Final Minutes of April 20, 2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

MINUTES - Draft ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH April 20, 2022 o Connect people living unsheltered with housing and services. o Use a trauma-informed, relationship-based model with visits to campsites, hospitals, jails and the streets. o Perform welfare checks, harm-reduction outreach, connections to housing and services. o Help reduce policing and justice involvement. o Perform therapeutic assessments, case plans and case management. The BOH had questions and comments that were addressed by Ms. Fenhagen. B. Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) Update Tommy Green, Community Health Aide, gave an update on the FIT program. He began by providing some background of the FIT program and its purpose. Below are some highlights: • FIT program was designed to connect formerly incarcerated people with a chronic condition to health care services via the help of a community health worker (CHW). • Other community re-entry resources are available to help with a comprehensive re-entry plan. The FIT program works with its partners and assists clients with finding housing, employment and getting into substance abuse programs. • Currently, Orange, Durham, Wake, Mecklenburg, Guilford and New Hanover counties have FIT programs. • Some data given included: o There are 1.5 million people in federal or state prisons and jails in the U.S. ➢ African-American men represent 40% of the prison population despite only making up 13.2 of the total U.S. population. ➢ Incarceration rates for men by race ❖ 1 in 14 are Caucasian, 1 in 6 are Hispanic and 1 in 3 are African- American. ➢ The U.S. makes up 25% of the world's prison population despite only comprising of 5% of the world's total population. ➢ 77% of former prisoners are rearrested for another crime within 5 years of being released. ➢ In NC, there are over 37K people incarcerated in state prisons (approx. 34K males and 3K females). ➢ Within the 1st month of post-release, the risk of death from heroin overdose and pill overdose is 70x and 24x, respectively, than of the general population. o Out of a study of 1,100 people exiting imprisonment, 80% of men and 90% of women had a chronic disease that required management including heart disease, diabetes, HIV, Hepatitis C and kidney disease. o More than 50% of individuals in prison report at least one mental health symptom. o To be eligible for the FIT program, one must be an Orange County resident, recently released from prison or jail within the last 2 years and diagnosed with a chronic illness to include mental health and substance abuse/misuse. o Some of the challenges faced are homelessness, no source of income, recidivism, food insecurity, unemployment and mental health problems. . • Case load data: o 81 total clients of which 35 are active cases, 12 graduates, 6 deceased (1 overdosed) and 28 lost to follow up. S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda &Abstracts\2022 Agenda &Abstracts/ April Page 3