Meeting Information

fullTF

2009 2008 2007 2006 

Members In Attendance:     Karen Cohn, Neil Gendel, Gloria Thornton, Lee Samson (for Louise Kimbell),  Marie Hoemke, Peg Strub, Rose Toney, Mary Higgins, Tiffany Sutter, Nadia Thind and Benjamin Heckman. 

Absent Members:  Anjali Nath, Raymond Manion, Marlo Simmons, Kimberley Knox, Meyla Ruwin, and Louise Hill.

Guests and Staff:   Tirtza Pearl, Nan Madden, Karen Licavoli, Krista Ward and Kate Lorenzen...  

 (* = pending appointment)      

 

1.  Introductions, Agenda Revisions, Approval of Minutes

The December minutes were corrected to read: Fiscal report “The fiscal year began with $102,000 of which $77,000 …and $15,000 to materials and supplies.”; Page 3 – Williams Settlement Update “Joel testified in front of  State Allocation Board, Implementation Committee.”  The minutes were accepted as corrected.  There were no modifications to the agenda.

 

2.  Updates

 

a. General Fund Spending Report

Karen Cohn reported that everything is on track.  There has been a training from Four Star Restoration to the Housing Authority.  A bid has been placed to buy a third camera for the Housing Authority.  The contract is under way to pay for the Asthma Educator examinations.  The consultant work with the Department of the Environment is under way.  Money hasn’t changed hands yet for the hire of the industrial hygienist.  This is pending negations between Tools For Schools and environment.  The fiscal people are moving the money to the right place.  Karen is working with Nan to buy supplies for the Asthma Clinic. The next area of spending will be media purchasing. 

 

Channel 14 has picked up the PSA and is working to adapt it to a Spanish speaking PSA.  Natasha Maderas and Gloria Thornton volunteered to work on the project. 

 

Peg Stub asked about updating the Resource Guide.  Karen responded that the SF Health Plan has updated the last guide.  Karen is waiting for the next group of asthma educators to pass the exam, so they can be included in the guide. 

 

Karen announced she has run out of Chinese and Spanish posters and is still getting requests. 

 

b.  ATF Staffing Update

Karen Licavoli reported budget modifications are in the works to hire another staff person.  The announcement is pending foundation approval. 

 

c.  ATF Membership

Karen Cohn stated there are four openings, two for people with asthma, parents of asthmatics, or asthma patient advocates and two for health care professionals of people with asthma.

 

Karen stated that she did the monthly meeting during Tirtza’s absence.  The mailing list is way to big.  She broke the list down to:  25 people who must receive the mailing; 25 people who should receive the mailing.  She sent a notice to the others and they will receive a second notice suggesting people look at the website rather than receive a copy of the minutes.  These people will be given a chance to remain on the mailing list if they would like.  Karen went on to suggest limiting the mailing to the Sunshine Requirements and action items for voting.  The idea was accepted. 

 

3.  Committee Highlights

Gloria Thornton stated the “committee highlights” are to consist of what projects each committee is working on – not the details. 

 

a.  Environmental Committee

Karen Cohn stated the Environmenta.l Committee sponsored the consultant who sold the camera, Scott Wood, Four Star Restoration, to present a two-part training.  The morning consisted of about 20 Housing Authority Managers and the afternoon consisted of about 25 Code Enforcement people from various agencies, in addition to industrial hygienists and other interested parties.  Trilingual fliers were made available to be given to tenants with suggestions of how to control mold.

 

b.  Clinical

Peg Strub reported the Clinical Committee has a new networking meeting scheduled for the Friday after World Asthma Day.  The committee is working on a newsletter to be distributed to the Asthma Network.

 

Another project is trying to have CMEs required in asthma education for renewal of licenses.  The committee is trying to collect San Francisco facility data to see how asthma is being treated.

 

Krista Ward stated the Webmaster has been receiving duplicates of postings, and emails that are sent to “all”.  Please just send her whatever you would like posted.

 

c.  Schools

Marie Hoemke spoke about management of asthma for children in schools.  The posters in Chinese, English and Spanish have been distributed.  The nurses are reporting that a lot more forms are being sent to schools as a result of the poster distribution.  The District Asthma Team will be meeting more frequently.  Hopefully they will be able to supply data which will assess the affect of the posters. 

 

A person is being hired to coordinate Tools for Schools, which is a program regarding the indoor air quality in schools. 

 

Marie spoke about entitlements that Neil Gendel has been working on, that the schools district can access for funds, but hasn’t been accessing yet.  Neil and Karen are working with the School Board to encourage them to access the available funds in order to sustain the programs.

 

 

 

d.  ChildCare

Neil Gendel stated the projects for the ChildCare Committee are to have the sites agree on performance guidelines, pesticide guidelines and issues to sensitivities.  Neil stated that Karen Cohn is working with the City to enact legislation to require the use of environmentally preferable products. 

 

Neil reported on a meeting that was held with several community groups to help them establish a program where environmental health is their focus. 

 

4.  Sustainability Planning

Karen Cohn stated that through CAFA access will be given to a professional guide to how to have the work of the Asthma Task Force become sustainable after sun setting.  She distributed a grid that had been presented to the Planning Committee, of the outcome and the strategy being used.  The Planning Committee asked her to expand to include who is leading the effort and which agency is being targeted. 

 

Some of the issues presented were:

Department of Public Health has not been targeted very much.

What will sustain the work of the Clinical Committee when the Task Force sunshines?

The health educators who are currently being certified will need to be recertified in six years.

What will be the oversight?

Legislation is needed to make sure things get done.

Who will be in charge of public awareness?

Does the Task Force want more from the School Board? 

How to sustain the website?

 

Kate Lorenzen mentioned that the trainers will look a ways to transition to a community coalition. 

 

5.  CAFA Policy and Annual Meeting Updates

Kate Lorenzen reported last November CAFA had its two day meeting of the CAFA network and all the partners to review the work and do policy prioritizing.  The decision was to follow through on the William’s Settlement and have indoor air quality included.  Anjali will be on this committee.  The other priority is the infrastructure bond.  The intent is to look at the reduction of diesel with the redesigning and reconstruction of transportation and transport. 

 

CAFA is “married” to the California Teachers Association for the year.  CAFA has given the CTA over $1,000 to focus on indoor air quality in the schools as an education campaign for their 300 person membership.  CTA will be piloting intense education in seven CAFA sites, the Task Force is one of them. 

 

Karen Cohn asked to be able to speak at the next meeting on work she is doing with another Task Force regarding outdoor air quality.

 

Karen Licavoli is on the advisory council for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.  They are looking to get involved with San Francisco Coalitions. 

 

 

6.  World Asthma Day Planning – need for ad hoc committee

Karen Cohn spoke to Eileen Shields, the Health Department Information Officer, for her suggestions.  Her two suggestions were the cameras that have been given to the Housing Authority and to hold as many different asthma events as possible that week, including patient stories.

 

Karen Cohn stated the Housing Authority is to report back to the Board of Supervisors on their progress.  She suggested this be done near World Asthma Day.  This could be a hearing and an “In the Field” photo shoot. 

 

Mary Higgins suggested using Sunnydale Housing and Visitation Valley Schools as locations to be used. 

 

Peg Strub said Kaiser will be doing something that day. 

 

Nan Madden suggested using SouthEast Health Center. 

 

Mary Higgins volunteered to serve on the ad hoc committee.

 

7.  APHA Abstracts on ATF Work

Karen Cohn stated that various committees of the APHA are looking for various types of submittal.  She prepared an abstract for regarding “Planning and Policy Developments” entitled “Descriptions of Successful Models for Influencing Policy Regulations and/or Legislation”.  There are plans to do another one about “Impact of the Environment on Chronic Conditions” and another with success stories.  Karen will accept other submissions.  They must be 300 words.

 

8.  Announcements

Marie Hoemke has been invited to attend the School Nurses Institute in Shanghai in July.

 

Karen Cohn announced that Tirtza now has a Task Force dedicated phone line on her desk.  The number is (415) 252-3812.

 

Mary Higgins announced she is no longer with HERC.

 

Karen Cohn congratulated Tirtza on her recent marriage.  She is now Tirtza Pearl.

 

Meeting Adjourned (4:00p.m.)

 

The next meeting will be February 26, 2007 at 2:00.