Board of Health - December 18, 2020 Minutes
Regular Meeting: December 18, 2020
Opening: Noon, Virtual Meeting, Chelsey Matter called the meeting to order
Present: Chelsey Matter, Evelyn Telford MSN, RN, CEN, Rick Steen, Amy Lavalla NDP, PMHNP-BC, APRN, PHN, Pearl Ferguson-Mell BBA, MSOL, M.H.A., Arlette Preston, Kayla Nelson DNP, APRN, FNP-C, Tracie Newman MD, MPH
Absent: Bernie Dardis
Others Present: Desi Fleming, Dr. Heidi Lako-Adamson, Jan Eliassen, Larry Anenson, Suzanne Schaefer, Kim Vance, Holly Scott, Grant Larson, Justin Bohrer, Melissa Perala, Lori Sall
No announcements made
Approve minutes: November 20, 2020. Motion by Amy LaValla seconded by Rick Steen unanimously approved.
Family Planning Grant by Larry Anenson:
Recently submitted grant to receive Title X funds which are used to provide family planning services for individuals who may not be able to get it these services. We have been providing services since 1972. It for family planning services such as: wanting to get pregnant or not to get pregnant, contraceptive methods, screening STDs, substance abuse, obesity, mental health, pre conception health, along with providing vaccines like HPV, administering pregnancy tests, also breast and cervical cancer testing. Fees are based on household size and income. Provide services regardless of ability to pay and are confidential. In 2019 over 3,000 family planning visits. We are hoping to hear in the next 2-3 weeks if FCPH is granted Title X funding which would bring about $220,000 into the clinic. Geared to uninsured and low income but anyone can use the services. Individuals who are 14 years and older can use these services, we do encourage parental involvement. Board of Health has been very supportive in the past and it is appreciated. About the same amount of funding that was received last year. There may be a little more funding so we can increase the amount of depression and mental health screenings. We do not do post-partum visits. We would refer them to community organizations for pregnancy and after.
Animal Boarding Program-Grant Larson
New program to Environmental Health. In July 2019 had complaint about cleanliness in a facility and at that time that was not under the program of Environmental Health it was actually under the Auditor’s office so it was more of a reactive action that occurred since they licensed the facilities and they had to wait until the police got involved. Gap in service because they do have pet store regulation on our books so in October had City attorneys worked with us and we invited people in the industry to come and help create a workable animal boarding program put together. We developed parameters and worked with attorneys to come up with ordinance. Brought it back and got it approved on November 2nd. Published made effective on November 25 of this year. We will be sending out an education piece to the brick and mortar stores regarding: animal care and handling, general housing, vet, care, ambient care, record keeping /shots, and cleanliness. Get these establishments education and get them operating under the guidelines by the end of January. There will be a fee of $100 a year and there will be preoperational inspections for new places.
COVID-19 Update
Testing
Desi Fleming: We have been busy with Binax testing. Testing throughout the week at our static site. We are testing still at long term care facilities. We are still at twice a week testing for long term care. We also are doing testing at NDSU. Testing numbers are down throughout the city. Lots of testing going on throughout the city. There are 2.4 million Binax tests coming into North Dakota so we are really pushing to get people tested. Schools, businesses, shelters, jails etc. We will have support for this through end of year. Jan’s group working with Q and I shelter downtown. Main funding is running out at end of year. We do have a little bit of funds from disease control that might take us into the first few months of the year, and the city said they will support us. National Guard support was federally continued to end of March. Police Department will work with Environmental Division regarding mask and safety compliance and doing education about current guidance.
Vaccine Planning/Distribution
Hunter Hubrig and Suzanne Schaefer have spent a lot of time getting vaccine clinics set up, the coordination takes a lot of time and effort. Larger health service and long term care facilities can partner with CVS or Thrifty White pharmacy to get immunized. We are doing first responders and EMS, we only had 300 doses to start. Police was not included in tier 1A but that has been changed. The planning efforts are being readjusted. Suzanne Schaefer remarked that we are hoping for a Moderna shipment today. We will be starting on Tuesday and Wednesday to give vaccinations based on scheduling that we have. We are prepared to not receive any vaccine until January 11th. We are hoping for something between then, but it does sound like we would not. Looking at the population numbers in Cass, we don’t seem to get enough vs smaller counties with smaller populations. The allocations for Cass are a little on the lower end. We will have those challenges like a limited supply.
There are some storage issues because of Pfizer’s requirements of extreme cold. We want to use any vaccine that we are provided with, if smaller counties receive too much vaccine we want to assist them in using it up. We initially received Moderna but Pfizer is on its way as well. Moderna can stay in the fridge for 30 days. Once through the long term care residents and staff we will have a better flow of vaccine but they are a priority. Rick Steen wanted to know if it was just Fargo police or all law enforcement. Suzanne replied that it is for all law enforcement. The 300 doses will cover the vaccinators at the facility (not public health nurses in general) and other tiers, like EMS and fire. Public health employees are in phase 1A but in the 5th tier.
Total doses provided to the community is Pfizer 6,825 and Moderna was 13,200 for the state.
Suzanne shared a helpful website to find the tiers published: https://www.health.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/COVID%20Vaccine%20Page/Prioritization_Scheme_Phase1A.pdf
Pearl asked about human service staff, child welfare staff etc. where they might fall in scheme of things. We have reached out to Cass County Social Services to assist.
Arlette wanted to know what the testing is at and Justin Bohrer responded that we are running about 20% of the state testing. Chelsey wants to know why certain counties get what amount, Desi replies that is a Disease Control determination.
Motion to approve 2021 schedule: Approve 2021 Schedule Chelsey makes a motion to accept, Rick Steen seconded. Unanimously approved.
However, Rick Steen will step down and Duane Breitling will be at the next meeting.
Tracie Newman wanted to report that she has had her shot, she is reporting a little arm soreness but wants to encourage people who are eligible to go get their shots. FCPH are immunizing some city employees and are encouraging people to get vaccinated. Evelyn mentioned that front line care givers are showing up for their shots and are setting a good example. Evelyn wants to do more public information so people get those shots so we can get back to a normal life.
Next Meeting: February 12, 2021