Approved Minutes of November 20, 2024

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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH November 20, 2024 Ms. Phillips-Weiner invited board members to submit any additional feedback or revisions to her by email. The workplan will be formally approved at the meeting in January. IX. Reports and Discussion with Possible Action A. Media Items Libbie Hough, Communications Manager, presented the media packet to the board. Topics included: the Orange Partnership initiative Bridging the Gap to reduce adolescent vaping, Digital Literacy class offerings at local libraries, the Horizons program and maternal mortality, the reopening of an urgent care location in Hillsborough, and a recent rabies case identified in Orange County. Ms. Hough also let the board know that the webpage for FSA has been updated. Media items were in the packet, which focused on Orange County's events, our involvement in various efforts, and various public health topics. B. Health Directors Report Ms. Stewart presented her report to the Board. Below are brief highlights of her report. • The annual outside agencies application process has been revised, and board members will no longer be required to review applications (though the health director still will). Ms. Stewart added that she does not currently have details for the funding outcomes for the 2024 applications, but she will share those in the future. • Ms. Stewart met with Dr. Hamlett, the superintendent for the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City School (CHCCS) District, on November 13'h. They discussed the school system's new aligned cell phone policies ("away for the day" in lockers for the middle schools, and out of sight during class for the high schools) and ways to collaborate to reduce screen time among students. Ms. Stewart shared that CHCCS implemented a screen-free week last spring and that, anecdotally, staff are already saying that students seem to be socializing more under the updated phone policies. Additionally, Dr. Hamlett connected Ms. Stewart to a digital wellness expert, Mary Beth Roche. Commissioner Fowler clarified that Orange County Schools (OCS) do not yet have a standardized phone policy, which Ms. Stewart affirmed. Ms. Stewart shared that Dr. Jones conveys interest in drafting a cell phone policy for the district. As a fairly new Superintendent for the district, she currently has multiple competing priorities. • Orange County Health Department has contracted with an outside vendor, The Carden Group, to assist with leadership and cultural development of the department. The consultants recently hosted three roundtable discussions with staff to get a sense of the baseline culture. They expect to be working with the health department for the next six months. • A court date has been scheduled to hear the Gurlitz Hearing Appeal in District Court— the case will be heard on Friday December 61" at 9am. At this point, no staff or board members have been summoned for the court hearing. S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2024 Agenda and Abstracts/ November Page 8