Orange County NC Website
The minutes of December 14, 1976, were reviewed and corrections ~~ <br />were pointed out. <br />Upon motion of Commissioner Pinney, seconded by Commissioner <br />Gustaveson, it was moved and adopted that the minutes of December 14, <br />1976, be approved. <br />The Chairman referred to Item 3: A request to appropriate $6,000 <br />from the current District Health Department's budget will be presented <br />by Susan Spault. <br />Mr. Spault, Coordinator of Health Services in the Chapel Hill- <br />Carrboro Scheols, along with Dr. RobeYt Hanes and Dr. Corodon Fuller <br />will explain.a request to appropriate $6,000 from the current District <br />Health Department's budget to provide an additional full time nurse to <br />serve in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System. <br />Mr. Spault spoke of the need for an additional school nurse and <br />the potential of a nurse working with the schools and the Health Depart- <br />. ment. She stated that an additional nurse would allow expanded nursing <br />within the elementary schools as outlined in the job description and alse <br />allow the inclusion within the secondary schools of nursing service care. <br />With another nurse, Mr. Spault would be free to coordinate health servics <br />in the elementary and secondary schools. <br />Dr. Fuller, District Health Director, stated that the need for <br />another nurse was because of an overload crested by the swine flu program <br />and because of the manifestation of head lice throughout the school <br />system. <br />Dr. Hanes, Superindendent of the Chapel Hi11-Carrboro School System, <br />informed the Board of a Health Task Force working in the Chapel Hill- <br />.. Carrboro School area. One area the task force has concentrated upon is <br />to identify on-going services which a professional nurse would provide. <br />The need for a health nurse coordinated through the Health Department <br />has become more prevalent. <br />Chairman Whitted stated that Dr. Fuller had indicated to the Board <br />of Commissioners that the $6,000 request would be appropriated by the <br />District Health Department from their curxent budget instead of a supple- <br />mental request. Dr. Fuller stated that this was correct, however, there <br />would be a need to continue the program at the end of the fiscal year. <br />Commissioner Gustaveson questioned Dr. Fuller of the vacancies <br />which existed in the Health Department. <br />Dr. Fuller stated that he f~1t a business manager was needed instead <br />of a health administrator. <br />Mr. Gustaveson asked Dr. Fuller of his rationale for changing from a <br />health administrator to a business manager. Commissioner Gustaveson <br />stated that a health administrator was a high priority when Dr. Fuller <br />met with the Commissioners and the Health Task Force last October, 1975, <br />and again in June, 1976, at the Commissioners' budget meeting. He stated <br />that it was felt the position would take some responsibility off of Dr. <br />Fuller to free him to work in the clinic as presented in the School of <br />Public Health's proposal. <br />Dr. Fuller stated that the thought of a business manager had just <br />occurred and that he felt with the funding, and the ramifications of <br />handling funds for the five counties, he had decided to expl6re this area. <br />He added that there was room for both a business manager and a health <br />administrator in the District Health Department. He stated that he felt <br />a health administrator should function between the Health Department and <br />the School of Public Health. <br />Commissioner Gustaveson stated that he was concerned about the sur- <br />plus within the Health Department and that he was deeply disturbed by <br />the slowness of the Health Department in moving on the high priorities <br />cited in October of 1975. Commissioner Gustaveson requested that an <br />in-depth discussion of this question be included on the agenda far the <br />first Tuesday in January and that a serious study be made of the feasi- <br />bility of Orange County developing its own Public Health Program. <br />