October 18, 2012 - Agenda

Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
399 Ridout Street North
Side Entrance, (Recessed Door)
Board of Health Boardroom

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes

Schedule of Appointments

7:10 – 7:25 p.m. Ms. Michelle Alvey, Health Promoter, and Ms. McKenzie Dumoulin and Ms. Jessica Pacheco, Youth Leaders, re Item #6 (Report No. 122-12)

7:25 – 7:40 p.m. Ms. Alison Locker, Epidemiologist, re Item #7 (Report No. 123-12)

7:40 – 7:55 p.m. Ms. Laura Dueck, Public Health Nurse, and Ms. Heather Lokko, Manager, Reproductive Health Team, re Item #3 (Report No. 119-12)

7:55 – 8:10 p.m. His Worship Mayor Joe Fontana, Mayor, City of London, and His Worship Warden Jim Maudsley, Warden, County of Middlesex re Report No. 116-12 as referred to in Report No. 129-12

8:10 – 8:25 p.m. Mr. John Millson, Director, Finance and Operations, re Items #1 and #13 (Report No. 117-12 and Report No. 129-12)

Action Required

1) Report No. 117-12 re 2013 Budget – “Protecting the Gains”, Appendix A

2) Report No. 118-12 re Provincial Government Announcement to Regulate Indoor Tanning: Call for Support & Endorsement of Bill 74, Appendix A, Appendix B

3) Report No. 119-12 re Baby Friendly Organization Policy, Appendix A, Appendix B

4) Report No. 120-12 re London Children and Youth Network: Endorsement of London’s Child and Youth Agenda to 2015, Appendix A

14) Report No. 130-12 re Questions and Answers about the Health Unit’s Budget

For Information

5) Report No. 121-12 re Acting Medical Officer of Health Activity Report – September 14 – October 19, 2012 

6) Report No. 122-12 re ‘One Life One You’ Hosts Successful Smoke-Free Outdoor Movie Event In Victoria Park, Appendix A

7) Report No. 123-12 re Middlesex-London’s Community Health Status Resource

8) Report No. 124-12 re Accreditation – 2012 Annual Questionnaire and Site Visit, Appendix A

9) Report No. 125-12 re Informing the Development of a Middlesex-London Sodium Campaign

10) Report No. 126-12 re Intersectoral Action for Immigrant Population: London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership, Appendix A

11) Report No. 127-12 re 2011-2012 Influenza Season in Middlesex-London, Appendix A

12) Report No. 128-12 re Program Evaluation for the Althouse College Sexual Health Education Sessions, 2011 & 2012

13) Report No. 129-12 re Current Status of 2013 Budget Considerations, Appendix A, Appendix B

15) Verbal Report re Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer Recruitment Process

Other Business

Next scheduled Board of Health Meeting – Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

Correspondence Received

a)     Dated 2012 September 18 (Received 2012 September 20) Correspondence from Dr. Francine Lortie-Monette, Middlesex-London Board of Health, to Ms. Viola Poletes Montgomery, Chair, Middlesex-London Board of Health, advising of her resignation from the Board effective September 30, 2012.

b)    Dated 2012 September 19 (Received 2012 September 21) A copy of correspondence from Mr. Barry Ward, Board of Health Chair, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, to The Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, commending Dr. Arlene King, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and her expert panel on the report entitled, Oral Health, More than Just Cavities April 2012, and to endorse the four recommendations.

c)     Dated 2012 September 21 (Received 2012 September 24) A copy of correspondence from Dr. Hazel Lynn, Medical Officer of Health, Grey Bruce Health Unit, to The Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, advising that the Grey Bruce Health Unit Board of Health passed the following resolution:

WHEREAS 82% of the Grey Bruce population aged 18 and over, including 55% of students, drink alcohol; and 19% of the Grey Bruce population, aged 12 years and older who consume alcohol, report heavy drinking, defined as the consumption of five or more drinks in any one day at least once a month or more; and

WHEREAS those who live in Canadian rural regions have higher rates of drinking and driving and riding with a drunk driver; and 6.3% of Grey Bruce residents aged 18 and over self-report having consumed two or more drinks in the hour before operating a motor vehicle (car, truck, van or motorcycle) at least once in the previous 12 months; and

WHEREAS alcohol consumption ranks second (behind tobacco use) as a risk factor for disease and is causally related to over 65 medical conditions, and the annual economic impact in Ontario of alcohol is $5.3 billion in health, law enforcement and lost labour productivity costs; and the costs of alcohol-related harm exceed revenue by an estimated $456 million in Ontario; and

WHEREAS opportunities for effective evidence-based alcohol policies that serve the public good are more available than ever before; and the unsafe consumption of alcoholic beverages is a major health and injury risk that can be successfully addressed through policy initiatives. 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health of the Grey Bruce Health Unit commits to collaborating with local, provincial and federal partners to support policy development that addresses alcohol as a critical public health and safety issue; and

THAT a comprehensive policy development approach be used to reduce population-level damage from alcohol, to reduce high-risk drinking, and to address specific drinking situations and risk behaviours in sectors of the population; and 

THAT the following population-level, evidence-based interventions be implemented, to:

• Control the physical and legal availability of and harmful use of alcohol
• Maintain and reinforce socially responsible pricing of alcohol
• Strengthen targeted controls on alcohol marketing and promotion; and

THAT the following focused policies and interventions be implemented, to:

• Modify the drinking context
• Continue education, coordination and focus of alcohol-related harm reduction initiatives
• Strengthen and promote treatment and brief intervention services
• Enhance drinking-driving prevention and countermeasures; and

THAT the Board of Health of the Grey Bruce Health Unit take a leadership role within the community to support movement towards a culture of drinking in moderation, thereby reducing the burden of illness and costs to health and community safety;

AND FURTHER THAT copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Province of Ontario; the Minister of Attorney General, Province of Ontario; the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; the Association of Local Public Health Agencies; the Ontario Public Health Association; Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; Cancer Care Ontario; Local Members of Parliament and Provincial Parliament; and all Boards of Health in Ontario.

d)    Dated 2012 September 21 (Received 2012 September 24) A copy of correspondence from Dr. Hazel Lynn, Medical Officer of Health, Grey Bruce Health Unit, to The Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, advising that the Grey Bruce Health Unit Board of Health passed the following resolution:

WHEREAS oral diseases, including dental caries and periodontal disease are among the most prevalent chronic diseases in humans; and

WHEREAS oral diseases can lead to infection, pain, abscesses, chewing problems, poor nutritional status and gastrointestinal disorders; can affect an individuals’ sense of self-esteem, ability to learn, and potential to thrive; and are linked to serious health conditions including respiratory infections, cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke), diabetes, low birth weight babies, and bone-related and inflammatory conditions in seniors including osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis; and

WHEREAS in Canada, approximately 60 per cent of dental services are paid through employment insurance plans; 5 per cent are publicly funded through provincial government programs like CINOT and Healthy Smiles Ontario; leaving 35 per cent of dental services being paid out-of-pocket, which can result in inequitable access to oral health services, as well as oral health outcomes; and a lower percentage of Grey Bruce residents than Canadians have dental insurance, putting our population at higher risk of unchecked dental decay; and

WHEREAS better access to oral health services could result in savings to the health care system;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health of the Grey Bruce Health Unit support the finding of Oral Health – More Than Just Cavities A Report By Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer Of Health, 2012, and that the province of Ontario move to adopt the four recommendations for action supporting improved and equitable access to oral care services in Ontario contained therein;

AND FURTHER THAT copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister Of Health and Long-Term Care, Province of Ontario; the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; the Association of Local Public Health Agencies; the Ontario Public Health Association; Local Members of Parliament And Provincial Parliament; And All Boards of Health in Ontario.

e)     Dated 2012 September 21 (Received 2012 October 1) A copy of correspondence from Dr. James Chirico, Medical Officer of Health, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, to The Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, advising that the Board of the above mentioned Health Unit passed the following resolution:

Whereas, The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit is in urgent need of a new facility in order to continue providing important programs and services to those in our communities; and

Whereas, Currently no capital budget line exists for public health; and

Whereas, The Final Report of the Capacity Review Committee (2006) recommended that budget forecasting should include rolling ten-year forecasts for capital costs and the province should specify clear rules and criteria for how capital funding can be accessed through a special public health stream in the provincial health capital envelope (Recommendation #25);

Now Therefore Be It Resolved, That on the recommendation of the Finance and Property Committee, the Board of Health for the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit supports the creation of a capital budget line for public health which includes multi-year cost-shared funding for capital projects similar to what currently exists for hospitals; and

Furthermore Be It Resolved, That this resolution be forwarded to the Minister Deb Matthews, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Saäd Rafi, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Roselle, Martino, Executive Director, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Sylvia Shedden, Director, Public Health Standards, Practice and Accountability Branch; Brent Feeney, Manager, Funding & Accountability Unit, Local Member of Parliament, District Members of Provincial Parliament, Member Municipalities, Boards of Health, and the Association of Local Public Health Agencies.

f)     Dated 2012 September 24 (Received 2012 October 4) A copy of correspondence from Ms. Dela Ting, Secretary, Board of Health, City of Toronto, to The Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, advising that the Board of Health adopted the following recommendations:

Request the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to consider the Nutritious Food Basket Survey results when identifying interventions to achieve a sustainable reduction in childhood obesity.

Direct that the report (September 7, 2012) from the Medical Officer of Health be forwarded to: the General Managers of Employment and Social Services, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration; Children’s Services; Affordable Housing Office; Parks, Forestry & Recreation; Economic Development and Culture; the Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care; the Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services; the Ontario Minister of Children & Youth Services; the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; the Association of Local Public Health Agencies; the Ontario Public Health Association; Ontario Boards of Health; the Association of Ontario Health Centres; the Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health; Dietitians of Canada, all Toronto area MPPs and MPs; and the five Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) in the Greater Toronto area.

g)    Dated 2012 October 5 (Received 2012 October 5) A copy of correspondence from Dr. Rosana Pellizzari, Medical Officer of Health, Peterborough County-City Health Unit to The Honourable Eric Hoskins, Minister of Children and Youth Services; The Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care; The Honourable John Milloy, Minister of Community and Social Services; and The Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing expressing concern over reduced provincial funding for Discretionary Benefits and the elimination of Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefits for people who receive support from Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program. 

Copies of all correspondence are available for perusal from the Secretary-Treasurer.