HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-11-1999 Board of Health MinutesBOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
MARCH 11, 1999
The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors
of the Plainview -Hale County Health Department was called to
order Thursday, March 11, 1999, at Plainview Country
Club by Board Chairman Dr. Kit Linton-.
Those attending were: Kit linton, M.D., Dr. Stephen L.
Turner, John Castro, Earl Brown, Margaret Kay, Dr. Michael
Hinze, Sally Meeks, R.N.,- Cinde Ebeling, Larry Dickerson,
Dr. Ron Miller, Earl Mc Donough, Benny Cantwell and the
Health Department Nursing Administrator, Kathy W. Curry,
R.N., and John Peck.
Also present was Wilma Barkley, a nursing student (a guest
of Dr. Linton) and the secretary, Billie Standefer.
The Board Chairman called the meeting to order at approxi-
mately 12=30 P.M.
After the minutes of the last meeting were approved as
presented, it was established there were no expenditure
figures available to be reviewed. Mr. Castro explained
the expenditure reports were late due to the changing of
computer systems and a recent move of the accounting
department.
Chairman Linton asked for a report from the Hale County
Medical Authority, Dr Stephen Turner.
Dr. Turner stated the Influenza outbreak in and around
Hale County had been severe - hitting all ages, and;said
Chicken Pox also had been heavily reported. He spoke of
reports of a few cases of Shigellosis and Hepatitis, and
stated, although the reports of S.T.D.s were not extreme-
ly high, the number of cases reported for Hale County
were high in comparison. He told Board members of one
case of AIDS in Hale County.
In closing his report, Dr. Turner reminded Board members
to remember to get their Flu shots at the beginning of
the next Flu season, saying individuals who had taken
the Flu shots this season and had contacted the Flu, had
lighter cases" than did others who had failed to take
the Flu shot.
In Mr. Castro's report, he remarked the Invocation had,
in error, been omitted from the meeting's Agenda for
March, but would continue to be a part of the Agenda.
He told Board members of his meeting on Tuesday, March
9, 1999, with area and Regional officials, and extended
an invitation to all to attend the next meeting to be
held June 8, 1999, at the Chamber of Commerce in Plain-
view. He said Centers for Disease Control and the Robert
Woods Foundation have formed a National Public Health
Performance Standards Program and have said Texas will
be the Pilot for this program. The basic purpose for
this program is to set standards for all local health
departments and have the local health departments to
perform to these standards for accreditation.
Mr. Castro stated Region I and Texas Tech is establish-
ing a Health Alert Input, noting that smaller cities/
communities do not have a program in place for Emergency
Management. They plan to develop an infrastructure with
the local health departments to support the Emergency
Management System, and will set up training sessions/
workshops for local health officials and local elected
officials (Mayors, Council and etc.) to see if
their areas meet the criteria.
Mr. Castro stated the Sunset Commission (House Committee
Resolution 44) had made recommendations about the spend-
ing of the funds given by Texas Department of Health, but
said, basically, that local health departments are needed
and necessary, and would " be here", at least, until the
year 2011. In their recommendations, the Commission gave
enforcement clauses and penalties for non-compliance. How-
ever, Mr. Castro explained, whatever decisions Texas
Department of Health makes, it will allow local depart-
ments to "have a voice" in these decisions.
The Texas Association of Local Health Directors (formed
by local health directors) had stated their concern in
the size of -the Districts for the number of people each
served in a specific area, Mr. Castro said.
Other concerns, he stated, were "000" Funding, which
pays the salaries for the director, administrative staff
and environmental staff and has not been increased in
a number of years.
Mr. Castro said a Bill , calling for all current providers
of Medicaid services to re -enroll with NHIC (National
Heritage Insurance Company) by September, 1999. He ex-
plained workshops would be held in Lubbock and Amarillo
for explaining the re -enrollment process.
House Committee Resolution 1444, Mr. Castro stated, is
now a Bill, and addresses the distribution of funds,
local health department standards, changes that need to
be made for the next Legislative year and gives a
description of what Public Health Services are.
Mr. Castro and Dr. Stephen Turner both voiced concerns
in the issue of confidentiality where Medical records
were concerned.
Mr. Castro explained, in his presentations to Lockney
and Floydada presenting possibilities of extending Depart-
ment services, no definite decisions were made. Each
entity expressed an interest and said they would get in
touch with him. He said he was to make a presentation
to Kress in April.
He told Board members Texas Department of Health had
given the Department three (3) computers, but stated
they were not "Y2K° compatible.
Dr. Turner stated the Bill that would empower Texas,;.
Department of Health Regions to step in to serve areas
that did not have a localhealth department served a
purpose, but he felt a local health department would
serve these areas better.
Mr. John Peck asked if -Board members could be, notified
of the next RegionalHealthOfficials meeting, and said
he favored the Emergency Management Program; that it was
an important issue.
The next Agenda item was to consider authorizing Mr.
Castro, as Health Department Director, to sign a" Memo-
randum of Understanding" between the Department and
HMO Blue (Medicaid Managed Care). A motion was made
by Mr. Peck and seconded by Sally Meeks to authorize
the signing of the Memorandum. A vote by the Board
carried the motion.
Kathy Curry, R.N., the Department's Nursing Administr.ator,
(in keeping with the Board's decision to study the Teen
Pregnancies issue), stated in her research of this issue,
she had found the United States has the "highest rates of
teen pregnancies" of all the developed nations, with the
State of Texas ranking 4th in the United States.
She shared statistics of pregnancies, birth rates and
abortions, saying teens who become pregnant are less
likely to finish school and are more likely to be single
parents. In 1995, she said, Texas spent 2 Billion dollars
for aid and support for these teens and only spent 3.5
Million on prevention of teen pregnancies.
Mrs. Curry said ones with tendencies toward teen preg-
nancies are young girls who lack parental support, those
who lack the effort to resist influences, non --conformist,
those that are rebellious, those of substance abuse and
those with an early initiative of other. high-risk behavior.
She stated Texas Department of Health recognizes early
intervention, accessibility and acceptability and
targeting this group, as successful "Teen Pregnancy"
programs. She said the family and community based
organizations should participate in these programs.
As she handed out printed material on birth rate
statistics, Mrs. Curry explained teachers have an
excellent opportunity to make an impression on teens.
She listed programs in Plainview that were helpful,
with counseling and education as "Bright Futures for
Little Angel "(sponsored by Covenant Hospital), Plainview
Womens' Clinic, Catholic Family Services and South Plains
Health Provider. Mrs. Curry mentioned the Soroptimist
Club's Mentoring Program for 6th and 7th graders to
help them establish higher goals for themselves and give
them an opportunity to be successful. The program also
provides an opportunity to improve self-images.
Mrs. Curry said the Crisis Pregnancy Center afforded
free pregnancy tests, STD counseling and taught ab-
stainarice, but all of these services were offered by
volunteers; therefore, the hours for services were
not regular.
Mrs. Curry explained the Department was very interested
in a program called "Baby - Think It Over." She said
this program provided "life -like" dolls for young people
to care for as if they were real babies, giving the
young people involved in the program a more realistic
sense of what it's like to be a real parent.
Mr. Castro explained that Mrs. Curry wanted to apply for
grant money to bear the cost of the "Baby - Think It Over
Program, (Dolls for this program cost $ 250.00 each.)
and he asked Board members to -consider a vote to allow
Mrs. Curry to proceed with the application for the grant.
Sally Meeks stated the high school had one of the life-
like dolls and would be willing to work out a program
if the "Baby - Think It Over" Program was initiated.
Mrs. Curry presented a video on the program which explain-
ed how the program came into being, and showed young
students, boys as well as girls, participating in caring
for the dolls as real babies. The young people had
various comments and reactions after going through the
program. Some of them stated how it really changed
their thinking about the realization of what it meant
to have a baby to care for.
The video stated the program was used in middle schools,
high schools, colleges, churches and community organiza-
tions around the country. The program addresses concerns
and frustrations young people -have, and teaches them about
the feeding, care and responsibilities of having a baby.
After viewing the video, the motion was made by Cinde
Ebeling to allow Mrs. Curry to apply for grant money
for the program. Larry Dickerson seconded the motion.
With a vote by the board, the motion carried.
Mr. Castro asked members to consider a vote to allow
him to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Plain-
view -Hale County Health Department and Texas Department
of Health ImmTrac (State wide immunization tracking
system.)
A motion by Margaret Kay and a second to that motion by
Cinde Ebeling called for a vote the Board. The motion
carried.
Dr Linton introduced her guest, nursing student Wilma
Barclay.
There was no other business. The Chairman adjourned
h ►=eting.
i);;
Billie Standefer
Secretary