May 17, 2018 - Board of Health Meeting Minutes

Members Present:

Ms. Joanne Vanderheyden, Chair
Ms. Trish Fulton, Vice-Chair

Mr. Michael Clarke
Ms. Maureen Cassidy (7:02 p.m.)
Mr. Jesse Helmer
Mr. Trevor Hunter
Mr. Ian Peer
Mr. Kurtis Smith
Mr. Marcel Meyer

Absent:  Ms. Tino Kasi

Media:

Mr. Merrick Sutherland, CTV News London

Others Present:

Dr. Christopher Mackie, Secretary-Treasurer
Ms. Elizabeth Milne, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health and Communications (Recorder)
Ms. Muriel Abbott, Public Health Nurse
Ms. Vanessa Ambtman-Smith, Indigenous Health Lead, South West LHIN
Mr. Joe Antone, Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
Ms. Marilyn Atkin, Program Lead, Community Outreach and Harm Reduction
Mr. Jordan Banninga, Manager, Program Planning and Evaluation
Ms. Lauren Blaha, One Life One You
Ms. Rhonda Brittan, Manager, Healthy Communities and Injury Prevention
Mr. Jeff Cameron, CEO, Stronghold Services Corporation
Ms. Laura Di Cesare, Director, Corporate Services
Mr. Dan Flaherty, Manager, Communications
Mr. Brian Glasspoole, Manager, Finance
Ms. Becky Griffiths, McKenzie Lake Lawyers
Ms. Heather Lokko, Director, Healthy Start
Ms. Paula Magbor, One Life One You
Mr. Nathan Malott, One Life One You
Ms. Meagan Melling, Public Health Nurse
Ms. Julie Mroz, One Life One You
Ms. Natalia Murcia Jacome, One Life One You
Dr. Steven Steinburg, Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
Ms. Linda Stobo, Manager, Chronic Disease and Tobacco Control
Mr. Stephen Turner, Director, Environmental Health and Infectious Diseases
Mr. Alex Tyml, Online Communications Coordinator

Chair Vanderheyden called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.

Disclosures of Conflict(s) of Interest

Chair Vanderheyden inquired if there were any disclosures of conflict of interest to be declared. None were declared.

Approval of Agenda

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Ms. Fulton, that the AGENDA for the May 17, 2018 Board of Health meeting be approved.
Carried

Approval of Minutes

It was moved by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Clarke, that the MINUTES of the April 19, 2018 Board of Health meeting be approved.
Carried

Delegations and Committee Reports

Potential Nurse Practitioner (NP) Secondment (Report No 030-18)

Dr. Mackie introduced this report and the guests attending for the delegation: Ms. Vanessa Ambtman-Smith, Mr. Joe Antone, and Dr. Steven Steinburg.

Dr. Mackie provided context and background. The report proposes to second the MLHU Nurse Practitioner to serve the Indigenous Community through the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) and Addiction Services Thames Valley.

Ms. Ambtman-Smith outlined the need for services in the Indigenous community, and noted that such services will be built into a more comprehensive drug strategy.

Dr. Steinburg outlined the current state of the opioid crisis and the clients he has been serving since coming to SOAHAC two months ago. He described seeing a number of overdose cases, the cycle of addiction, the lack of access to treatment outside London, and how rapid access to care is a key concern for serving the Indigenous community living outside the city.

Discussion ensued on the following items:
• How the NP’s role would be split between SOAHAC and Addiction Services Thames Valley, including the financial implications.
• If the current allotment of 0.4 FTE is enough to serve the Indigenous community through SOAHAC.
• How the plan might look long-term, following completion of the secondment at the end of 2018.
• How this service, if provided by the NP to Indigenous communities outside the city, could ameliorate the barriers to treatment that many experience when having to travel to the city for care. This would allow people to heal near their homes, and would be more practical for the people whom this measure is intended to serve.
• That a contingency plan should be in place to ensure this service can continue in the future.
• That the Union has been notified and is supportive of putting an MOU in place for the NP.
• That staff should consider additional funding, if needed, to provide a full-time FTE to service the Indigenous community.

It was moved by Ms. Cassidy, seconded by Mr. Clarke, that the Board of Health:
1. Receive Report No. 030-18 re: “Potential Nurse Practitioner (NP) Secondment”;
2. Approve the continuation of secondment discussions with Addiction Services Thames Valley; and
3. Approve the relevant funding for 0.4 FTE NP support for the First Nations communities to the end of 2018.
Carried

Update: Supervised Consumption Facilities (Report No. 026-18)

Mr. Stephen Turner, Director of Environmental Health and Infectious Diseases, introduced this report and provided an overview of the local opioid crisis, including the current status of the application to the federal government for permanent Supervised Consumption Facilities (SCFs) and the status of zoning for the proposed sites. He also stated that last week the Health Unit had received a letter of support, with a commitment to capital and operational funding, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. In the letter, the Minister expressed support for the 446 York Street and 241 Simcoe Street sites and outlined next steps as the federal government continues to examine the application. Mr. Turner noted that consultation with the community will be ongoing as plans are made to establish the sites.

Discussion ensued on the following items:
• The likely costs associated with establishing the SCFs, and MLHU’s financial obligations once the sites are established.
• How MLHU will be involved in running the site once it opens and that the provincial government is to assume the capital and operational costs.
• The Board’s continuing involvement in establishing further supervised consumption services. A report will be coming to the Board through the Finance and Facilities Committee proposing extension of services offered at the Temporary Overdose Prevention Site (TOPS).
• The importance of the Police Services Board endorsing SCFs, which will be helpful in establishing these facilities in our community with the support of the London Police Services.
• Municipal- and federal-level matters that could slow the progress toward establishing the SCFs.

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Meyer, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 026-18 re: “Update – Supervised Consumption Facilities” for information.
Carried

Finance & Facilities Committee (FFC) Meeting – May 3, 2018 (Report No. 025-18)

Ms. Fulton introduced, provided context for, and summarized the following reports, which were considered at the May 3 FFC meeting:

2018 Information Technology Workplan (Report No. 018-18FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Helmer, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 018-18FFC for information.
Carried

2018 Budget – Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Approved Grants (Report No. 019-18FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Hunter, seconded by, Mr. Meyer, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 019-18FFC for information.
Carried

Q1 Financial Update and Factual Certificate (Report No. 020-18FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Hunter, seconded by Mr. Peer, that the Board of Health:
1. Receive Report No. 020-18FFC re: “Q1 Financial Update and Factual Certificate” and appendices; and
2. Approve Table 2: Additional Initiatives Under Consideration.
Carried

Great-West Life Benefits – Renewal Rates (Report No. 021-18FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Smith, that the Board of Health approve the renewal of the group insurance rates administered by Great-West Life as described in Report No. 021-18FFC re: “Great-West Life Benefits – Renewal Rates.”
Carried

It was moved by Mr. Clarke, seconded by Mr. Helmer, that the Board of Health receive the Minutes of the May 3, 2018 Finance & Facilities Committee.
Carried

Recommendation Reports

2018 Budget – MOHLTC Approved Grants (Report No. 027-18)

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Ms. Fulton, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 027-18 re: “2018 Budget – MOHLTC Approved Grants” and direct the Chair to sign Amending Agreement No. 10 to the Public Health Funding Accountability Agreement.
Carried

Information Reports

Update on MLHU Breastfeeding Services and Supports (Report No. 034-18)

It was moved by Ms. Cassidy, seconded by Mr. Helmer, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 034-18 re: “Update on MLHU Breastfeeding Services and Supports” for information.
Carried

Summary Information Report for May 2018 (Report No. 028-18)

It was moved by Ms. Cassidy, seconded by Mr. Meyer, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 028-18 re: “Summary Information Report for May 2018” for information.
Carried

Medical Officer of Health/Chief Executive Officer Activity Report for May (Report No. 029-18)

It was moved by Ms. Cassidy, seconded by Mr. Hunter, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 029-18 re: “Medical Officer of Health / Chief Executive Officer Activity Report for May” for information.
Carried

Correspondence

It was moved by Mr. Hunter, seconded by Mr. Peer, that the Board of Health endorse item a) re: Dedicated funding for local Public Health agencies from cannabis sales taxation revenue. Carried

It was moved by Mr. Clarke, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the Board of Health endorse item m) re: alPHa Resolutions for Consideration at June 2018 Annual General Meeting. Carried

Discussion ensued about why staff had brought item m) forward for endorsement. Dr. Mackie advised that endorsement would give the Health Unit’s voting delegates direction on how to vote during the alPHa resolutions session at the AGM on June 10.

There was also discussion about item e), notably the sentence about a funding freeze. Dr. Mackie answered questions and provided context.

It was moved by Mr. Helmer, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the Board of Health receive correspondence items b) through l). Carried

Other Business

Chair Vanderheyden reviewed the upcoming meeting dates, including:
• Next Finance & Facilities Committee meeting: June 7, 2018 @ 9:00 a.m.
• Next Board of Health meeting: June 21, 2018 @ 7:00 p.m.
• Next Governance Committee meeting: June 21, 2018 @ 6:00 p.m.

Confidential

At 7:59 p.m., it was moved by Ms. Cassidy, seconded by Mr. Peer, that the Board of Health move in-camera to consider matters regarding identifiable individuals, a proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health, to consider the confidential minutes of the April 19 Board of Health meeting, and to receive the confidential minutes of the May 3, 2018 Finance & Facilities Committee meeting. Carried

At 9:30 p.m., the Board of Health returned to public session.

Adjournment

At 9:30 p.m., it was moved by Mr. Helmer, seconded by Mr. Meyer, that the meeting be adjourned. Carried 

JOANNE VANDERHEYDEN
Chair

CHRISTOPHER MACKIE
Secretary-Treasurer