09/26/2019 Meeting Minutes

GARRETT COUNTY HEALTH PLANNING COUNCIL

SCHOOL HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND NUTRITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

September 26, 2016

 

MINUTES

 

Health Planning Council Members in Attendance

Bob Stephens                          Steve Putnam                          Duane Yoder                           Robin McGill

Dr. Willis McGill                      Larry Tichnell                          Edgar Harman                         Phil Lauver

Dr. Karl Schwalm                     Laura Schroyer                        Kimi Scott-McGreevy              Christie Reckart

Paul Edwards

 

Staff and Visitors

Tanner Faith (GCPS)                                       Connie Uphold (GCPS)                        Linda Wengerd (GCPS)

Grace Bolyard (Hospice)                                 Rebecca Aiken (GCPS)                         Shelley Argabrite (GCHD)

Nathaniel Argabrite (Student)                        Dr. Jenny Corder (GCHD)                    Rodney Glotfelty

Gloria Miller (GCPS)                                        Dr. Bill Pope                                        Kendra McLaughlin (GCHD)

Adrienne Ingram (GCPS)                                 Alisa Miller (GCPS)                              Theresa Field-Harvey (GCHD)

 

CALL TO ORDER

Steve Putnam, HPC Chairperson, called the Health Planning Council meeting order; Rebecca Aiken, Garrett County Public Schools, called the School Health, Wellness, and Nutrition Advisory Committee meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. in the first floor conference room of the Garrett County Health Department.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes – The August 22, 2019 HPC meeting minutes were approved as submitted with the correction of the next meeting date, which should be September 26, 2019.

 

NEW BUSINESS

STEPS Committee/Garrett County Health Fair – The committee was formed approximately 15 years ago with the primary objective to organize the health fair.  There was a recent reorganization of the committee; Bob is the chairperson; Chantel Lowdermilk is the vice chairperson; Clark Lanthier the member at large; Steve Putnam is the HPC representative; and Kimi is the hospital representative and treasurer.  The meetings are held about every other month, getting more frequent as the health fair nears.  If anyone would like to join the group, please contact Bob or Beth and you will be put on the email list for news and upcoming meetings.  The next Health Fair is scheduled for April 4, 2020 at the CARC.

 

School Health, Wellness, and Nutrition Advisory Committee – Becky Aiken explained to the group the process of forming this group and then joining with Health Planning Council.  There were several mandated groups/meetings at the Board of Education where many of the same people were part of, so they decided to join forces under one committee.  The changes that have been made are for the better.  Their mission is to foster student health and choices with a range from global, and narrowing to the state, county, and into the towns.  The health of the community can even alter possible businesses coming to the area because the health of the citizens affects health care costs.

 

There are programs that help students make smart choices and they are looking at curriculum for ways to incorporate health topics into all subjects, not just health class.

 

The nurses are building a good rapport with the doctor’s offices to complete health records and demographics sheet.  They review every student information sheet to assure completion.  Updates are given to bus drivers concerning students with allergies, seizures, diabetes, etc. and then ways to treat a student that may have problems on the bus.  If a child rides a different bus, the driver is made aware of possible conditions.

 

The Garrett Mentor’s program that has been a benefit to elementary and middle school students.  The demand is higher than the supply.

 

There are behavior problems in the schools and many are from addiction problems in the homes.  Home visits are important, however Medicaid pulled the funding for many and is now focused on the highest needs.  Healthy Families has applied for a Medicaid waiver to be able to bill for a certain population, allowing them to serve twenty more families than they could a year ago.  The Health Department is working on adding another counselor for the schools.

 

The college still offers the I Can Swim program to students.  This is an example of a collection of resources available in our rural community.

 

Report from Work Group for Children and Adolescent Wellness – The group began in response to YRBS data that showed Garrett County with the lowest rates in the state for adolescent health issues.  Adolescents need to see physicians for more than illnesses and injuries to address issues that they may be facing.  The group has created surveys; one for adolescent students, one for high school students, and one for parents that are meant to get their perspectives on issues, and to educate them.

 

Dr. Schwalm has met with health care providers to engage them in getting children in on a yearly basis.

 

The group usually meets the first Wednesday of the month.  If anyone would like to join, please notify Dr. Schwalm, Dr. Corder, or Beth and you will be added to the email list.  Your input is welcome.

 

AGENCY UPDATES

Garrett County Public Schools – A team is being created to look at threats by students and responding to them.  It will be a tiered system, which is a more efficient way to assess the threat.

 

Garrett County Community Action Committee – Construction is set for this fall on the Chautauqua Park West project that will add housing for families with income restrictions.

 

GCCAC has had three single moms come in to their office because they are homeless; however due to each having an assault record, they are not able to obtain housing.  Duane has been working with state officials to find a way around these requirements because ignoring the problem is not the answer.  Housing is difficult to obtain, but is one of the first steps in recovery.

 

Health Planning Council – October’s meeting is being held in conjunction with the Board of Health and will be held in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room at the Courthouse.

 

Garrett County Health Department – There is a group on mygarrettcounty.com named Infusing Mutual Partnerships Across Culture and Technology (IMPACT).  A grant from Robert Woods Johnson has been awarded to GCHD and IDEAS XLab from Louisville, KY.  The focus is for communities to connect with and learn from each other as they work to build a Culture of Health.

 

September is Opioid Awareness Month.  Chris Herron gave an overwhelming presentation at the College and then at both high schools, including 8^th grade, of his life story of going from a professional basketball player to losing everything to drugs then to recovery.

 

Next month’s HPC will be held in conjunction with the Board of Health at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room and the Courthouse.  The meeting will include an update on state laws, which will include the new “Tobacco 21” law; food safety dealing with the cottage food industry, which would allow food preparation in home kitchens and selling it without permits.

 

Nathaniel Argabrite attended the meeting on behalf of Garrett County school students.  He mentioned that the schools will conduct fund raisers and the reward prizes are small and do not give much incentive to sell the items.

 

It was mentioned that a possible topic for future HPC meetings would be homelessness in Garrett County.

 

ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 9:06 a.m.  The School Health, Wellness, and Nutrition Advisory Committee continued their meeting in Conference Room A.

 

The next HPC meeting will be held in conjunction with the Board of Health on October 24, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room at the Courthouse.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

 

Robert Stephens, MS

Health Officer/HPC Secretary

 

Recorded by:  BAB