HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022/07/26 - Board of Health MASON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS
411 North 5"'Street,Shelton,WA
July 26,2022
Attendance: Randy Neatherlin,County Commissioner;Kevin Shutty,County Commissioner;Sharon Trask,
County Commissioner;Dr.Keri Gardner,Health Officer;Dave Windom,Community Services Director;
Darrin Moody,Hospital District No. 1;Peggy VanBuskirk,Hospital District No.2;Kathy McDowell,City of
Shelton Council;Keri Davidson, Shelton School Board;Ian Tracy,Environmental Health Manager;McKenzie
Smith,Clerk of the Board;and Dedrick Allen,MasonWebTV.
1. Chair Peggy VanBuskirk called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m.
2. Approval of Agenda
Kathy McDowell/Cmmr.Trask moved and seconded to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried.
3. Approval of the May 24,2022 Minutes
Cmmr. Shutty/Trask moved and seconded to approve the May 24,2022 Board of Health minutes as
presented. Motion carried.
4. Term Limits for House Bill 1152
Dave Windom shared the categories for the Board of Health membership have been decided but no
applications have come in for the community member position. The bill requires term limits for all
positions excluding the Elected Official positions.
Darrin Moody/Cmmr.Trask moved and seconded to rotate three-year term limits for non-Elected Official
Board of Health member positions. Motion carried.
5. Health Officer Report
Dr.Gardner discussed the BA5 COVID variant which has had a small increase in the number of
hospitalizations and deaths and is extremely transmissible. Therapeutics appear to still be affective
against this variant if used within the fast five days. The latest variant is BA2.75 and is expected to reach
the States. Each variant behaves different and may need to be treated differently. The Dept.of Health
estimates that the case numbers are only 12%of what is out there. About 78%of cases are not being
reported due to at-home testing.
Influenza is late this year;a lot of positive influenza cases and deaths are occurring.
Monkeypox was declared by the World Health Organization to be a disease of international interest.
Cases are spreading rapidly. Washington has had 83 cases;a majority were considered as unknown
etiology. Monkeypox can be transmitted through respiratory,but is most commonly transmitted through
close physical contact. Testing is becoming available in commercial labs for individuals with insurance
and the Public Health lab will do tests for individuals without insurance. Vaccines are being released to
areas with the most cases.
The State has increased response to an acute Hepatitis of unknown origin in pediatrics(children under the
age of ten). Very few cases and not spreading at this time.
Washington has a program to make the state Hepatitis C free by 2030. This program pays for anyone
who needs to take Hepatitis C treatment. Treatment used to be very expensive and considered dangerous.
Now the treatment is two pills twice a day for two months and has less side effects.
The Center for Disease Control(CDC)shared that nationwide indicators of emotional distress are lower
as far as visits for suicidal ideation,suicidal attempts,and psychological distress. Overdose deaths have
increased due to the current fentanyl circulating. The number of overdose deaths this year has already
exceeded the total number of overdose deaths last year. The population at the greatest risk of suicide is
males ages 50 to 65 by firearm.
Congratulations to David Windom for increasing funding for Foundational Public Health Services to
$1.26 million. Last year$740k was received,the year before that$200k.
6. Administration Report
Dave discussed the Foundational Public Health Services(FPHS)contract to expand services around
obesity,diabetes,and strokes in the amount of$360k. The FPHS report for last year was completed
today;capacity was increased but expertise decreased. 10,000 test kits were purchased and another 2,000
was received from the State. An order for 300 was put in for the Novavax vaccine for emergency uses.
The Novavax is not an MRNA vaccine,it is more durable. The RNA is combined with DNA and put in a
host cell which grows the spike proteins. The proteins are harvested and used in a plant extract to irritate
the immune system. It is a two-dose vaccine taken three weeks apart.
A contract is being discussed with Permitium for individuals to be able to order both birth and death
certificates online or via their phone for a$4 fee. These certificates,once printed at Public Health,can be
mailed or picked up in the office.
Public Works has a cooling center set up.
Dave met with Peninsula Community Health Systems in Bremerton to discuss getting a medical van
down to the homeless shelter. Cmmr. Shutty recommended reaching out to Thurston-Mason Behavioral
Health Administrative Service Organization to bring in a peer counselor.
7. Environmental Health Report
Ian Tracy shared that Mason County had the State's first rabies positive bat on July 12,2022. This is the
first case in Mason County since 2016.
8. Community Health Report
Melissa Casey shared the new format for the Health Report. Homelessness is a growing issue in the
community. Nearly 900 evictions were prevented in the last month and 600 individuals stayed in the
emergency shelters. Mental health is a huge priority.
Melissa attended the Positive Community Norms conference and a lot of the data shared in assessments
and in reports can be negative. However,there is also a lot of data that can be celebrated as well.
The 2023-25 Community Health Needs assessment survey link is available online. This is a federal
requirement of public hospital districts.
9. Other Business and Board Discussion
Cmmr. Shutty shared that there is a lack of crisis stabilization beds,both involuntary and involuntary. He
will be traveling to Spokane to look at a crisis stabilization facility. Partners are needed to operate and
run a facility like that in Mason County. There is a lot of capital money available from the State through
the Department of Commerce.
10. Public Comment
No public comment at this time.
11. Adjourned at 3:50 p.m.
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