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Meeting Information



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2009 2008 2007 2006 

Board of Supervisors Asthma Task Force

 Minutes of Meeting held onDecember 4, 2006

 City Hall

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

 San Francisco, CA

 

Members In Attendance:     MariaElena Alioto, Karen Cohn, Neil Gendel, Gloria Thornton, Anjali Nath, Lee Samson (for Louise Kimbell),  Marie Hoemke, Peg Strub,  Raymond Manion, Rose Toney, Tiffany Sutter and Benjamin Heckman. 

Absent Members:  Mary Higgins, Julie McKown, Natasha Madaris, Marlo Simmons, Kimberley Knox, Meyla Ruwin, Nadia Thind, and Louise Hill.

Guests and Staff:   Tirtza Rosenberg and Alyonik Hrshou.   

 (* = pending appointment)      

 

1.  Introductions, Agenda Revisions, Approval of Minutes

The October minutes were approved.  The agenda was revised to allow time for a review of the CAFA policy.   Lorraine Woodruff, potential guest speaker, will not be presenting.

 

2.  Updates

 

a. Fiscal Reports

 

Karen Cohn discussed the money remaining in the 2006-2007 budget.  The fiscal year began with $102,000 of which $77,000 went to other current services in the Health Department; $10,000 to reproduction and $15,000 to materials and supplies. There was also a roll over of money from last year - $16,311 for media purchasing and $18,200 for pilot mold remediation at the Housing Authority. 

 

The money spent has been: $20,000 for reproduction (This budget is to be bumped up to $45,000 to cover Spanish/English fliers for the Schools Committee.) 

 

At this time there is no specific plan for the media budget.  Gloria Thornton suggested putting that discussion on the agenda for January’s meeting. 

 

Karen stated she will be contracting out the purchasing of the clinic exams to Asthma Resources, Inc.

 

The “Other Current Services” include:  the training for the use of the Thermographic cameras including Housing Authority and the community groups who watchdog the Housing Authority.   

 

b.  Collaborations

 

Gloria Thornton suggested creating another PSA that features Natasha Madaris’ message.  This PSA would be in Spanish and Chinese.

 

Marie Hoemke suggested having an occasional column in the Chronicle which would be similar to the current Chronicle Watch series.  This would be focused on health issues, to draw attention to situations, or answer questions.  It would have a reference to the asthma web site. 

 

Anjali Nath stated she and Neil Gendel had a meeting with some of the key players in the chair care community. 

 

c.  ATF Membership

 

Anjali Nath announced this will be MariaElana Alioto’s last official meeting with the Task Force.  MariaElana spoke to those present explaining her decision to resign due to the loss of her job and family commitments.  She will continue to be an advocate and will be available to speak for the Task Force when requested. 

 

Anjali Nath announced that Nadia Thind and Tiffany Sutter have been officially sworn in as members of the Task Force.  Nadia will be serving as a representative of a childcare organization.  Tiffany will be serving as a health care professional working with asthmatics. 

 

The vacancy remaining is for a youth advocate.  MarieElana’s seat is for a person with asthma.   

 

d.  Staffing Update

 

Anjali Nath stated a request has been submitted to the California Endowment to approve a budget revision to allow the Task Force to hire another person.  She is still waiting for approval.

 

3.  Overview of Blue Cross State Sponsored Programs priorities related to Tools for Schools

 

Gloria Thornton announced Blue Cross state sponsored business nationally has a two year initiative related to schools.  Each county, or state, where there is a prescence for MediCal, Healthy Families or MediCaid will put together a plan to work toward some type of initiative to improve something related to environmental issues in schools.  The initiative began when Blue Cross won the EPA award for contributions towards improvement in asthma care and other issues.  As this point, there is no funding for this initiative. 

Neil Gendel pointed out there should be coordination with the Williams Settlement.  Karen Cohn suggested comparing the states without Williams Settlements to discern how they are making repairs.

 

4.  APHA Boston Update

 

Anjali Nath and Gloria Thornton attended the APHA Boston Conference.  Anjali was part of a panel and presented what the Environmental Committee has been doing with the Housing Authority.  Specifically, she spoke about the purchase of the thermographic cameras for the Housing Authority.  Also on the panel were four people from CAFA who spoke about their overall coalitions. 

 

 

 

5.  Williams Settlement Update

 

One of the goals of CAFA is to get the Williams Settlement enacted.  Joel, from RAMP, testifield in front of the State Allocation Board, Implimentation Committee.

 

 

6.  Guest Speaker – Alyonik Hrushow, Tobacco Free Coalition

 

Alyonik Hrushov spoke about the strategic plan of the Tobacco Free Coalition.  The plan is to expand protection from second hand smoke by increasing the areas where smoking is prohibited. 

The goal is to close the loopholes in the current laws, for example:  outdoor areas of restaurants; service areas and waiting lines for ATM machines, movie theaters, etc.; within 20 feet of entrances, exits and windows that open; recreation areas; common areas in multi unit residences and commercial units that are adjacent to a private residential unit. 

Alyonik stated that 10% of San Franciscans are daily smokers, 6% occasional. 

 

Karen Cohn introduced the resolution to support the work of the Tobacco Free Coalition to advance the strategic plan for this year.  The resolution passed unanimously.

 

Currently there is no sponsor identified to present to the Board of Supervisors.  The Coalition is currently looking for organization to support the proposed article changes.  Karen Cohn will pass suggestions on to the Coalition. 

 

7.  Announcements

 

Karen Cohn reported that, in her role with RAMP and the Task Force Environmental Committee, she has an outdoor air project.  She is working with the Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative.  It is an environmental justice collaborative focused on the air quality district and the issue of cumulative impact of harmful exposures and the people who suffer the most from them. They will be testifying this week.  Karen’s particular issue that she will testify about is there is data for each county showing point sources that are facilities, mobile sources and area sources (small businesses).  If a person is living in one of these areas they are getting pollution from all three. 

 

Meeting Adjourned (4:00p.m.)

 

The next meeting will be January 22, 2007 at 2:00.