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DeKalb County, Illinois |
Minutes of the
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BOARD
MEMBERS PRESENT: Fred Peltz, D.D.S.,
President; Steve Kuhn, P.A., Secretary; Russell
Bishop, Psy.D.; Carl Heinisch; Debra Schelkopf, D.V.M.; Steve Wolf, R.N.
BOARD
MEMBERS ABSENT: Glenda Pecka, R.N., M.S.,
Vice President; Sonja Conway, Ph.D.; James Cole, M.D.; Mike Groark, J.D.;
Darrell Wiley, M.D.
Mrs.
Grush announced that the Department’s directors were not present because they
were attending a three-day Bioterrorism Summit in Oak Brook sponsored by the
Illinois Department of Public Health.
On
a motion by Mr. Heinisch, seconded by Mr. Kuhn, the minutes of the Board of
Health meeting of March 26, 2002, were approved. Motion carried.
Mrs.
Grush presented grant awards for 2003. The
Family Case Management (FCM) grant increased from $208,600 to $242,800; Family
Planning increased from $177,700 (due to an increased caseload) to $179,500;
WIC, also due to an additional caseload, from $174,300 to $186,900; and, the
Teen Pregnancy grant remained the same at $35,000.
Mrs. Grush reported that this is the first time in eight years that an
increase has been received in FCM, and is due to efforts by health department
administrators in dividing the money more fairly throughout the state.
She pointed out that some health departments took huge cuts, such as
Vermillion, a poor county that gave up over $100,000, while Kane County was
under-funded by $1 million. Obviously,
DeKalb County is not as under-funded as some.
The
School Health Grant, in the amount of $30,000, which was to end this year, was
awarded one more year to successful grantees.
This was a Department of Human Services (DHS) funding strategy to keep
funding in the health arena versus having it go to non-health related
activities. This funding will end
June 30, 2003.
The
status of tobacco funding is still uncertain.
One legislative proposal pulls all community/health department tobacco
money and borrows from future money. Much
more tobacco information is being required in the grant packages this year,
requiring a significant amount of additional staff time.
The
Patient Statistical Report (PSR) has been received from Medicare for FY2000,
allowing Health Management Associates, our cost report consultants, to begin
completion of the Medicare Cost Report for that period.
Agreement
with Kishwaukee Community Hospital (KCH) regarding the First Impressions home
visiting program has been completed. Mrs.
Grush had originally asked for $30 per person, however when the hospital agreed
to do the data entry, reduced this to $10 per person.
The hospital offered $5 per person.
Mrs. Grush did agree to this amount, however indicated that this will be
reviewed at the end of the year.
The
Home Care Program has assumed mores space at $14 per square foot, which includes
electricity and maintenance. There
is another two years left on the current contract, and the hospital must be
informed in December of 2003 if we wish to renew the contract for another five
years. When asked if the hospital
had any long-range plans for the building, Diane Torres, KCH CEO, responded that
it did not and the current arrangement seemed to be serving its purpose.
Mrs.
Grush reported that Dr. Bishop called the agency on the 22nd of May
reporting a foodborne illness from eating at a Mexican restaurant in town.
19 people were interviewed, and 3 of those did take leftovers home and
became ill. By the time the calls
were received, no samples were available, but it is believed to be Clostridium
perfringen from a chicken enchilada, which has an eight to ten hour incubation
period. The restaurant was
scheduled for an intense inspection. Dr.
Bishop expressed his thanks at following up on the matter, and stated it was his
basic concern that people not continue to be ill.
Mrs. Grush stated the restaurant would have been closed down immediately
had the outbreak been reported earlier.
Dr.
Peltz reported that his daughter, who is in school to be a chef, spent a day
with Christel Springmire, Health Department Sanitarian, and thought the system
worked very well. He added that it
is a law in the state of Oregon that all employees who touch food in a
restaurant must have a food handler’s permit and pass a test. Mrs. Grush stated that the rule here is to have one certified
food manager in the restaurant at all times.
A
very successful Hazardous Waste Day was held on the 27th of April,
cosponsored with the DeKalb County League of Women Voters and the DeKalb County
Farm Bureau. This event is well
liked by the public, and Mr. Heinisch stated that other communities are envious
that DeKalb County can host such an event.
Mrs. Grush pointed out the event was possible since the program committed
$25,000 towards it.
Mr.
Kuhn questioned the purchasing of radios for Animal Control staff.
Mrs. Grush responded that a meeting had been held with Sheriff Scott to
discuss the possibility of sharing the County frequency.
The Sheriff prefers that the Highway Department frequency be investigated
or our own frequency be obtained. The
use of radios would enable wardens to communicate with law enforcement when
necessary. She added that it would
also be necessary to purchase radios for Health Department staff under the
Bioterrorism Grant.
The
Personal Health Services Division is busy preparing for summer, and working hard
at acquiring additional staff.
A
college student visiting from Michigan became deathly ill and was hospitalized
and diagnosed with TB Meningitis. Agency
staff collaborated with NIU Health Service and Kent County in Michigan for the
contact investigation. Upon
hospital release, Communicable Disease staff managed his care and provided
direct observed therapy for a few weeks until his return to India.
There
was also a report of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (Mad Cow) for which the State did
all of the investigation. Mrs.
Grush pointed out that the incubation period for this disease can be 30 years.
Mrs.
Grush reported that Lori Swedberg has been hired at Home Care to follow-up on
outstanding insurance payments and has been very successful in her efforts.
On
a motion by Steve Kuhn, seconded by Dr. Bishop, the Financial Statements for the
months of March and April 2002 and the Claims for the months of April and May
2002 were approved. Motion carried.
The
Illinois Department of Public Health will receive $26.2 million from the federal
government for bioterrorism preparedness and were appropriated to enhance public
health preparedness at both the state and local level.
The three targeted areas are the enhancement of public health laboratory
capacity, development and implementation of the National Electronic Disease
Surveillance System and the Health Alert Network.
In addition, CDC is requiring that a regional approach be taken to
improving health preparedness. There
are also requirements related to the distribution of the National Pharmaceutical
Stockpile (NPS), with local health departments responsible for the distribution
of pharmaceuticals to the public. Mrs.
Grush pointed out that the majority of attacks identified by the FBI as being
terrorist in nature during the 1990s occurred in smaller cities and communities
rather than metropolitan areas.
Mrs.
Grush reported that $20,000 is the minimum that will be received for the
administrative burden to do planning and coordinating.
Based on complexity units, DeKalb County Health Department became a
Strata B so will receive $40,000. A
map was included showing where counties fall in the five different levels.
Mr.
Wolf pointed out that Suburban Cook will receive $180,000, while the City of
Chicago is to receive $2.5 million. Mrs.
Grush stated that the City of Chicago received their grant from the federal
government rather than the state.
Mrs.
Grush presented the Grant Agreement: Local Health Department.
The agreement from the Department of Public Health listed the following
eight areas that must be addressed with the funding.
1.
Participate in a Public Health Regional Response Planning Area
2.
Establish and conduct an initial meeting of a county-wide terrorist
advisory committee
3.
Participate in the completion of the Department of Justice, Public Health
Performance Assessment – Emergency Preparedness for the county
4.
Maintain a current plan to receive and manage antibiotic prophylaxis from
federal and/or state cache, including
distribution of those items to the general public
5.
Maintain a system for 24/7 notification or activation of the county
public health emergency response system that is integrated with the
Department’s emergency response plan
6.
Participate in and conduct county emergency preparedness meetings and
statewide training activities
7.
Work with County and/or Municipal Emergency Management Agencies to
incorporate the aboveplans into the county or municipal emergency management
plan
8.
Report progress, compliance and expenditures relating to the
Department’s Regional Health Officer at least quarterly, with a final report
at the close of the grant period.
In
connection with these services, the Department will provide technical expertise
and consultation by their Emergency Office, Regional Health Officer and other
Department staff with respect to bioterrorism preparedness and response
activities and compensate grantees per the grant agreement.
Mrs.
Grush pointed out that Stephenson County hired a physician to assist with their
planning and this individual may be a consideration for our region.
An Advisory Committee will be needed to determine what the various
entities are doing and the coordination of activities.
Mr. Heinisch stated that there are a number of individuals in the
community that the committee should identify and become familiar with what they
do. Mr. Kuhn suggested locating a retired military person with
experience in control and command that could provide assistance with this
project.
Dr.
Bishop asked if she expected longevity with this committee.
Mrs. Grush responded that she feels there will be longevity but meetings
should be held less frequently as time goes by.
Mrs.
Grush pointed out that the Director of Health Education position is at the top
of the range. Mrs. Zanellato has
been employed since 1976 and has been Director of the program since 1991.
Since she has been at the top of her range since 1997, she has received a
bonus rather than an hourly increase at the time of her performance appraisal.
Since becoming Director, the program has received a number of grants and
staff has expanded, with two full-time and two part-time staff persons.
Mrs. Grush reviewed the State’s 2001 salary survey of public health
positions and, based on that, recommends that Mrs. Zanellato’s salary range be
increased from $15.16 to $21.68 per hour to $17.25 to $24.84 per hour.
Mrs.
Grush pointed out that a health educator associate is currently working
one-fourth time under the Tobacco Grant, and she would like to switch some
responsibilities and place this individual on full-time.
Mrs. Zanellato was included in the School Health Grant, and Mrs. Grush
would like to change her to some of the writing and coordinating under the
Bioterrorism Grant. Since the
agency is assured of receiving the School Health Grant for another year, a staff
person will be needed to perform those responsibilities.
If the Tobacco Grant is received again, the part-time person could be put
on full-time, and if no grant is received, the position will not be filled. She added that this part-time staff person does speak
Spanish, which has been a great help.
Mr.
Kuhn made a motion to approve the recommendations, as presented, seconded by Mr.
Heinisch. Motion carried.
On
a motion by Mr. Heinisch, seconded by Mr. Kuhn, the Board of Health voted to
enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing the annual
performance appraisal of the Public Health Administrator.
Those voting in favor included Dr. Peltz, Mr. Kuhn, Mr. Heinisch, Dr.
Schelkopf, Mr. Wolf, and Dr. Bishop. Motion
carried.
On
a motion by Mr. Kuhn, seconded by Dr. Bishop, the Board of Health reconvened to
regular session at 8:50 p.m. Those
voting in favor were Dr. Peltz, Mr. Kuhn, Mr. Heinisch, Dr. Schelkopf, Mr. Wolf,
and Dr. Bishop. Motion carried.
On
behalf of the Board of Health, Mr. Heinisch expressed his appreciation for Mrs.
Grush’s performance and recommended a 3 percent increase, effective June 2,
2002.
On
a motion by Dr. Schelkopf, seconded by Dr. Bishop, the Board of Health moved to
approve a 3 percent increase for the Public Health Administrator.
Motion carried.
Mrs.
Grush stated that she loves her job and feels fortunate that both the County
Board and the Board of Health are supportive of public health.
Mr. Wolf added that the Health Department is a good organization that is
well run and provides good services.
CORRESPONDENCE
AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Correspondence
included a thank you from Senator Burzynski to Mrs. Grush for her expression of
concern about increasing the state’s tobacco excise tax to help reduce youth
smoking. A letter was received from
William Oleckno, professor and coordinator of Public and Community Health
Programs at NIU, thanking Mrs. Grush for taking time to meet with the site team
during NIU’s recent accreditation review by the Council on Education for
Public Health. Correspondence was
also received from a Home Care patient for the care provided to her during a
recent admission.
Newspaper
articles focused on Board of Health appointments, the focus on public health by
the Health Department, the move by the White House to benefit Alzheimer’s
sufferers, National Immunization Week, Earth Day on April 22, Household
Hazardous Waste Day on April 27, the extension of the county’s landfill to 19
years because of county recycling efforts, the patrol by Animal Control officers
searching for stray dogs, notice to be on the outlook for foodborne illness this
spring, and the county’s preparation for the possibility of the West Nile
virus.
ADJOURNMENT
On
a motion by Mr. Heinisch, seconded by Mr. Wolf, the Board of Health adjourned at
8:55 p.m. Motion carried.
Steve Kuhn, P.A., Secretary
DeKalb County Board of Health
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