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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-02-26 Middlesex-Essex Public Health Collaborative Minutes Middlesex-Essex Public Health Collaborative Meeting Agenda Wednesday, February 26 at 2:00 pm Via Video Conferencing How to join the meeting: Join via computer or smartphone:Join Here. In Attendance: • Andover,Tom Carbone—Aye • North Andover, Brian LaGrasse—Aye • Lynnfield, Coral Hope—Absent • Haverhill, Bonnie Dufresne-Aye • Reading, Ade Solarin—Aye • North Reading, Pam Merrill—Aye Also In Attendance: • Annette Garcia, MEPHC Shared Services Coordinator • Chandini Paul, MEPHC Health Communications Specialist • Lea Anne Pero, MEPHC Public Health Nurse • Mary Connolly, Haverhill Public Health Director 1. Approval of 1/29/2029 Meeting Minutes A motion made by Brian LaGrasse to approve the meeting minutes as presented, seconded by Bonnie Dufresne. Vote: 4-0, 1 abstain. Motion approved. 2. Regional Staff Updates a. Shared Services Coordinator i. Hosting Mock Noise investigations in the spring.There are four dates available, encourage all inspectors to sign up for one of the days. ii. We have purchased distracted driving goggles that may be used by the region for health education events. Please e-mail Annette if you would like to request these. 1. Drunk Irnpairrnent Gigoggles 2. THC IM13airment Gog�-les &Activities iii. MEPHC is also purchasing a UV camera to couple with sun safety tabling initiative.This can be requested for use by local departments as well. b. Public Health Nurse i. Working on some tabling opportunities at Health fairs ii. Working with Chandini to develop an impaired driving and medication management training for seniors 1. We are presenting at North Andover senior conference in May and can offer at other senior centers after iii. Hosted a very successful Narcan ToT in January. We have met once more with the group and are continuing to host opportunities to engage and discuss ongoing Narcan programming. 1. Hoping to engage additional community stakeholders. Meeting invite was sent to original participants, and this can be shared out to additional stakeholders. 2. Add meeting to your calendar: April 24, 10 am in North Andover c. Health Inspector i. Remind folks to update information on FoodCode-Pro to ensure inactive establishments are closed, and contact information is correct. Regional staff can help with the updates. Please reach out to Annette if you would like our assistance. ii. Advisory Board asked how the Metric software being developed by the state will impact our use of Relavent. 1. We can continue to pay for Relavent while the state develops the inspectional software 2. They are still collecting feedback from stakeholders and it is anticipated the roll-out is still years away 3. Once the software is rolled out, PHE funds can no longer pay for Relavent software d. Health Communications i. Looking to join open coalition/public health task force meetings. Please reach out to Chandini if you have any meetings MEPHC would be invited to. ii. During National Public Health week,we are planning a region-wide campaign to record videos for each day. Looking for communities to participate in recording videos. 1. Any staff interested can reach out to Chandini, we'll also be reaching out to staff to encourage engagement. 3. DISCUSSION/VOTE: RFP Award a. We received three responses to the RFP. i. BME strategies received the highest score from the four reviewers and had the lowest price. ii. If is the recommendation of North Andover and SSC to award the contract to BME Strategies. A motion is made by Thomas Carbone to award the contract to BME Strategies, seconded by Brian La G rasse. Vote: 5-0, approved unanimously. b. Annette will be meeting with BME Strategies to schedule a kick-off meeting.This will replace the March 26th meeting. 4. DISCUSSION: Foundational Public Health Services a. The majority of our communities have completed the cost tool.All are on-track to complete before the due date. b. The next step is to complete the FPHS Service Delivery Tool.This is due the first week of April. i. If you have not already set up a meeting to complete this with Annette,feel free to reach out! 5. DISCUSSION/VOTE: Collaborative Participation a. The IMA outlines clear participation requirements i. Board of Health appoints an Advisory Board representative who attends and engages during meetings ii. Each municipality will assist in collecting data and provide it to the SSC to meet the goals of the SSA set forth in the workplan iii. Adopt collaborative-wide policies and recommended regulations iv. Assure compliance with all mandatory reporting requirements b. While the IMA outlines participation requirements, it does not outline what is to occur when a community does not comply with the participation requirements. i. While it is important for departments to maintain their individual authority,the purpose of the grant is to promote cross-jurisdictional efficiency which includes participating in region-wide projects c. We have had challenges with garnering participation from all communities i. North Reading has frequently declined to participate in SSA-wide projects such as the FDA Standards and until yesterday, declined to participate in the FPHS project d. The Advisory Board agrees that they would like to see participation required moving forward.The grant provides important services and supports to communities. e. Non-participation should be handled on a case-by-case basis as there may be extenuating circumstances impacting a communities ability to fully participate. f. The Advisory Board agrees that conversations should take place between peers to mitigate any participation challenges in the future. i. If the need arises, there is the option to escalate maters to the BOH as outlined in the IMA. g. There is an inquiry as to how an amendment maybe added to the IMA to more specifically outline steps to remove a community from the collaborative. i. This would require for the amendment to be approved by all BOH and Select Boards h. The Advisory Board voices the importance of the SSC attending BOH meetings to provide updates and increase familiarity with members. i. Annette will take steps to attend BOH meetings. She already has plans to attend North Andover in March and Andover in May. i. The Advisory Board declines to make any motions on this matter. 6. DISCUSSION: FY26 Budget Projections a. Propose to table until after strategic planning discussions 7. New Business a. Sun Safety—Have sunscreen dispensers,travel ones that have stanchions that stand up i. Annette will research if this is an allowable cost. b. Opioid Settlement Funds i. Reading inquires as to whether or not the Advisory Board would be interested in pooling opioid settlement funds to increase impact. ii. No health department in the collaborative manages the funds. It would require a specific ask be made to each community iii. Consider between now and our next meeting whether or not we would like to make a request as the collaborative. 8. Next Meeting:TBD at 2:00 pm,Virtual Motion to adjourn made by Brian LaGrasse, seconded by Pam Merrill. Vote: 5-0, approved unanimously.