HUMAN SERVICES

Approved 7/18/05

HUMAN SERVICES

June 20, 2005

Minutes

Members Present: Curtis Hertel, Tina Weatherwax-Grant, Victor Celentino, Lisa Dedden and Board Chairperson Mark Grebner

Members Absent: Dianne Holman and Mike Severino

Others Present: John Neilsen, Bruce Bragg, Jim Wilson and Dr. Sienko

The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Hertel at 7:03 p.m. in the Personnel Conference Room of the Human Services Building, 5303 S. Cedar, Lansing.

Approval of the June 6, 2005 Minutes

MOVED BY COMM. CELENTINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. WEATHERWAX-GRANT, TO APPROVE THE JUNE 6 MINUTES AS SUBMITTED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Holman and Severino

Additions to the Agenda

6. Resolution Approving the Fiscal Year 2006 Tri-County Office on Aging Annual Implementation Plan

7. Communications from Ingham County Health Department and the North Presbyterian Church – Informational Item

Limited Public Comment: None

MOVED BY COMM. CELENTINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. WEATHERWAX-GRANT, TO APPROVE A CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

3a. Health Department – Resolution to Authorize an Amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding for the “Early On” Program

4. Human Services Committee – Resolution Honoring Dr. Kenneth O. Slater

6. Resolution Approving the Fiscal Year 2006 Tri-County Office on Aging Annual Implementation Plan

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Holman and Severino

MOVED BY COMM. CELENTINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. WEATHERWAX-GRANT, TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Holman and Severino

1. Lead Task Force – Dr. Sienko – Final Report of the Lead Task Force

Dr. Sienko stated the goal of the Task Force is to reduce the amount of lead in our environment. Task Force recommendations are as follows:

· Expand Outreach and Education

· Continue Ingham County Childhood Lead Poisoning Program

· Ingham County should expand its risk assessment program to provide hazard assessments for the City of Lansing

Dr. Sienko stated owners of rental properties would pay for the assessments.

· Continue Ingham County Hazard Remediation Program and explore alternative funding sources

· Continue Safe-Work Practices and Training

· Continue Work with Ingham County Prosecutors Office to address the requirements of Public Act 434 of 2004

Dr. Sienko stated the Lead Task Force will continue into the future to continue monitoring the recommendations of the Force. He further informed the Committee that the Ingham County Health Department received an award for Children’s Environmental Health for 2005.

Comm. Weatherwax-Grant expressed her appreciation to the Health Department for their work on this issue. She also stated her appreciation to Chairperson Hertel for his leadership on the lead issue and for his pursuit to make sure the recommendations are completed.

Chairperson Hertel thanked staff for their efforts in this matter. He then stated this Report will be provided to the Board of Commissioners.

2. Dr. Dean Sienko and Staff – SIDS Report on Safe Sleep

Dr. Sienko stated the Capital Area Safe Sleep Coalition is a very important organization and it has been very aggressive. There are many Coalition partners. He further stated there are too many preventable sleep deaths. The SIDS cases across this State have decreased dramatically over the past several years. Today, more deaths are labeled as suffocations, not as a mysterious death such as SIDS.

The Coalition is targeting infants who have been discharged from the hospital and are under one year old. Ingham County is in the top 10 list of counties with the highest disparity in infant deaths. Dr. Sienko explained that parents should be instructed that their infants should be placed in a crib without blankets or anything else which may cause a hazard to the infant. Infants should be comfortable in blanket sleepers during the cooler months.

Dr. Sienko stated the County should support the implementation of the Infant Mortality Initiative.

Comm. Celentino expressed his appreciation to Dr. Sienko for this information. He then asked how a determination of “death by suffocation” is made. Dr. Sienko explained that complete histories of the infants’ sleep patterns are documented. The infant death cases are looked at more critically than in the past. Dr. Sienko stated he has been encouraging the Lansing State Journal to write an article regarding this issue.

Comm. Dedden stated it seems strange to put infants to bed without a blanket during the cold weather months. Dr. Sienko explained that parents would have to keep a comfortable house temperature during these months. The infant sleepers are also very warm. He further explained that the medical community is very passionate about this issue. If the recommendations are applied, the infant death rate will continue to decrease.

3b. Health Department – Resolution to Adjust the Health Department’s Fee Schedule

MOVED BY COMM. CELENTINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. WEATHERWAX-GRANT, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO ADJUST THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S FEE SCHEDULE.

Mr. Bragg explained the proposed fees help to assure maximum reimbursement by third parties. Comm. Dedden stated the target percentages are not included in the fee information. Mr. Bragg explained that Medicare sets its own schedule for the State. The Ingham County Health Department uses that information to adjust its fees to ensure full payment. It has been difficult to determine specific fees in the past because the Department did not have Medicare’s fee schedule. This new fee schedule will be much easier to maintain over the years.

Comm. Celentino asked for clarification regarding the Revised Environmental Health fees. Mr. Wilson explained that the license fees are based on the County’s support of the Fixed Food Service Establishment.

The Committee held a lengthy conversation regarding the Vending fees. Mr. Wilson stated the fees will be reviewed and the Health Department will provide a better explanation of the proposed fees. Mr. Bragg stated the fee explanation will be provided to the Finance Committee on June 22. In response to Comm. Dedden, Mr. Neilsen stated he would confirm the proposed fees for Influenza.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Holman and Severino

5. Youth Violence Prevention Coalition – MSU Extension – Potential Grant from DHS for After School Program

Mr. Neilsen stated the Coalition and the Extension are hopeful they will receive a substantial grant. If the grant is awarded, more information will be provided to this Committee in July.

7. Communications from Ingham County Health Department and the North Presbyterian Church – Informational Item

This item was an informational item.

Announcements: None

Public Comment: None

The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Debra Neff