HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-15-1997 Board of Health MinutesBOARDOF HEALTH MEETING
THURSDAY MAY 15, 1997
The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors
of the Plainview -Hale County Health Department was held
Thursday, May 15, 1997 at Plainview Country Club_
In the absence of Chairman Dr. Kit Linton, John Castro,
Department Director, served as Chairman and called the
meeting to order at approximately 12:30 P.M_
Those attending were: John Castro, Cezar Cervantez,R.N.,
Stephen Turner,-M.D., .Sally Meeks,R=N_, John Peck, Cinde
Ebeling, Larry Dickerson, Dr. Michael Hinze, Benny Cant-
well, Larry Mc Bee, Mike Hutcherson, Earle Mc Donough,
City Manager Jim Jeffers, Mayor Lloyd Woods and the
secretary, Billie Standefer.
Also present were two special guests: Christina Castro,
daughter of John Castro and Don Dickson, former Board
member.
Mr. Castro introduced his daughter, Christina, saying
she was a student at Texas Tech , majoring in Industrial
Engineering.
He asked for correction/additions to the minutes of the
last meeting_
Mr. Peck had a question about the percentages and salary
figures for Mr. Castro as stated in the last meeting's
minutes.
Mr. Castro explained 30% of his time spent for the County
and 70o spent for the City at 50/50 salary was correct,
and had been approved.
With a motion by Sally Meeks for the approval of the
minutes, and a second to that motion by Larry Dickerson,
the Board voted approval_
Mr. Castro asked for approval of the Expenditures, and
explained Board member, Sally Meeks, had asked about the
salaries and benefits listed at the top of each report.
He explained the different funding of the different
accounts and the reasons for their divisions.
After a motion to approve payment of the Expenditures
by Mr. Peck and a second to the motion by Cinde Ebeling,
the Board voted approval.
(Dr. Kit Linton joined the group here and took charge of
the meeting.)
r
Dr. Turner mentioned that several cases of Strep had been
.reported, and said cases of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
reported were still high.
Mr. Castro presented a plaque to Don Dickson in
recognition of his services to the Board of Health, and
Mr. Dickson accepted the plaque, saying he appreciated
what the Health Board had done_
Mr. Castro reported the Dairy Queen on 24th street had
been closed for a couple of days because of serious vio-
lations, but, after clean-up, had been reopened on Monday.
He told Board members Animal Control Officers had made
a "sweep" in Seth Ward on May 2nd and had "rounded up'•
four stray dogs and a horse=
Mr. Castro stated at a TML meeting he had attended, Dr.
Robert W. Haley had given a presentation on "CORE PUBLIC
HEALTH SYSTEMS" as they were organized in the 1950's.
Dr. Haley had stated the core functions included: Health
Protection, Health Preventive Services, Health Promotion
and Surveillance. All of these, Mr. Castro stated, are
much the same today.
He explained, because of a funding cut, the Health De-
partment had to be down -sized. He said the Department
now wanted to get back to Core functions, but had one
problem - the E.P.S.D.T. Program - (Early and Periodic
Screening and Diagnostic Treatment) for children. He
said this program was not funded and took a lot of time
to prepare for the 8 or 9 children it served each month.
He said it might be best to "funnel out" this program
to other medical providers in the community. Heasked
Board members to express their opinion as whether -to
let this program go.
Dr. Turner and Dr. Linton agreed there was not a short-
age of providers of E.P.S.D.T. services, and felt none
of the children served at the Department would go with-
out this service after referrals were made.
Mr_ Castro said there would be a vote at the next meet-
ing as to whether or not to keep this service.
Chairman Linton asked for the presentation of the Jail
Clinic Contract.
Mr. Castro stated, after reviewing the contract with
City Attorney Wally Hatch, he'd found a "deal" in the
contract about screenings and referrals that would
cover the Clinic part, but it only allowed for one day
a week at the Jail. He said they were looking into
expanding visits to the Jail to three (3) days a week.
He explained Mr_ Cervantez and Dr. Turner were working
.on Protocol=
Dr. Turner stated the Department nurses would have a list
of what they could do; they would go to the Jail, do a
routine check of all the inmates and would be allowed to
give "over-the-counter" drugs. He told Board members he
expected to have Protocol for Services in place by the
second week of June, 1997.
Mr. Cervantez stated, for liability purposes, he would
go to the Jail every day with the Department nurses (for
the first month or so) in order that the nurses might
"have a chain of command to follow" at the Jail,
in case there is a questionable circumstance. He said
they would know to call him at the Department, and he
could contact Dr. Turner if need be. He said, also,
there would be a clause in the Contract saying the Jail
would follow Department recommendations or would be going
against medial advice.
Mr. Peck asked if there would be a bilingual person to
translate for the inmates.
Mr. Cervantez answered yes_
Sally Meeks asked if this would be possible and still
maintain confidentiality.
Mr. Cervantez explained that Protocol states there will be
someone to serve as translator to assure the inmates'_needs
are met.
Chairman Linton asked for Mr= Cervantez' report on
"Immunizations in Public Schools".
Mr. Cervantez stated he had received a report from Texas
Department of Health saying the State wide immunization
level was 98% to 99%. He said the T.D.H. goal was to
reach 90% by the year 2000, and explained the State wide
level was "excellent". Hale County, in general, he said,
was 99%, as was Plainview Independent School District.
He praised the school nurses for "the strict standards
the nurses have set" in telling the students, "If you're
not up to date with your immunizations, you'll not be in
school_"
Mr_ Cervantez stated Plainview and Hale County are
fortunate to have school nurses that work closely with
the Health Department, saying, with their combined
efforts in an immunization campaign "last week", 250
children had received immunizations. He said a small
immunization clinic had been held in Hale Center, and
Department nurses planned to go to Cotton Center
Schools for a Clinic on May 22, 1997.
.He again complimented the school nurses for their
cooperation in getting the immunizations done.
Dr. Linton stated a personal friend, living in Lubbock,
home -schooled her five children. She said, because their
immunizations had been neglected, all five of the children
had pertussis/whooping cough and were very 111 She
expressed her concern for other home -schooled children
who might not be up to date with their immunizations.
It was established there were no laws directed to
immunizations of home -schooled children, and Dr. Linton
suggested looking into locating other home -schooled
children to check their immunization status.
Mr Cervantez said he would get information from Mr.
Mc Bee about the number of home -schooled children in
Hale County, and mail information to their families.
Excused absences were allowed for Margaret Kay, Dr.
Janet Cruz and Earl Brown
, -
There was no other business. The meeting was adjourned.
Billie Standefer
Secretary