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2009 2008 2007 2006 Minutes of Meeting held on May 21, 2007
Board of Supervisors Asthma Task Force
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
INFORMAL MEETING
Members In Attendance: Karen Cohn, Neil Gendel, Gloria Thornton, Peg Strub Raymond Manion, Benjamin Heckman, Tiffany Sutter, Krista Ward for (Anjali Nath), May Ling Dea (for Louise Kimbell).
Absent Members: Mary Higgins, Marie Hoemke, Rose Toney, Marlo Simmons Kimberley Knox, Meyla Ruwin, Natasha Madaris Louise Hill, * Nan Madden and Nadia Thind
Guests and Staff: Tirtza Pearl, Gail Herrick, Andrea Crosby and Janet Tobacman.
(* = pending appointment)
1. Introductions, Agenda Revisions, Approval of Minutes
The April minutes were not approved due to lack of a quorum. The agenda was modified to postpone the presentation on the Healthy Development Measurement Tool. The Asthma Network Event was discussed in the earlier Clinic Meeting, which was attended by the majority of those present.
2. Updates
a. ATF Membership
Karen Cohn thanked Tiffany Sutter for her participation in the Task Force. She will be leaving CPMC to take a position with California Breathing.
b. Fiscal Report/Update
Karen Cohn she has had the final close out with DPH accounting for the year. The Task Force has gotten everything asked for. The carry forward money will all be in the advertising category.
Karen reminded the committees to be working on their priorities for next year in terms of how the money is to be spent.
3. Communications Plan/Media Spending
Karen Cohn reported that Turn Here, the internet video company that was hired to do the “Agents of Change” vignettes. The San Francisco General Hospital Clinic video is complete and has been airing on Government TV. It is also linked to the Breathe California web site. The government web site is not allowed to run audio or video. There is a possibility of arranging for Turn Here to stream videos to the Breathe California site.
The Tom Waddell Clinic videos have been shot, but haven’t been edited yet.
The remaining vignettes will be: the school district regarding medical management and Tools for Schools; the school district custodial services about their change of products and Housing Authority.
4. Healthy Housing Legislation Discussion
Karen Cohn passed out copies of a mold brochure that had been requested by the property manager at Sunnydale. This request was made to help educate tenants on what to do regarding mold.
Supervisor Maxwell, who is aware of the work the Task Force is doing with Housing Authority, has asked the Task Force to create legislation. An attorney has been assigned and will, hopefully, attend the next Environmental Committee meeting in June.
After a discussion with Supervisor Maxwell it was determined that her interest in the legislation would be to address reconstruction issues. There is also the question about whether green housing necessarily equals healthy housing. This legislation would be to set the standard. What would be required as part of the permit to build a new place.
In the legislation, some things would be mandated, some incentive and some public awareness.
Some of the ideas the Environmental Committee has been working with are:
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Moisture Control
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o If someone who is a frequent violator, require them to hire a consultant with a moisture camera. (Raymond Manion stated PG&E has a camera available for use by home owners.)
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Air Quality
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o The Department of the Environment, funded by PG&E, is providing an “Energy Watch Program” for homeowners. This is an audit of the house to determine where leaks of moisture occur and imbalances of air coming into the home. This could also lead to a job development program.
- Dr. Bhatia is working on a proposal to determine when ventilated filtration should be required equal to commercial buildings for homes in areas with poor air quality in the neighborhood.
- What is green?
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o What building materials and being used and what do they off gas?
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o Which consumer products off gas what particular chemicals?
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Pest Control/Pesticides
- There will be an update of the Health Directors rules about the prevention of rodents and other vectors which will emphasize integrated pest management and the closing up of the entry points.
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Ensuring that the choice of the flooring in the Lead Standard as safe for asthmatics.
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Set asides in new construction regarding carpeting and a reasonable accommodation for old housing regarding carpeting.
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Tobacco
- Requiring owners to use the technical devices that are now available to prevent tobacco smoke infiltration between units.
- Enforcing the people who receive tax credits for smoke free units to use the money appropriately.
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Noise
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Stress and Violence
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Currently there is a prohibition from building a new house with a wood burning fireplace. There is no incentive to convert existing fireplaces to gas.
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Dust control from construction.
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Information on how to maintain a clean home.
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Redirect the Department of Public Health to develop the environmental health materials that are needed in the clinical setting to assist patients to have healthy housing.
5. Committee Reports
a.Schools/Childcare
Neil Gendel reported Anjali Nath, Stephanie Manfre and Luanne did a training of site liaisons of Tools for Schools.
Breathe California is beginning to redo their curriculum for their asthma management trainings for child care providers.
b. Clinical
Peg Strub reported the Clinical Committee had their asthma network meeting on May 4, which was attended by 40+ people. There is another meeting tentatively scheduled for October 12.
Karen Cohn is working on a resource manual for providers and one for patients.
Karen has also completed the website training.
The committee is applying for a Kaiser grant to train people to improve the quality of asthma care.
While brainstorming about the sustainability issue the committee decided to create a “report card” which will enable institutions and various individual to assess themselves.
6. Announcements
Raymond Manion announced HERC will be hosting a healthy community fair tomorrow.
Meeting Adjourned (4:00p.m.)
The next meeting will be June 25, 2007 at 2:00.
