MINUTES
NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL HEALTH DIRECTORS
Executive Committee Meeting
May 19, 1999
Greensboro - Highpoint Marriott
Greensboro, North Carolina
CALL TO ORDER -
President Dollar called the meeting to order at 9:15 am. (See Attachments, Attendance Roster.) Attending were 31 members and 5 guests.
Shelley Carraway opened the meeting by distributing sign-in sheet.
Dr. Harold Gabel gave a warm welcome to Guilford County.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES - The minutes of the April 13, 1999 Executive Committee Meeting were approved the minutes submitted with one correction to insert an "e" in the word heart.
TREASURERÕS REPORT - The TreasurerÕs Report was approved as presented.
Announcements
- President Dollar announced that the State Health Directors Meeting has been scheduled to discuss Environmental issues and will be held at the McKimmons Center on Western Boulevard in Raleigh on July 15th and 16th, 1999. Planning is being conducted by Sandra Cox-Holmes and Colleen Bridger.
- Request by Dennis Retzlaff and Colleen Bridger to match up to $500.00 for a Bill Johnson endowment. Motion by Dr. John Morrow to match up to $500.00 for Bill Johnson endowment and seconded by Don Yousey. Motion approved.
- Danny Staley reported on plans/interest in NCALHD sponsoring a reception for retired health directors. Motion by Bob Wood that NCALHD pursue sponsoring a reception for retired health directors and second by Louis Latour. Motion approved to pursue.
- George Bond encouraged NCALHDÕs who are members of NACCHO to be sure to vote in the upcoming NACCHO elections.
- Dr. Ann Wolfe reported that the new Division of Public Health is coming along nicely. Good management team, still fine tuning.
- Dennis Harrington reported on the status of expenditure reporting and monthly time keeping requirement. July 1, 2000 Local Health Departments will be required to report monthly. Until then reports will be required within 20 days following the end of the quarter instead of the current 45 days. Dennis distributed House Bill 1079 and 1345 which supports funds for Healthy Carolinians (attached).
- Leah Devlin distributed Dental Medicaid comparisons of per visit versus fee-for-service reimbursement. For claim forms and technical assistance the contact person is Victoria Talton (919) 857-4052. (see attachment). Motion from Dr. Gabel and seconded by Bob Wood for Dr. Devlin to send out information regarding supporting increasing Medicaid rates once it is available.
- Community Health Committee will meet at ShoneyÕs on June 17, 1999 at 7:45 a.m.
COMMITTEE ACTION ITEMS
State & Local Relations
No Action Items.
Technology
No Action Items.
Nominating & By-Laws
No Action Items.
Education & Awards
No Action Items.
Environmental Health
No Action Items.
Community Health/Dental
No Action Items.
Alliance for Public Health Agencies (NCAPHA)
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
No Action Items.
Policy & Planning
Tom Bridges - Senate Bill 845 - proposes $6M this year and $12M next year for School Nurses.
Motion # 1: That NCALHD add to the funding bill priority Senate Bill 845 called the Healthy School Package and continue provisional support of House Bill 370 which is funds to stop straight piping. Motion approved.
Motion # 2: That NCALHD support the following Bills: Asthma Education (HB 981 or SB 831), Diabetes Control (HB 994 or SB 434), Hepatitis B Education (HB 1110 or SB 1029), Healthy Start Funds (HB 1331 or SB 879), Healthcare Entitlement (HB 1396), and Group B Streptococcus Study (HB 1363). Motion approved.
Motion # 3: That NCALHD oppose HB 968 which transfers final decision making authority from Executive Branch Agency to the Administrative Law Judge. It substitutes the administrative law judgement for that of agency experts in areas where the Administrative Law Judges cannot be expected to have expertise. (see attachment) Motion to oppose approved with one dissenting vote.
Motion # 4: Motion made to refer HB 968 back to committee. Motion # 3 to remain neutral on HB 968. Motion approved.
Glen Wells (919) 715-3108 is covering legislature in monitoring Legislation for DHHS.
Tom encouraged Local Health DirectorÕs to rotate on a scheduled basis through the General Assembly to represent NCALHD to speak to them personally about association issues.
COMMITTEE INFORMATION/REPORTS
- Leonard Wood reported on the Executive Director Feasibility Study Committee. Discussions centered around the possibility of having an Executive Director to manage some type of umbrella association which represents NCALHD, ANCBH, NCPHA, NCAPHA without actually merging into a single organization.
- State & Local Relations -
- Tim Green
- Health Education - Discussed pay and retention of Health Educators at the local level. 1) SOFE will gather data relating to turnover activity in public health and health educators with dissatisfaction of pay. 2) SOFE will prepare an educational packet that will help us be more familiar with the range of activities, responsibilities and duties of health educators in North Carolina.
- Legislative Update from Chris Hoke
- Funding for emotionally disturbed children
- Next meeting is July 14, 1999
- Technology
- Marc Coleman - Reported on the Project Management Plan they have been working on the last 2-3 years. (see report)
- Nominating & Bylaws
No report.
No report.
- Environmental
- Mimi Cooper
- CVH unit has volunteered to assist in the Restaurant Heart-Health Survey. This will not be a part of the inspection. (See report/attachments)
- Epidemiology
- Dr. Sherman Kahn
- Bioterrorism grant application has been mailed to CDC. A total of $2.1 million is being requested for all five focus areas.
- Industrial Hog Operations Emission Study findings had recently been sent out. The study looked at the human health effects of living near hog operations in three eastern North Carolina communities. Conducted by researchers from UNC School of Public Health, the study found that persons living near large hog farms suffer significantly higher levels of upper respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments than people living near large cattle farms or in non-livestock farming areas.
Epidemiology continued
- HIV Counseling and Testing Training requirement: discussed a draft document. It was explained that this plan would simplify the certification/approval process. Upon approval of this proposal, a small group of Section and local staff will be brought together to develop the competency assessment and challenge process.
(See report/attachments)
No report
- Alliance for Public Health Agencies
- Provided update on six counties to provide physicals for NC Forestry Service personnel. Participating counties are: Caldwell, Rowan, Haywood, Orange Robeson, and Wilson. Will be providing $82.00 limited and $176 comprehensive physicals. The Alliance will be doing the billing for the Forestry Service and when we receive the monies we will mail it back out to the counties who conducted the physicals.
- Hospital Association Network
- Dr. Stephen Keener
How can NCALHD and Hospital Association better Communicate and or Collaborate.
1) Attend each others professional meetings
2) Pursue ways to enhance communication at local level, i.e. Board meetings/Association meetings.
- County Commissioners Association Network
No report.
- Managed Care & Reimbursement
- Jim Baluss
- Three ongoing projects:
(1) Clearinghouse for Access Care issues
(2) Would like to talk more to Dr. McBride and others about how to keep our Public Health infrastructure together, strongly supports funding for Core Public Health services
(3) Concern exists about CPT coding not resulting in a lot of new money. Jim encouraged health directors to report any problems weÕre having with Carolina Access I, II, or III to provide information that will be helpful to Dr. BrutonÕs office. We need to document problems but be sure to also document and reinforce the positives.
- WomenÕs & ChildrenÕs Health
No report
- Bruce Parsons gave an update on the Institute of Medicines Task Force on Dental Care Access. Dr. Devlin will get the report to Local Health Directors.
- NCPHA - Deborah Rowe
- Glaxo Wellcome Award nominations are due by Friday, May 28, 1999
- NCPHA Awards Nomination forms are on the NCALHD Home Page with April Minutes
- Make Reservations for NCPHA annual meeting in September as soon as possible.
- Office of Public Health Nursing - Joy Reed distributed a handout on several issues
1) Summary of Jail Health Survey
2) New Role for Local Health Services Nurse Consultants
3) Resources for Local Health Departments
4) Selling of Depo Injections
5) Cancellation of NC Health Choice Hotline for Local Health Departments
6) A 4th "Developing and Enhancing Billing Procedures for Local Public Health"
7) Introduction to Principles and Practices of Public Health Nursing.
(see attached "OPHNPD" report to NCALHD")
- Association of N. C. Boards of Health - Carmine Rocco
- John Cable, President - resigned for personal reasons
- Lee K. Allen new President
- National Association of Local Boards of Health meeting in July in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Ann Jesup presented a program on "The Child Health Training Program" (see summary attachment)
Meeting adjourned at 12:20 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted by,
A.Wayne Raynor
Secretary/Treasurer