Approved Minutes of May 22, 2024

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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH May 22, 2024 shared that the previous year included a death by drowning, a death caused by a child being left in a hot car, and a death by suicide. • Dr. Royce asked what the leading cause of death was, to which Commissioner Fowler replied it appears to be perinatal/birth defects. Ms. Crews added that traffic accidents are an area of concern and that many parents need car seats. • Dr. Stuebe asked if the CFPT tracks preventable vs. unavoidable deaths, to which Ms. Stewart replied that this data is aggregated at the state level. She added that a lot of the recent child fatalities were related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and co- sleeping (i.e., a parent and a child sleeping in the same space), so educational campaigns have been targeted towards curbing deaths from these causes. Ms. Stewart commented that because there have been so many deaths related to perinatal causes in the past few years, a colleague at UNC Gillings is investigating whether COVID-19 infection or receiving a COVID-19 vaccine could be causing an increase in perinatal disease. Commissioner Fowler and Dr. Stuebe both suggested the increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic seemed like a more likely factor. • The board clarified the total number of fatalities that the CFPT investigated in 2023: a total of 19, comprised of 13 deaths in 2022 and 6 from previous years. • In response to Dr. Rodger's question about organizations to which individuals can donate new car seats, Ms. Stewart said we would be hearing from one next (Safe Kids Orange). • Ms. Crews outlined some upcoming changes to the CFPT, including that the team will be getting a designated office, and that they will no longer be required to review every death (including deaths from perinatal causes). Ms. Stewart explained that the goal of the CFPT is to identify and advocate for policy changes that will reduce child fatalities, so generally the team focuses on deaths that are likely preventable. However, Dr. Royce expressed concern about this approach, as she felt it could lead to environmental exposure trends being overlooked. Dr. Stuebe shared that there is a statewide committee that completes surveillance related to birth defects, so surveillance will continue but it seems that the county resources are being prioritized based on need. She added that unless the birthing parent's medical records are available then it becomes a moot point anyway. Ms. Crews added that the CFPT will still have the option to request to review any case beyond what they are sent, including perinatal cases. • In response to Mr. Whitaker's question about gun deaths, Ms. Crews explained that there was a recent case of a 17-year-old boy who died in a gun related homicide, and the CFPT concluded that all the necessary supports had been in place, it was an unfortunate instance of poor choices. • Commissioner Fowler asked about deaths caused by family pets, to which Ms. Crews replied that she hasn't seen a case recently but has in the past. Dr. Jonnal added that pets frequently cause non-fatal harm to children. Dr. Pickett advised that parents should supervise their children and pets whenever they are interacting. B. Safe Kids Orange County Anna Stormzand, Pediatric and Adult Injury Prevention Coordinator for UNC's Trauma Program, presented on the Safe Kids Orange County program. Her colleagues, Celsi Simon, Assistant Fire Marshall, and Gayane Chambless, Program Director for Orange Partnership, also joined her for the presentation. Some highlights of her presentation are below: • Ms. Stormzand provided an overview of the Safe Kids program. She shared that Daniel Roberson from the sheriff's office is the current chair, Celsi Simon is the current vice- S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2024 Agenda and Abstracts/ May Page 5