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Minutes for the Meeting of May 14, 2004 |
Present Michael Coughlin, Steward Kirkaldy, Alan Silvia,
Katy Dutille, Susan Lown, Karen Scott-Statser, Maureen Ryan-Estes, Bea Medeiros,
Sue Sterrett, Maria Evora-Rosa, Robert Oliveira, BJ Valente, Pat Fanning, Gladys
Rosofsky, Joan Gancarski and Lynda Sampson
A meeting of Partners for a Healthier Community was held on Friday, May 14, 2004
at South Coast Hospital. Vice Chairperson BJ Valente called the meeting to order
at 8:30 AM.
Minutes
The minutes of the April 9, 2004 Steering Committee were circulated in advance.
VOTED to approve the Minutes of the April 9, 2004 meeting of Partners for a
Healthier Community as circulated.
Financial Report
The Financial report for May, 2004 was not available. Will be voted on at next
meeting.
Chairperson has met with treasurer and asked that the committee vote to pay the
fee of up to $2000 to have our books audited. This needs to be done periodically
and has not been done previously. Motion was made to approve having the books
audited.
REPORT OF WORK GROUPS
Access to Health Care
Pat was not at the last meeting. She did provide a report that survey has been
translated by PYCO in Portuguese, by SSTAR in Spanish and her agency has
translated into Khmer which will be available by next Thursday. Scanning
equipment, surveys will be processed to produce aggregate data so that the
results of the survey can be made available. The next step is to distribute it.
Changes to the video have been discussed with Paul Martins, and the money has
been paid. The group will have a new Chairperson. Irene Martins told Pat Fanning
that Paula Harrison will be taking over the duties of the chairperson due to
Irene’s departure from the area.
Healthy Lifestyles
Sue Sterret reports a new mission statement has been submitted to David Weed for
the website. Kindergarten nutrition packet will be available for orientation for
use on healthy snacks and breakfast before school. There will be a parent
presentation for PTOs on this topic. The group is supporting Charlton Memorial
Hospital program at Durfee on health risks for diabetes and obesity. Completed
second half of students this week. Have done CHOL LDL, HDL, Height & Weight and
risk profile on all students at Durfee. All receive a printout and PPT on risk
factors and how to address these with resources in the community. This will
continue for the next two years. This was originally a three year plan. A
Program passed out through this committee – contact with UMass nutrition through
Pat Beveau for nutrition program to all 2nd grades next year. Would like to get
more involved with Maureen’s group – City Group. Attended first meeting and
found goals and objectives to be very similar.
Third question on survey “Have you ever thought of hurting yourself” has
resulted in some level of trouble around how mandated reporters must do with
this data. The school department then had to create some form of protocol in
response to this concern. Some changes to this protocol will be done for next
year as well as an explanation to the children as to how their response will be
reviewed.
DPH has information on how to packet “safe” lunch and she will get that
information to Susan. Other discussion was held on the topic of nutritional
planning for students and the quality of food items presently available to
schoolchildren through programs and vending machines. The breakfast program that
one of the schools is running substituted non-sugar cereals. This approach was
somewhat successful and children did not completely reject this approach.
Project Bread offers any school to receive free universal breakfast with a
$1,000 incentive to any school with 80% or more of their school participating.
The challenge was to prove to the school and the individual classroom teachers
that breakfast could be served during class without interruption to the delivery
of curriculum. Denise Ward has successfully figured out how to get this program
implemented. When trying to eliminate the sugary cereals, there were some
students who were opposed to this. The focus was on choice and flexibility. This
is being expanded further.
A letter to survey the suggestions of the school principals was done. The data
will be used to allow suggestions for other food items, and for the
identification of funding to support the introduction of other healthier food
items like fresh fruit.
Video is being made to track a day of this program. This will be used to
showcase the program to some of the schools that could not attend the initial
presentation
Healthy Youth
The Mayor’s Youth Forum was a success. About 100 estimated in attendance. Key
head counts in the 80s range. The speaker was very dynamic speaker. Lots of
feedback, comments on style, message, bottom line that message was delivered.
Kids active and vocal in breakout groups. There was a lot of pizza available
from several different providers. Voting took place as to the favorites. This
was the 2nd annual forum, and they get better and better. No feedback yet to BJ
for end of day results, but overall was a very positive experience. Healthy
Youth is scheduled to meet next week. Healthy Youth/Mayor’s Youth Forum
sponsored the t-shirts along with some other things. There were nice resource
tables present from area agencies. A Scavenger Hunt was used to get the students
to the tables. This was useful to get the youth involved. Some changes for next
year are already being noted.
Poster contest up and moving, scheduled for June 11 at the Marine Museum. The
Steering Committee will meet from 8:30-9:30ish with the awards from 10-11.
Anyone from Partners who can stay will be appreciated.
Health City Initiative
The design team met yesterday. The Bulk of meeting was reviewing the document on
Healthy City Fall River. Results of the breakout sessions have been compiled
into the book. This is an incredible representation of what has happened at
those meetings and also what is going on in this city. This includes some
demographics and health indicators. Key part of the book is the pages that speak
to the key indicators of what is going on, and which came out of the planning
sessions.
The plan is to release this during a press conference with the Mayor. Partner’s
members are welcomed and encouraged to attend. The idea is for the groups
involved in these processes to continue to do their work. The design team will
meet again and plan an event for a future date. A survey is also being planned.
The survey is fairly complex right now and the group is trying to make it less
cumbersome. This will be discussed with the design team.
Peter Lee did a pitch for Healthy City to participate with the Massachusetts
Partnership for Healthy Communities. We’d need to identify a team of about 60
people. This would be a good team building opportunity. Pat Fanning had the
information that was made available by Peter Lee and passed it around for
members of the group to review.
Discussed logo design for something to replace the current method of using the
double logos of GFR Partners and Healthy City. We will probably continue to use
the double logo.
Heroin Prevention Grant
Another the part of the Healthy City Plan was using it to back grant
opportunities. A memo passed out by Michael Coughlin as an overview for a grant
for heroin prevention. DPH released RFR a Comprehensive Environmental Prevention
Plans for the prevention of heroin and other opiod use. There are five $80,000
grants to communities to implement an existing prevention plan. Can serve as an
existing plan to prevent the use of these substances. We are hoping Fall River
will receive one of these grants. Fall River and New Bedford are competing for
the same grant. Both cities have a substantial heroin problem. Both Mayors are
co-chairing the meetings. The RFR was written to prevent municipalities to apply
for the money in a collaborative fashion.
Michael is proposing that the grant be written with the focus of safety to
prevent the use of heroin and other opiod-based substance abuse. The $80,000
only guaranteed for 1 year. He has assigned Christian McCloskey at HHS-FR
coordinating this process. It will also involve MC, Maureen Ryan and David Weed.
There needs to be a sponsoring collaborative or coalition (VOTE SUGGESTED) to
the membership of the GFR Partners. This money will hopefully be used to support
the work that is already underway in Fall River.
The funds will be targeted for a media component, some additional money will be
used to support some of the existing programs (e.g. crime watch page – for
neighborhood groups without $$$). Two tangible things that can happen. Also
Christian will act in a supportive role to these groups, convening meetings and
acting as a resource that those who do not presently exist or aren’t supported.
Christian will be working to gather letters of support from local groups.
Partner’s members, local group and agencies have been approached regarding a
Memorandum of Understanding. The more we support letters we can get the better.
The group motioned a vote to support the initiative as the Sponsoring
Collaborative for the City’s Heroin Prevention. All were in unanimous agreement.
Announcements
The new High School Service Center is not officially open, but up and running.
It is very active, and being utilized. Open house is May 27 at 9 AM. Invitations
going out to all agencies that have a reason to be involved in it.
Linda Sampson of Family Planning announced that Family Planning has started
providing services in the school recently. This is representative of a long road
of 30 years. Their health education coordinator has been in the school for many
years. Now there to provide services on MON, WED, THU b/t 11-1 to provide
education and counseling on birth control, pregnancy and STDs. They are
available during lunch because most educators would need to have releases for
their attendance. Focus was providing this service during lunch was the best way
since students have more flexibility. They are very busy. We will take a look at
the protocol at a future meeting.
Funding for the Speak program, a sexual abuse prevention program was cut for
this program at the state level. Some funding was returned, but it could be cut
again. Discuss on 05/13, commitment for using the counselor’s diminished
capacity for this. Looking to hire someone to do the program on a part-time
basis (15-25 hrs/wk). If members know of anyone who would be interested in this
in a 4th grade setting. This is a 3-part program (45 minute relatively easy
presentation). Looking for consistency – someone who knows the program. The
learning curve using interns was not as successful. Pay rate is not known as
yet.
Training Next Month: Mulligan Center Healthy Promotion – Brockton, MA. Two
presentations on same-sex marriage. June 3rd 8:20-11:30 and 2:00-4:30.
Registration deadline is May 27th.
MassCALL will have training on June 7th implementing strategies for combating
underage drinking. $15 registration fee. 9:00-4:30 PM.
Neighborhood Summer Festivals are in the initial stages of planning at North
Park, Maplewood, Lafayette and Abbott Court. Looking for assistance this year.
Tuesdays are best. This year the challenge is there is no funding at all. All
will be through private contributions and donations. Previous years it was a
50/50 split, but this year it will be 100%. Previously the cost was about $3,000
per park. Maureen is looking to minimize these costs, but there is about $2,500
per park to be covered. Bring back to your organizations the opportunity to play
the role of a financial partner in the process. Logos can go on t-shirts on
banners and in press releases for respectable contributions. If interested,
contact 324-2405. We would like to have all of these resolved by June 1st.
Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 9:47AM. The next meeting for Partners for a Healthier
Community will be held on Friday, June 11, 2004 at the Marine Museum.
minutes 4-9-04