Board of Health Meeting Minutes
July 8, 2008
MINUTES
BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
July 8, 2008
The meeting of the Board of Health was called to order by Chairman William N. Hance at 4:00 p.m. in Room 212 of the Lentz Public Health Center.
Present
William N. Hance, JD, Chair
Ruth Stewart, MD, Vice Chair
Samuel Okpaku, MD, PhD, Secretary
Margaret L. Behm, JD
Henry W. Foster, Jr., MD
Janie E. Parmley, RN, MSN
Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Report
Semhar Ghebreselasie and Jennifer Kim gave a brief summary of the 2008 Summer Youth Leadership Institute Student Project which focused on tobacco and youth. The Summer Institute monitored 175 tobacco retailers in Davidson County. The Institute recommended the following strategies to the Board of Health:
- The Board of Health should send letters to all the tobacco retailers who were found non-compliant.
- The Board of Health should also send letters to all other tobacco retailers that did not sell to minors to thank them for following the law.
- The Board of Health should continue to support the annual monitoring of tobacco retailers to ensure retailers are not selling to minors.
Ms. Behm made a motion to implement the strategies as policy. Ms. Parmley seconded the motion. The motion unanimously passed.
Tobacco Program Update
Jason Stamm presented a brief update on the Tobacco Program stating that it is progressing and growing. Mr. Stamm thanked Dyuanna Allen for the work of the YAB Summer Institute. He stated that throughout the department over 11,547 clients have been interviewed about their tobacco use. Sixteen percent of our clients use tobacco and the “Quit Line” is being used.
Revocation of MPHD Disability Leave Policy and Revision to MPHD Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy
Margaret Holleman, Director of Policy Development, stated that Metro Legal has informed the department that MPHD’s disability leave policy violates the FMLA Act because it requires that employees use accumulated paid sick/annual leave prior to receiving income protection benefits (short or long term disability) when the employee is utilizing FMLA leave.
Ms. Holleman recommended to the Board that MPHD re-write its leave policy to come into compliance with FMLA regulations, as interpreted by the Department of Labor. Employees have the right to apply for disability benefits in the manner defined in their income protection benefit policy. The MPHD can require that FMLA leave run concurrently with income protection benefits, such as short-term disability leave. If the employee does not quality for, or does not have a paid leave benefit plan, then the MPHD can require that FMLA leave run concurrently with accumulated paid sick/vacation leave. However, the MPHD cannot require that employees use accumulated paid sick/vacation leave prior to receiving FMLA or income protection benefits.
Ms. Behm made a motion to revoke the current disability leave policy. Dr. Stewart seconded the motion. The motion unanimously passed.
Board members discussed the matter at length and agreed to discuss related FMLA issues at the September 9, 2008, Board of Health meeting.
Approval of Grants and Contracts
Ms. Holleman referred to the Grants/Contracts Summary which was submitted to Board members for their review. The contracts and grants were as follows:
- Amendment to Contract between MPHD and SysTech Inc. Compensation: None
- Contract between MPHD and United Neighborhood Health Services. Compensation: $107,600 in year one, $461,300 in year two and three
- REVISED Grant Agreement from the State of Tennessee, Department of Health. Compensation: $63,200
- Clinical Affiliation Agreement with Belmont University. Compensation: None
- Amendment to Contract with United Neighborhood Health Services. Compensation: $107,360
- Amendment to Grant Award from the State of Tennessee, Department of Health. Compensation Unchanged from the original - $208,000
- Amendment to Grant between the State of Tennessee, Department of Health and MPHD. Compensation: $74,900
- REVISED Grant Award from the State of Tennessee, Department of Health. Compensation: $735,200
- REVISED Grant Award from the State of Tennessee, Department of Health. Compensation: $25,000
- Contract for Purchase of Professional Services with Dr. Rudra Prakash. Compensation: $150.00 per hour for work performed without the assistance of medical residents/fellows, $100.00 per hour for work performed with the assistance of medical residents/fellows
- Grant agreement from the State of Tennessee, Department of Health. Compensation: $35,000
- Grant Agreement from the State of Tennessee, Department of Health. Compensation: $34,200
- Amendment and Extension to Contract between MPHD and Correct Care Solutions. Compensation: $9,987,357.00 for contract year beginning October 1, 2008; $10,461,756.00 for contract year beginning October 1, 2009
- Grant Agreement from the State of Tennessee, Department of Health Compensation: $202,200
- Contract between the University of Pittsburgh and MPHD. Compensation: $2,607
Ms. Parmley made a motion to approve the Grants/Contracts. Dr. Foster seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Report of Chair
Chairman Bill Hance called the Board’s attention to the Downtown Clinic for the Homeless Report. .
Approval of June 10, 2008 Minutes
Ms. Behm amended the minutes regarding the Emergency Preparedness Report to add the question about the number of PODS.
Ms. Parmley made a motion to approve the June 10, 2008 minutes as amended. Dr. Foster seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Report of Director
Copies of the Director’s report were distributed to Board members. Jannie Williams, Executive Assistant to the Director, gave a summary of this report (Attachment I) in Dr. Paul’s absence.
Board members asked about the status of behavioral/mental health services and asked for an update at the June Board meeting.
Civil Service Board
Personnel Changes and Exit Interviews
The personnel changes and exit interviews were unremarkable.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Board of Health will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2008, in room 212 of the Lentz Public Health Center.
The meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
William N. Hance, J.D.
Chair