MINUTES

NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL HEALTH DIRECTORS

Full Association Meeting

April 13, 1999

Friday Center

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

CALL TO ORDER - President Dollar called the meeting to order at 9:15 am. (See Attachments, Attendance Roster.)

APPROVAL OF MINUTES - The minutes of the March 18, 1999 Executive Committee Meeting were approved as submitted.

TREASURERÕS REPORT - Dr. Harold Gabel reported that he conducted an audit of the 1998 NCALHD books, with assistance from Wayne Raynor and Tim Green, and determined the financial records to be in good order. Wayne Raynor - The TreasurerÕs Report was approved as presented. Motion passed.

President Dollar announced

• Special Olympics
• Start with Your HART -"Subway Restaurants"
• Teen Pregnancy Month coming up - May
• Third Annual Health and Human Services Institute
• Traffic Safety - congratulations to Bertie, Columbus, Hoke, Northampton, Scotland for appearing in recent NACCHO newsletter for Traffic Safety efforts.

President Dollar charged Committee Chairs to look into issue with Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services "redesigning" and forward reports to Tim Green prior to May 2, 1999.

Steve Keener - Leadership at the local level is very important. The Tri State Leadership Institute is extremely helpful in building good Public Health leaders. Contact Steve if you are interested in materials for upcoming institute.

• There will be a Lead hearing tomorrow before two House Committees. We have an opportunity to appear before both. Poor screening may be related to Pediatricians lack of enthusiasm for screening programs. Focus tomorrow will be on children. Good news is that we have met with Medicaid to reimburse for Environmental Health Inspections above 10 ug/dl.

• There will be a health disparities council (Governors appointees) as a part of President Clintons race initiatives. North Carolina will also look at income disparities as well.

• Environmental Health reorganization, DHHS still in a holding pattern on this issue. However, we will push strong for NCALHDÕs interests.

• Tobacco Settlement: Who will be a part of settlement, foundation membership? Health is written into it.

• Needle Exchange: "Brian Latourneau" is to be commended for his leadership shown in this area. State Legislators are more amenable to community initiatives. This is a very positive worthwhile effort for public health in general.

• Jim Baluss is working with the leadership in the internal planning committee thatÕs dealing with the environmental health/hog operations. Looking at the environmental follow up at annual conference and hopefully enough interest will develop that we can follow up in six months. The governor related that the cleanup cost of these lagoons could be around $4 million. We have to be prepared with our Health Agenda and put it out there. If they stop these lagoons tomorrow there will still be some cleanup situations and ongoing pollution problems.

• Public Health Study Commission:

• Partnering is absolutely essential, especially in view of recent changes/reorganization in health agencies.

Presentation

• Lynda Smith, Assistant Health Director, New Hanover County showed a presentation on the recent parade in Wilmington featuring Dr. McBride.

Policy & Planning

Tom Bridges recognized Deborah Rowe for update on Tobacco Settlement. Looking for people (12 names) to serve on Foundation Board. Would like to have 3 of 15 seats, probably will do well to get one. See attachment on "HEALTH, POVERTY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL NORTH CAROLINA" which outlines why we need health representation on the Foundation Board.

State & Local Relations Committee

No action items.

Technology Committee

Nomination & Bylaws

No action items.

Education & Awards

No action items.

Environmental Health Committee

Epidemiology Committee

No action items.

Community Health/Dental Committee

Alliance for Public Health Agencies

No action items

Hospital Association Network

No action items

County Commissioners Association Network

No action items

Managed Care & Reimbursement

No action items.

WomenÕs & ChildrenÕs Health Committee

COMMITTEE INFORMATION/REPORTS

WomenÕs & ChildrenÕs Health Committee

• Important to always put Medicaid identification number on lab paperwork so State Lab can bill for services. Lead screening numbers are still low, perhaps only 50-60% of children screened of those who need it. Approximately 30 counties are doing universal newborn hearing screening other counties to follow soon. Pilot program now going on where private physicians are providing child specific logs/information to Local Health Departments on immunization data to be entered into the North Carolina Immunization Registry by local health departments.

Community Health/Dental

• Dr. Steve Cline: direct clinical dental care has increased from about 7 to 44 local health departments or other county providers now delivering Dental Services. We have on occasion assigned field dentist staff to support the new health department clinics on a part-time contractual basis for a limited time. North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on Dental Care Access has met three times and the final meeting will be on April 23, 1999. There are some broad sweeping issues that they are going to discuss. (attachments)

Local Health Services

• Expenditure reports are still coming in late from Local Health Departments. Y2K compliance: be sure to evaluate Y2K issues and be prepared. Local Health Departments are required by Federal A-87 circular to conduct patient satisfaction surveys. DHHS controllers office looking at the way we are collecting Medicaid data and how we are compiling it for cost analysis.

Dr. Janet Porter provided a report on Management Academy for Public Health and distributed information. (attachment)

Meeting adjourned at 12:20 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted by,

Secretary/Treasurer