Board of Health

Agenda Village of Arlington Heights Board of Health Commissions Room-33 S. Arlington Heights Rd., AH 60005 June 3, 2024 6:30 PM I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. March 4, 2024 Minutes IV. REPORTS A. Health & Human Services Director Update B. Nursing Services Update C. Social Services Update V. OLD BUSINESS VI. NEW BUSINESS VII. OTHER BUSINESS VIII.PUBLIC COMMENT IX. ADJOURNMENT Persons with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services, such as an American Sign Language interpreter or written materials in accessible formats, should contact Erin Mercado, at 33 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005, emercado@vah.com or (847)368-5793.  Board of Health 6/3/2024 Item: Minutes Department: HHS ATTACHMENTS: Description Type March 4, 2024 Minutes Minutes  Minutes Village of Arlington Heights Board of Health Commissions Room 33 S. Arlington Heights Rd., AH 60005 March 4, 2024 6:30 PM I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson VanLandeghem called the meeting to order at 6:38 p.m. All stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. All introduced themselves. II. ROLL CALL Present Also Present Karen VanLandeghem, MPH, James McCalister, Commission Liaison Chairperson Lindsay Dohse, Nursing Supervisor Kristen Brown, M.D. Darren Brown, Social Services Coordinator William Moran, M.D. Kimberly Witt, Administrative Assistant Joseph Novak, Psy.D. Not Present Jerome Meservey, M.D. Ashley Bae, LCSW Shalu Gugnani, Dr. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A MOTION WAS MADE BY JOSEPH NOVAK, PSY.D. TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 4, 2023 MEETING, SECONDED BY DR MORAN AND APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT. IV. REPORTS A. Health & Human Services Director Update Mr. McCalister brought up the discussion on Narcan cases handled by the Fire Department at the previous meeting. He went over the report provided by the Fire Department, which indicated a decrease from 41 cases in 2022 to 32 cases in 2023. Since 2018, they have handled a total of 224 cases, with 64% involving males and 36% involving females. The cases spanned from individuals aged 30 to 85 years old, consisting of 144 males and 80 females. The highest number of cases, 68 in total, fell within the 26- to 35-year-old age group. A question was raised regarding the senior cases, questioning whether the seniors were consuming excessive pills, unresponsive, or under hospice care. Mr. McCalister mentioned that he would look into the matter further and provide more information. Mr. McCalister mentioned that the Police Chief informed him about the donations received for their harm reduction center. Narcan and fentanyl strips are donated by Live4Lali, a recovery center based in Arlington Heights. The expenses for acquiring the vending machine, vending coins, pamphlet printing, and custom cabinetry for sharps, liquids, and aerosol meds were covered by the opioid settlement agreement. Additionally, the mailbox for collecting tabs, pills, and tablets was purchased by the police. The Cook County Sheriff's Office collects the mailbox contents free of charge and transports the medications for incineration to Indianapolis. A third-party contractor is responsible for collecting and disposing of sharps, liquids, and aerosols, with the expenses covered by the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County. Mr. McCalister said that during the last meeting, there were questions about demographics regarding the forty physical non gun deaths reported due to suicide from the police report. The report highlighted that the majority of deaths were among the white population, with more male than female deaths, primarily in the age range of 50 to 54. The Board also asked about the availability of US census data. The census data is current as of July 1, 2023, making it quite recent. In Arlington Heights, the population breakdown is as follows: • White: 77.2% • Asian: 11.1% • Hispanic or Latino: 8.9% • Black and/or African American: 2.8% Additionally, our population consists of 50.4% females, indicating a nearly equal split between genders. Mr. McCalister noted that a language line has been implemented since the previous meeting. To access the service, individuals can call a specific number and enter an access code. With over 240 languages available for phone interpreting, this resource was advocated for by Ms. Dohse. She highlighted the importance of improved communication with non-English speaking patients. Additionally, the Police Department has collaborated with the Health Department to share this service. Moreover, discussions have already begun at the Senior Center regarding utilizing the language line at their facility. Mr. McCalister stated that once a year, they have an exercise that reviews their EOC operations. They have a program where all the supervisors and department heads will gather and they have an exercise, such as a blizzard or a tornado or a train derailment. They did one this past month. The Health Department oversees three main annexes: social services, managed by Mr. Brown, public health, and shelters. Biennially, they reach out to churches, park district buildings, and schools to secure volunteers for shelters, which are then mapped to display their distribution across town. The Senior Center serves as the primary shelter, equipped with a large backup generator to ensure operations during power outages. The map is color-coded: schools in red, churches in blue, and park districts in green. It includes details like square footage available, amenities such as showers and kitchens, presence of a backup generator, accessibility, and contact information. This information facilitates quick access during emergencies like power outages, tornadoes, or other crises. Chairperson VanLandeghem asked since the Arlington Park racetrack being gone for emergency preparedness what is taking the place? Mr. McCalister gave a little background of the JEMS and the types of facilities used for vaccinations during the pandemic. During the pandemic, the racetrack was not used for vaccinations to the public. Mr. McCalister provided an update on the Senior Center. • The MySeniorCenter kiosk is now equipped with a Better Age survey. By completing this health and wellbeing questionnaire, individuals can receive a complimentary health assessment and suggestions on enhancing various aspects of their life. • A new Parkinson’s Club has been established for family members, friends, and caretakers to come together and share success, challenges and listen to guest speakers. The club meets on the second Thursday of every month, with the first meeting scheduled for March 14th. • The League of Women Voters organized an event focused on Community Mental Health Boards and their services, featuring speakers from Oak Park and Hanover Townships. The event was attended by approximately 20 people. • The initial Matter of Balance program last year was such a success, they are launching the second round from March 26 to May 14, every Tuesday from 10 am to noon. • Arden Courts is presenting on healthy living tips for your brain and body on March 13 from 10:00 – 11:00 am. • Collaborated with Clearbrook to work with individuals with disabilities. Recently conducted an adult program trial with 20 volunteer ambassadors. The programs were held at the Senior Center for half a day. • Collaborated with Gerry’s Café to organize a pop up at the café located in the Senior Center. • Northern Illinois University, Center for Governmental Studies will be supporting us in developing a strategic planning timeline and process for the Senior Center over the upcoming five years. Engagements and workshops with stakeholders are scheduled to commence in March and April. Chairperson VanLandeghem inquired whether the Board of Health should participate in the workshops with the stakeholders. In response, Mr. McCalister mentioned that he would consult Ms. Colagrossi. Mr. McCalister outlined the following upcoming Environmental Health programs: • Latex Paint Collection on April 16th, July 16th, and October 15th. • Residents can prepay for and pick up backyard compost bins on April 20th at Public Works. • Public Document Destruction and Textile Recycling Event on April 27th from 9 am to noon at Forestview Educational Center. The new vendor overseeing the textile portion is Helping Hands. Mr. McCalister announced that the Youth Commission will hold their annual Teen Job Fair at the Arlington Ridge Center on March 5. Mr. McCalister reviewed an article from Center Square stating that Illinois will mandate mental health screenings for students starting this fall. The article mentioned that under the new state law, the Wellness Checks and Schools Program Act, which takes effect in the fall of 2024, yearly mental health screenings will be required for Illinois' 2 million school students. The screenings can be conducted in various ways, as long as they comply with the act. The primary aim of this initiative, as stated in the article, is to identify at-risk children and provide timely intervention before their mental health issues worsen. During the Board meeting, there were discussions about schools that already have similar programs in place. The article did not specify whether these programs are implemented in high schools or across all school levels. Schools will have a few months to select a screening model and provide training for individuals to conduct the screenings. B. Nursing Services Update Ms. Dohse mentioned that due to increasing respiratory illnesses, the Mother/Baby Support group was paused in December 2023 and January 2024. Although the group resumed in February, there was no attendance. Currently, there are talks about moving the group from the Senior Center to the library. Ms. Dohse mentioned that in January, she participated in a training session with the EMS Coordinator for a pilot program on mobile integrated healthcare led by the Wauconda Fire Protection District. The aim of this program is to minimize unnecessary visits to the emergency room by evaluating patients and resolving issues in their everyday surroundings proactively, before they need to dial 911. Ms. Dohse participated in a quarterly Cook County Department of Public Health Advisory meeting, attended by 10 to 15 individuals from organizations such as Catholic Charities and Rolling Meadows PD. The meeting focused on discussing the Cook County Health systems and provided educational value to all participants. Ms. Dohse reported that at St. James School, 415 students underwent hearing and vision screenings, with 71 students requiring rescreening and 13 students referred for additional testing. At St. Peters, 312 children were screened, 65 were rescreened, and 16 were referred for further evaluation. Ms. Dohse presented a First Aid care talk to the Cedar Village residents and discussed nursing career and community health nursing with a third-grade Girl Scout Troop at Olive. Ms. Dohse organized an employee cholesterol and an A1c clinic for a total of 20 staff members. Nursing Services conducted a CPR certification class for employees, with eleven employees successfully trained. Another session is scheduled for June 2024. Tracey Colagrossi, Senior Center Manager, and Ms. Dohse have finished the hands- on training for Fit and Strong, with the first class expected to start in May 2024 at the Senior Center.  Ms. Dohse mentioned that they have started using the new CDP software to collect documents from patients. Patients are required to complete an emergency contact form and a HIPAA form. This procedure helps in inputting patient information into the software and scanning all consent forms into their file. Ms. Dohse conducted research on the neighboring municipal Rn’s who perform A1c’s. None of them have specific instructions regarding when to contact doctors. If a test result falls outside the normal range, it is strongly advised that the patient contacts their doctor to discuss it. These towns have no established standing orders for contacting a physician regarding blood sugar, blood pressure, or hemoglobin A1c. After verifying with the Cook County Clinic on Arlington Heights Rd., it was found that no screening clinics were being held. She mentioned her optimism about initiating A1c screening for the residents once a standing order is approved. There was a discussion about arranging an infant CPR class, and Ms. Dohse mentioned that it is on her agenda and she will look into it further. V. OLD BUSINESS VI. NEW BUSINESS VII. OTHER BUSINESS VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT IX. ADJOURNMENT JOSEPH NOVAK, PSY.D., SECONDED BY DR. MORAN TO ADJOURN AT 7:48 P.M., ALL CONCURRED AND THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.