Harnett County Board of Health Minutes of Regular Meeting July 18,2024  The Harnett County Board of Health met in regular session on Thursday, July 18, 2024 in the Health Department Board Room, Harnett County Governmental Complex, Members present: Dr. Laura Smith, OD, Chairwoman, Commissioner Barbara McKoy, Dr. Amanda Langdon, DVM, Dr. Kim Fowler, PhD, Dr. Brandon Washington, DDS, Ms. Amy Allen, Vice-Chair, Ms. Linda Sturdivant, Dr. Catherine Evans, DDS, Dr. Other present: Mary Jane Sauls, Oliver Tolksdorf, Melissa McLamb, Debra Harris-  307 W. Cornelius Harnett Blvd., Lillington, North Carolina.  Lori Langdon, M.D. and Ainsley Johnson, Health Director.  Hawkins, Gail Hobbs and Natasha Johnson.  Chairwoman Smith called meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  Announcements - Ms. Johnson recognized Amy Allen, Vice-Chair, for her years of service. Allen has served three terms as a member of the Harnett County Board of Health. She has been an appointed member of the board since August 2015. The board members and health department staff expressed their appreciation of her commitment and service to public health in our community. Ms. Amy Allen has served as the registered nurse on the board. We are very thankful for her guidance and dedication to the board and service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Laura Smith, OD, Chairwoman, announced board member Emily Barefoot has resigned from the board. Ms. Johnson introduced Melissa McLamb as the new Public Health Nursing Consent Agenda = Minutes - Motion made by Dr. Kim Fowler, PhD, for the May 16, 2024, agenda and minutes to be approved and seconded by Commissioner Consider additions and deletions to the published agenda - Chairwoman Smith called for additions and deletions to the published agenda. Ms. Johnson announced to add a line item under item 6 on the agenda for appointing a member to the Nomination Committee to replace Emily Barefoot, Action Item. Motion by Dr. Lori Langdon, M.D., to approve the addition to the agenda as presented and seconded Public Comment - Period of up to 30 minutes for informal comments allowing 3 minutes for each presentation - Chairwoman Smith opened the floor for informal comments by the public, allowing 3 minutes for each presentation up to 30 minutes.  Director II effective June 16, 2024. Barbara McKoy Motion Carried.  by Dr. Amanda Langdon, DVM. Motion Carried.  Seeing no one, Chairwoman Smith closed the informal comments.    Page 2 Board of Health July 18, 2024  Harnett County Health Department Board Room  Debt Setoff- = Gail Hobbs reported that since the last meeting, the Debt Setoff program has collected $926.49 and the collection year to date total is $3,746.62. Nomination Committee Chairwoman Smith appointed Dr. Catherine Evans, DDS, to serve on the Nominating Committee, she will replace Emily Barefoot. The Nomination Committee, Dr. Catherine Evans, DDS and Dr. Amanda Langdon, DVM, will report the replacement of the Vice-Chair at the next regular meeting in September  2024.  Health Director's Report and Program Reports - Ainsley Johnson Business Plan - Ms. Johnson presented the 2025 business plan for the Harnett County Health Department. This plan serves as a crucial tool to assess departmental performance in line with the department's vision: to cultivate a healthy community for all residents. The focus of the 2025 business plan centers on key initiatives aimed at improving overall resident health, reducing premature deaths, and enhancing communication to broaden awareness of public health services. Additionally, it places significant emphasis on safeguarding the public through consistent environmental health services, including education, inspections, and monitoring. During the development of the plan, the team conducted a comprehensive environmental scanning. This process identified essential stakeholders, partners, and collaborators necessary for the successful implementation ofi initiatives. Goals, objectives, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were reviewed across departments such as Clinical Services, Aging, Care Management, Health Education, Women Infants and Children (WIC), and Environmental Health. The plan highlights key priorities for the upcoming year, such as the 2024 Annual Flu Vaccination Event. Major Deliverables focus on strategies to enhance accessibility through strategically planned drive-thru services, addressing elements like location, timing, and the potential need for multiple events to meet community demand. Additionally, plans to optimize the Mobile Health Program to better serve underserved and rural populations. Overall, the plan offers a proactive approach in addressing public health challenges, while tracking the progress towards the identified goals. The board expressed its support for the plan. Ms. Johnson reviewed the B.O.O.S.T (building on our skills together) staff meetings that will held on the first Wednesday every other month. The first meeting will be held on August 7, 2024 from 9am-10:30am in the Commons. The meeting agenda includes ateam building activity, review of the business plan, Narcan update, HIPAA update, ADA update and review the meeting dates of upcoming meetings. We will have guest speaker Lauren Howard from the NC Office of Disability & Health here.    Page 3 Board of Health July 18, 2024  Harnett County Health Department Board Room  FY 2024-25 - Ms. Johnson stated the county budget has been approved and she will bring the final year-end report to the September 2024 meeting. County employees will receive a 3% Cost ofLiving increase effective July 16, 2024 and the Expansion Budget Request for two Environmental Health Specialist to receive a 5% increase was approved; no new positions approved for FY 24-25. The state budget has not passed yet and the Health Department is still operating on FY 2023-24 state budget. Ms. Johnson reported the Employee Clinic saved the county $60,967.00 in the fourth  quarter for a total of $276,707.00 for FY 23-24. Clinical Report- Melissa McLamb  Child Health Primary Sick Clinic The numbers have remained stable, reflecting typical visit counts for this time of year. The most common acute illnesses diagnosed recently include acute upper respiratory infections (URI), Adult Health Clinics - These clinics continue to experience high activity levels. The numbers for Family Planning, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), and Prenatal Clinics have remained consistent. There were 10 cases of syphilis reported in May 2024, decreasing to one case in June 2024. Additionally, there remains one tuberculosis (TB) case since January 2024, managed through daily Surveillance and Alerts - North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) issued a recent memo on enhanced surveillance and testing for novel and variant influenza. This includes an algorithm to guide clinicians in assessing risks and offering testing recommendations, distributed countywide via blast fax. A health alert was also issued concerning the potential severe illness risk associated with consuming Diamond Shruumz brand bars, cones, and gummies, similarly disseminated through blast fax to county providers. Immunizations - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended the deadline for the private vaccine stock requirement for Vaccines for Children (VFC) providers. Effective immediately, VFC providers are required to meet the private inventory requirement for COVID-19 vaccines and nirsevimab by August 31, 2025. The department is already compliant with COVID-19 vaccine inventory and plans to stock RSV vaccines (Beyfortus for infants and Abrysvo for pregnant women) for the 2024-2025 RSV season.  pharyngitis, sinusitis, and cough.  video observation therapy with positive outcomes.    Page 4 Board of Health July 18, 2024  Harnett County Health Department Board Room  Naloxone Distribution - Efforts to distribute Narcan continue at both the health department and outreach events. Commissioner McKoy expressed appreciation for the health department's initiatives in addressing overdoses, highlighting its significant concern within Harnett County. In addition to these efforts, Harnett County Schools will receive 300 doses of RiVive. Narcan kits are now provided to Department of Social Services staff conducting home visits, supplemented by ongoing training sessions.  Anne Wolfe Mini Grant An application was submitted for the Ann Wolfe Mini- Grant through North Carolina Public Health Association (NCPHA). If awarded, $8000 will fund the purchase of gunlocks and medicine safe cases for vulnerable populations served by the Child Health Clinic and clients enrolled in Care Management for At-Risk Children, starting November 1 for an 8-month project period. The board supported pursuing this grant as an integral part of a Community Outreach Events - Two back-to-school events are planned: a 4- day kindergarten assessment event at four elementary schools (Johnsonville, Dunn Elementary, Anderson Creek, North Harnett) and a 3-day walk-in  harm reduction strategy.  immunization event scheduled for September 2024.  Participation in Research Project - Research is necessary to advance the field of public health and local health departments. The department is collaborating on ar research study with ECU School of Nursing titled "The Relationship Experiences of Pregnant or Parenting Adolescent Women Study." The study aims to determine the prevalence of reproductive coercion among pregnant and/or parenting adolescent females (ages 14-19) in selected North Carolina counties. The department's role includes assisting with survey collection from Environmental Health - Oliver Tolksdorf: reported data for FY 2023-24; Food & Lodging had 42 establishments receive new permits, 13 new tattoo establishments and 22 plan reviews/transitional are currently being worked. Onsite wastewater has seen an increase of 13% in permit applications. Oliver also discussed the weekly heat illness surveillance report from Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch and the importance of  pregnant and parenting teens accessing health services.  taking precautions during this time oft the year.    Page 5 Board of Health July 18, 2024  Harnett County Health Department Board Room  Aging & Case Management - Mary Jane Sauls reported On June 28, 2024, the NC Med Assist event, sponsored by the Division on Aging, was the largest to date, serving 1,102 individuals who received essential over-the-counter medications. Nine percent of these participants stated they were uninsured or underinsured. Among the attendees, 254 individuals expressed that access to these medications could have prevented their previous visits to the emergency room, translating to an estimated savings of $381,000 in healthcare costs. Additionally, 73 participants were referred to the Quitline NC for ongoing support in managing their health and wellness. Throughout the event, the Health Department distributed 250 COVID-19 tests and 13 Narcan kits, addressing critical public health needs in the community. Community partner North Carolina Central University also played a vital role by offering health screenings, including 43 A1C tests and 45 Cholesterol screenings. North Carolina Central University Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders students also provided hearing and swallowing screenings onsite. The Harnett County Health Department has applied for the GlaxoSmithkline Foundation Child Health Awards. The application highlights the initiative "Taking Public Health on the Road." This initiative utilizes the mobile unit to deliver essential healthcare services across a sprawling 600-square-mile area, serving a population of 140,000. This collaborative effort with local organizations like The Harnett County Partnership for Children, schools, food pantries, and faith-based groups enhances outreach and the impact in the On July 24, 2024, the Division on Aging will participate in the Harnett Citizen Information Session. They will provide valuable information on aging services and engage in discussions on how to best support the health and well-being of Marketing/Communty Outreach - Debra Hawkins announced WIC participation data consistently increased our active participation over the previous months. In your packet on page 27 on the Activity summary report the WIC numbers the caseload has been increasing. Based on February 2024- March 2024 data the active caseload was above 3,200 our base funding caseload has been increased from 2,970 to 3,237. For April 2024-May 2024, Harnett County's active caseload is above 3,300. Staff have continuously implemented strategies for improvement. As part of overall efforts to improve  community.  older adults in the community.  participation, WIC received additional funding.    Page 6 Board of Health July 18, 2024  Harnett County Health Department Board Room  Debra announced the upcoming Community Narcan session by raising awareness, providing education, training, and making Narcan available, we can help prevent overdose deaths. Our goal for this community outreach and educational program is to increase knowledge of appropriate overdose response. In your packet on page 29 is a copy of the Narcan training flyer. Naloxone education and distribution programs have the potential to decrease disparities in naloxone distribution and access to reduce overdose deaths. The Health Department in collaboration with the Shawtown High School Alumni Association will be providing a session on July 20, 2024 from 12:00pm-1:00pm at the Shawtown High School Alumni Association Bldg.  located at 252 Irene Roberts Rd Lillington. Closed Session - There was no need for closed session.  New Business - Chairwoman Smith opened the floor for New Business. Being none  Chairwoman Smith closed New Business. Chairwoman Smith adjourned the meeting.  Respectfully submitted, hinduylhn Ainsley Johnson Health Director  884