Approved Minutes of November 15, 2023

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MINUTES-Draft ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH November 15, 2023 Media items were in the packet, which focused on Orange County's events, our involvement in various efforts, and various public health topics. B. Community Health Assessment Update Ms. Williams shared that the final listening session will be held virtually tomorrow, November 16t". While attendance has been spotty (some sessions have had only a few people and some have had 20+), more than 100 people have completed priority voting online. Ms. Williams added that the listening sessions have offered an opportunity to promote Medicaid expansion to the community and alert people of the pending changes to eligibility requirements. C. Health Directors Report Ms. Stewart presented her report to the Board. Below are brief highlights of her report. • Ms. Stewart shared that she has joined a new workgroup, the Health Director's Association, at the Institute of Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill aimed at revising the state accreditation program for health departments. • Ms. Stewart recently participated on a lively panel for Project EngAGE, a 13-week senior leadership program with the department of aging focused on recruiting and training Orange County older adults to become community resource leaders and help make their communities ideal places to age. She said this allowed her to sit with some other human service providers in Orange County and answer questions. • Ms. Stewart mentioned a recent meeting with Samantha Luu of the Campus & Community Coalition (CCC), and that the health department will be increasing financial support of the organization by 5% ($1,500) to account for inflation and cost of living. • Regarding respiratory illnesses, Ms. Stewart shared that there has been an increase in flu cases, while COVID rates remain relatively stable. She added that the health department does have COVID boosters available but are out of pediatric RSV vaccines as there is currently a shortage. Mr. Bagby asked if there were enough COVID boosters available, as he had recently called in to make a vaccine appointment and was told that they were only available for patients without insurance. Ms. Stewart apologized and said that this should not have happened and that the vaccines are available to anyone regardless of insurance status. She added that the phone tree for the clinic was recently restructured so that patients will be connected to a human operator more quickly. In response to Dr. Rodgers' question about which COVID vaccines were in stock at the health department, Ms. Stewart replied Moderna and Pfizer, but not Novavax. IX. Closed Session to Discuss Health Director's Annual Review A motion to enter closed session at 8:32 p.m. to discuss the health director's annual review was made by Dr. Shielda Rodgers, seconded by Dr. Alison Stuebe, and carried without dissent. During the closed session, the Board of Health discussed Quintana Stewart's job description and annual performance review. Vicki Jones, HR Program Manager from Orange County Human Resources, guided the board members through their discussion. A motion to end the closed session at 9:35 p.m. was made by Dr. Shielda Rodgers, seconded by Dr. Alison Stuebe, and carried without dissent. S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda&Abstracts\2023 Agenda&Abstracts/ November Page 8