD’s office space. C. Goldberg shared the committee is exploring what options are available in the area, as well as having people evaluate the current building to see what renovations are needed in the current office building.
Personnel Committee – no report
Administrative Reports:
Director of Health:
COVID-19 Updates:
Contact tracing efforts continued throughout the summer. QVHD noted an increase in the number of COVID-19 positive cases reported in the month of August.
COVID-19 vaccine clinics:
QVHD will await CDC and CTDPH guidance on administering the booster dose of Moderna or J&J COVID-19 vaccines to eligible populations. QVHD is assessing its staffing and resources and planning internally to be able to host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic and offer the booster dose based on current recommendations.
Administrative:
K. Wolujewicz highlighted the new staff that have joined QVHD under several grant funding programs including Academic Detailing for Opioid Safety (ADOPs) program, Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) program, and the Vaccine Equity Partnership Funding (VEPF) program.
K. Wolujewicz reported the QVHD company vehicle has broken down twice over the summer and is currently not being utilized by staff due to safety concerns until further notice. Discussion followed. R. Ivins and J. Donaldson recommended referment to the finance committee for further discussion.
K. Wolujewicz reported QVHD plans to meet with all four towns regarding their American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funding and discuss if there is an opportunity for potential allocation to QVHD to support its public health response and fund COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
The full report has been placed on file.
Community Health:
A. Mulvihill reported that QVHD’s annual report for July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 is finalized and will be distributed to the Board via e-mail.
K. Sepulveda, A. Gartman and A. Mulvihill recorded a summer preparedness video for the North Haven Library. Topics included: extreme heat and COVID-19.
A. Mulvihill highlighted the below Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) activities:
- Overdose Awareness Day 2021
- In partnership with Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center & the city of New Haven Health Department, QVHD organized an event for International Overdose Awareness Day that was held on Tuesday, August 31st. Over 22 vendors attended and held tables throughout the green, Musical Intervention performed for the duration of the event. The theme of the event was “the Arts of Hope, Health & Healing” and more than 300 residents stopped by the event to learn how they could help address the surging epidemic. A candlelight vigil concluded the evening, paying respect to those lost and spreading hope to those impacted.
- Vital Strategies Love & Dignity + Brooklyn Bridge
- QVHD participated in a photo project dedicated to capturing folks across the country working on the frontline of the opioid crisis. Andressa Granado & Kara Sepulveda were captured by two artists conducting naloxone trainings at businesses in the district and collecting survey data during street outreach related to overdose experience. Their work is now displayed on a new website called Love & Dignity, a humans of NY style site, where they detail some of the work being conducted locally and nationally. The project is also now displayed on the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC in a Photo Ville art installation displayed as a 40-foot banner through the beginning of December.
- Lovedignity.org
The full report with additional community health activities has been placed on file.
Environmental Health:
L. Fox reported that QVHD is in discussions to work with Square 9, a digital record keeping system to move the digitalization of environmental files forward. Square 9 is an enterprise content management solution that will allow QVHD to start uploading files to an open portal for the public to utilize.
The digitalization was tentatively referred to the Special Projects Committee, but should be confirmed when P. Marone develops the new committee assignments.
The full report has been placed on file.
Public Health Emergency Preparedness:
The position of Part Time Public Health Preparedness Coordinator is still vacant. QVHD is currently accepting applications and conducting interviews.
QVHD Medical Director
K. Wolujewicz reported that the annual agreement for QVHD’s Medical Director is up for re-appointment.
C. Goldberg asked for a motion to assign/appoint Dr. Amir Mohammad as our medical director.
J. Donaldson made a motion, seconded by P. Sandor to appoint Dr. Amir Mohammad as medical director for QVHD. The motion passed unanimously.
Adjourn:
A motion to adjourn was made by R. Ivins, seconded by P. Sandor at 6:03 pm.
