Meeting Information

fullTF

2009 2008 2007 2006 

Members In Attendance:     MariaElena Alioto, Karen Cohn, Neil Gendel, Marie Hoemke, Mary Higgins, Natasha Madaris, Anjali Nath, Peg Strub, Rose Toney, Gloria Thornton,  and Kimberley Knox.

Absent Members: Julie McKown, Micah McLorin , Benjamin Heckman, Winna Davis,  Trish Bascom, Louise Kimbell, and Louise Hill.

Guests and Staff:   Tirtza Rosenberg, Lee Samson, Gail Herrick, Kate Lorenzen and Jessica Bowen Bazyl.

(* = pending appointment)               

 

1.  Introductions, Agenda Revisions, Approval of Minutes

May minutes were corrected for the spelling of Jennie Hearing and Jessica Bowen Bazyl.  May minutes were approved as corrected

 

2.  Grants-CPMC-Hospitalizations causal factors;Transportation access to care in Bayview. Breathing mini-grant RFP, HUD grant

 

Karen Cohn distributed the letter of congratulations stating the Task Force has been awarded the Community Health Award Grant of $10,000.  The money will be used to sponsor focus groups of four ethnicities of families of pediatric hospitalizations.  The groups will talk about their perceptions of what led to the hospitalization.  At least one group will consist of providers, primarily from St. Luke’s and California Pacific Medical Center, admitting doctors.  This was the only asthma-related award given.

 

Gloria Thornton stated there are some pediatricians who have expressed an interest in participating.  She went on to state that the assumption has been that children with private practice doctors are under better control.  This is not necessarily true. 

 

Mary Higgins also won an award.  This was awarded to HERC.  Mary stated the award was for a program designed to help obese children learn proper eating habits and exercise with families.

 

Karen Cohn stated the transportation access to Bayview will be working with Jacob Moody at the Bayview/Hunter’s Point Foundation for Community Improvement, HERC, Green Action, the Asthma Task Force to get people to their health care.  This will be a shuttle service and taxi scripts to get people between low income housing and care related setting in the Bayview and San Francisco General Hospital. 

 

The State Health Department will allocate their California Breathing Mini-Grant Award next week.  This will include a pharmacy outreach for African American Health.

 

The HUD grant will be about Healthy Housing and doing remediation. 

 

3.  Asthma Task Force Vacancies

 

Tirtza Rosenberg has been in contact with the Rules Committee; however the current vacancies have not been corrected on the website.  She will contact them again.  Karen Cohn reported there are three vacancies:  Child Care, which Wu Yee is working on; a Health Care Professional; and a patient, parent of a patient or patient care giver. 

 

Gloria Thornton stated she announced the vacancies at a NICOS meeting and will bring it up at an Asian Disparity Meeting. 

 

Kimberly Knox suggested recruiting someone from California Pacific Medical Center. 

 

Mary Higgins suggested Nadine Burke.  She will contact her.

 

Peg Strub suggested drafting a document to explain the membership process to perspective members.

 

4.  Asthma Task Force Website

 

Anjali Nath has been working with the web master and displayed the draft of the set up.    Peg asked that the address be shortened.  Anjali is stilling working on getting photos for the web site.  It was suggested that a list of who the committee members are be put on the website.  Anjali asked that people send her suggestions this week.

 

Karen Cohn explained this website supplied by San Francisco City Government.  Eventually this will be independent.  Another website will be used for Clinical Committee. 

 

5.  Communications Plan

 

Gloria Thornton, Anjali Nath, Kate Lorenzen and Karen Cohn met with Public Media Center to discuss exactly what they do and what they will do for the Task Force.  The three priority projects are:

 

1. Outreach Flyer to educate parents about Asthma Emergency Care Plans

             in the San Francisco Unified School District.

2. Outreach Flyer to educate and mobilize parents about healthy schools

             and indoor air quality issues

3. More general campaign highlighting what San Franciscans deserve/what

            they have a right to (healthy housing, healthy schools, etc.)

 

A mock-up of the flier to educate parents was distributed today.  Kate Lorenzen suggested the term “according to code” or “per the resolution” might add more impact.

 

6. CAFA Spotlight

 

There are 12 coalitions to fight asthma.  The RAMP and CAFA websites have merged to form www.CalAsthma.org.  The Asthma Task Force is slated to be highlighted in July.

 

7.  Meeting with SFUSD Facilities Staff (Schools Committee)

 

Anjali Nath announced she and Marie Hoemke, Neil Gendel and Karen Cohn met with School District Facilities staff, David Goldin and Ed Ochi.  The purpose of the meeting was to get an update on the various resolutions which have passed.   A commitment was made by the Facilities staff to work with the Task Force staff to implement programs. 

 

Neil Gendel explained there were four issues:

 

1. Tools for Schools

2.  William’s Settlement  This was a class action settlement against the Governor, the Board of Education and many others at the state level.  The allegation is that schools, particularly in the urban areas, are being denied an equal education due to a lack of certified teachers, educational materials and poor conditions of the facilities.  Some of the schools in San Francisco were the examples of what was wrong.  43 of the schools in San Francisco were considered “poor performing” due to the poor conditions.  The legislature is setting aside $80000,000 to make improvements. 

3.  The Task Force is asking the School District to buy environmentally friendly products. 

4.  High Performance Guidelines

 

Marie Hoemke stated the school bus issue has been completed.  San Francisco is the first school district in the nation to have all buses be clean burning diesel fuel and to have seat belts in all the new buses.  Anjali Nath and Neil Gendel corrected the information to state that 55 large school buses now have seat belts and are using low emission fuel.  The Task Force is still hoping the School District will replace the rest of the busses. 

 

8.  Meeting with Supervisor Maxwell regarding collaboration with San Francisco Housing Authority

 

Karen Cohn reported Supervisor Maxwell is as supportive as ever.  Supervisor Maxwell would like to have a photo shoot with Mayor Newsom to start an investigative process with the Housing Authority once they have the equipment and training.  She will arrange a meeting between the Environmental Committee and Gregg Fortner to discuss the Memorandum of Expectations, then hopefully a hearing where the equipment will be handed over on camera. 

 

9.  Certified Asthma Educator Examinations Update

 

Karen Cohn stated 55 people are signed up for the examinations.  About 6 have passed so far.  MariaElena Alioto stated the credentials are now good for seven years.

 

10.  Policy & Legislation – local, state, federal, regulatory

 

AB264 (Asthma Management in Schools) & AB3018 (Indoor Air Pollution) report back

 

Karen Cohn stated that the Task Force had suggested an amendment to AB264 which was accepted and added to the bill.  The amendment was to make sure there was a reference to individual education, not just group education.  The bill will be discussed in the Health Committee on June 28.  Health plans have stopped opposing this and it will probably pass. 

 

AB3018 (Smoking in cars) – review legislation

 

Karen Cohn stated this bill still hasn’t happened yet.  In the meantime CARB is being forced to consider having formaldehyde free wood composite products.  Karen testified at those hearings. 

 

AB 379 (Smoking in cars)

 

Karen Cohn introduced a bill currently in assembly which will prohibit people from smoking in cars with minor passengers.  The second and subsequent violations would be punishable an amount not exceeding $100 if a person smokes a pipe, cigar, or cigarette in a car, whether in motion or at rest, in which there is a child passenger who is of the age that is required to be in a car seat restraint.  This would be published in the California Driver’s Manual.  The Tobacco Control Section of the State Health Department shall conduct a public education program.  Peg Strub asked if the age could be older.  The Task Force voted to have Karen create a City Legislative Position of Support after checking with the Tobacco Free Project to find out what they have done to support this bill.

 

Karen Cohn stated a legislative aide from the Health Department is willing to make a presentation to the Task Force. 

 

Karen Cohn spoke about the Housing Habitability Health Code Article.  Currently there is no charge for a code inspector to respond to a complaint until there is a violation and the inspector goes back to re-inspect and close it out.  The amendment would state that a fee would be charged on the first inspection if a violation exists, as well as a fee for the follow-up inspection. 

 

Karen Cohn reviewed a draft of the letter that will be sent to the Board of Supervisors regarding the use of the $102,000 allotted to the Task Force at the beginning of the fiscal year.  The letter was approved with the addition of actual financial statements. 

 

11. Public Comment

 

Mary Higgins stated that some retired physicians and retired nurses are interested in starting a clinic in Bayview, 94124.  She doesn’t have the details, but it would be to help with chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and asthma.  They need support.  She is asking for people to read a paper from them and give opinions.  Mary will FAX it to Anjali or Tirtza to send on to the members for review. 

 

CAFA will be presenting at APHA’s annual meeting.  Anjali will be speaking on behalf of the Task Force and the work that has been done with the Housing Authority. 

 

MarieElena announced she approached the Vice Chancellor of UCSF who is in charge of facilities management.  She wanted to make them aware of the Task Force and the recommendations towards allergies.  In Mission Bay, UCSF have a lot of trees and grass.  She is meeting with them and so far the Vice Chancellor was surprised that there are plants that could be planted that would make the situation better.  Kate Lorenzen will research a list of plants.

 

Meeting Adjourned (4:00p.m.)

 

The next meeting will be July 24, 2006 at 2:00.