Will County Public Health & Safety Committee met May 3.
Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:
I. Call To Order / Roll Call
Chair Judy Ogalla called the meeting to order at 9:04 am
Attendee Name; Title; Status; Arrived:
Judy Ogalla Chair Present
Donald Gould Vice Chair Present
Gloria Dollinger Member Present
Mark Ferry Member Present
Debbie Militello Member Late
Beth Rice Member Present
Laurie Summers Member Present
Also Present: H. Brooks, M. Johannsen, R. Freitag
II. Pledge Of Allegiance To The Flag
Mr. Don Gould led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
III. Approval Of Minutes
1. WC Public Health & Safety Committee - Joint with Judicial Comm - Apr 3, 2018 9:00 am
Result: Approved As Amended [Unanimous]
Mover: Mark Ferry, Member
Seconder: Laurie Summers, Member
Ayes: Ogalla, Gould, Dollinger, Ferry, Rice, Summers
Absent: Militello
2. WC Public Health & Safety Committee - Regular Meeting - Apr 5, 2018 9:00 am
Result: Approved [Unanimous]
Mover: Laurie Summers, Member
Seconder: Gloria Dollinger, Member
Ayes: Ogalla, Gould, Dollinger, Ferry, Rice, Summers
Absent: Militello
IV. Miscellaneous Reports
1. Sunny Hill Nursing Home Updates - March 2018
(Sunny Hill Nursing Home Updates - March 2018)
2. Approved BOH Minutes 3-21-18
(Susan Olenek)
V. Old Business
1. Opioid Update
(Dr. Kathleen Burke)
Dr. Burke discussed her attending Congressman Hultgren’s forum at Waubonsee in Sugar Grove. The Surgeon General Jerome Adams was the speaker, who is an anesthesiologist which is a particular specialty, this makes him very helpful to our cause with opioids. He noted in his speech that we have made a really good focus on the supply but the demand on the other hand, there are some disconnections in our country. Particularly in Illinois, that means the treatment and post recovery and all of the things that go with keeping someone in recovery, we have work to do. We know that in Will County, we don’t have enough resources to take care of the people here that are under resourced and indigent. She made a plea to get our waiver passed, our 1115 waiver is still sitting there, still not passed, that will expand the number of treatment beds for our facility Stepping Stones. She also pointed out the disconnect between Medicare and treatment, that our healthcare system has not yet connected with the treatment system to make it a comprehensive care program. They pointed that out the Safe Passage programs and those type of diversion programs are struggling because there are not enough places for people to go. They keep saying they don’t want our police officers doing that kind of work for social work yet they keep funding it through that. That is the other disconnect that came out of this, the funding is going to the justice system, the funding is going to the DEA, the funding is not coming to the health departments and the health programs in the communities. She is really pleased the Surgeon General is in our community and he is listening. She is looking forward to our program on May 11th that will be addressing adverse childhood experiences which was brought up as one of the contributing features. The head of the Public Health Department, Dr. Shaw is going to be one of our speakers. There is a luncheon afterwards, invitations have been sent out. It’s an opportunity to speak individually with Dr. Shaw, so if you’re interested please let her know.
The Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation that they would fund social workers in schools instead of police officers. Not replacing police officers but put money towards getting more social workers, that is viewed as a positive step towards reducing school violence and substance use. We say all of the time, once we took the social workers away we saw more trouble. We are very happy about this, now we have to wait and see if it gets through the Senate.
The National Safety Council has made warning labels that you can put on your health insurance cards that say you don’t want opioids. If you would like some, she would be more than happy to get them to you. That way you have documented you do not want opioids because they have been giving them to people who have a substance use disorder.
VI. Other Old Business
VII. New Business
1. Presentation on the Dangers of Synthetic Cannabis
(Dr. Joe Troiani/Armando Reyes)
Dr. Troiani and Mr. Reyes from the Will County Health Department reviewed the Presentation on the Dangers of Synthetic Cannabis (see handout).
Ms. Summers asked if synthetic THC shows up in your system. THC stays in your system longer.
Mr. Reyes responded the synthetic THC does not. The chemical composition changes all of the time and they can’t pick it up on panels. You would have to run many panels and then it becomes a cost issue.
Dr. Troiani stated they are also using this presentation to brief staff at the Health Department. The Health Department put out an article to get the word out there, and that is the most important thing as well as making sure our health care professionals are up to date on this. They will be tracking changes on a day to day basis as they get information from their primary sources.
Ms. Dollinger asked if they could give us an idea what the price range is. Is it expensive or cheap.
Mr. Reyes stated he has seen it for $4.99, they are targeting kids, this is cheaper than marijuana.
Ms. Rice asked what the kids are asking for when they go into convenience stores to buy this.
Mr. Reyes responded the seller usually just says to read the package, that they don’t know they just sell it.
Dr. Troiani stated it is very easy to go online and get all of this information. It took him about 5 seconds to get a whole variety, he could have shown us 30 slides today just with multiple packaging.
Ms. Summers stated in one of the reports you gave us, it states that it takes a large amount of vitamin K to start the clotting process again, it seems like a lot. Is this because it is synthetic.
Mr. Reyes responded it takes so much more because these drugs causes hemorrhaging and the vitamin K goes right through their system. Ears, eyes and mouth are where they will bleed. He also stated that back in the day you would see prevention programs in the schools but now you don’t. We’re not supposed to teach them or show them the drug anymore, because it’s educating them on drugs. But we are supposed to educate them on decision making skills, social skills, and life skills and parenting skills that you’re not supposed to use drugs. We are focusing on treatment now when it’s too late instead of prevention.
Ms. Freitag stated this was legal in Illinois until January 1, 2011.
Ms. Ogalla stated it would be good to get all of this information sent out to the County Board Members so they could forward it on to their schools.
VIII. Other New Business
Ms. Olenek, Executive Director of the Will County Health Department reviewed the handout on the Health Department’s Strategic Plan. This plan runs from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2023. She also sent out to the County Board Members specific reports that were put together by their map group, for each district. There is an info graphic, a narrative on an Executive summary, and the Community Health Implementation Plan (CHIP) in the packet.
Ms. Ogalla ask if Ms. Olenek could go over those reports with everyone at next month’s meeting that way everyone would of had a chance to review them.
IX. Public Comment
X. Chairman's Report / Announcements
XI. Executive Session
XII. Adjournment
1. Motion to Adjourn
Result: Approved [Unanimous]
Mover: Mark Ferry, Member
Seconder: Donald Gould, Vice Chair
Ayes: Ogalla, Gould, Dollinger, Ferry, Militello, Rice, Summers
https://willcountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=15&ID=2978&Inline=True
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