DRAFT

MINUTES

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND THE MEDICAL CENTER

APRIL 1, 1996

9:00 AM

(Joint meeting with County Officers and Departments)

Present: Chair: County Officers and Departments, Joseph Delfino

Clinton Young

Dr. Mark Rapoport, Jo Brill, Amy Paulin

Present: Chair: Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Members: Sue Swanson

Lois Bronz, Ursula LaMotte Secretary: Lynne Creighton,

Dolores Heredia

The meeting of County Officers and Departments was called to order at 9:10 am by Mr. Delfino.

The meeting of Health and the Medical Center was called to order at

9:10 am by Mrs. Stewart-Cousins.

After introducing Dr. Rapoport, Mr. Delfino asked him to advise the committee as to why the Local Law should be implemented.

Dr. Rapoport discussed the reasons why the Medical Examiner and his or her office should be under the supervision of the County Department of Health:

- Under New York State Department of Health regulations, the

County Medical Examiner’s office must be under the supervision

of the Commissioner of Health to be eligible for New York State

Dept. of Health aid reimbursement for general public health

work.

- In order for the County to qualify for State aid reimbursement,

the Medical Examiner and his or her office must be part of the

County’s approved municipal public health services plan and

that funding for the Medical Examiner and his or her office must

be in the County’s Health Department budget.

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Dr. Rapoport said that the enactment of this local law will lead to a more efficient operation for addressing public health concerns and that the County will be eligible for additional State aid reimbursement for general public health work under New York State regulations, due to the fact that the Medical Examiner and his or her office is under the supervision of the County Commissioner of Health.

Agenda Item A. 12 from the County Executive: Proposed Local Law to

require the Medical Examiner and his or her office to be under the supervision of the County Commissioner of Health

Mrs. Stewart-Cousins questioned the language change in Section 3 from gender neutral to male specific and requested the Administration to make the appropriate changes.

A motion was made by Mr. Donovan and seconded by Mr. Delfino to have the language changed to gender neutral and to hold a Public Hearing on April 9 absent any objection from the public to pass it that day, and to be voted on at the April 22 Board meeting. The motion was carried by a vote of 5-0.

A motion was made by Mrs. Swanson and seconded by Mrs. LaMotte to have the language changed to gender neutral and to hold a Public Hearing on April 9 absent any objection from the public to pass it that day, and to be voted on at the April 22 Board meeting. The motion was carried by a vote of 4-0

Mrs. Swanson made a motion to recess from the meeting seconded by Mrs. Stewart-Cousins, with Health and the Medical Center to reconvene in the Library.

The meeting of Health and the Medical Center was called to order at

10:05 am by Mrs. Stewart-Cousins.

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The minutes of March 26 were approved as amended on motion of Mrs. Bronz, seconded by Mrs. Swanson.

Mrs. Stewart-Cousins mentioned that the committee is scheduled to have lunch with Commissioner Stolzenberg and tour the hospital on April 23 at 12 Noon. She asked Lynne to send a memo to all new legislators inviting them to attend.

There was a discussion on day care centers, covering allocation of funds, available slots and various problems with regard to this subject.

Mrs. Swanson said that she heard prisoners at the Westchester Correctional Facility had boycotted the commissary due to a raise in the price of certain items.

Mrs. Stewart-Cousins said that Deputy Commissioner Luke Smith was quoted as saying he was looking into the situation.

Mrs. Swanson gave a summary of a joint meeting of Health and the Medical Center, Public Safety & Criminal Justice and the Task Force on Families, saying that the State Health Dept. that oversees Victims Assistance Services wanted to set up a unit in the hospital for rape victims.

After further discussion on this issue, Mrs. Stewart-Cousins said that she would like to hold a health symposium at the Greenburgh Community Health Center, but Mrs. Bronz said there was no room to accommodate a public meeting, and suggested the White Plains Library or the County Center.

Mrs. Stewart-Cousins wanted to know if the health centers could set up a table of brochures, kits and other pertinent information.

The date for this event will be April 29 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

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A discussion on health issues followed and Mrs. Bronz mentioned a letter from Dr. Rapoport that she received regarding the statistics on the health of the African American community. Mrs. Bronz also said she was involved with a young woman from New Rochelle regarding a Health Awareness event with some of the churches in New Rochelle.

Mrs. LaMotte said that there is a new vaccine for chicken pox and wanted to know how to get this information to the public.

Mrs. Bronz mentioned a project in White Plains where volunteers went door-to-door handing out information on immunization and that it was very successful.

Mrs. Stewart-Cousins suggested asking Dr. Rapoport for an update on immunization.

Mrs. Stewart-Cousins also said that there is an area in Yonkers where breast cancer is extremely high and that May 20 is set aside for breast cancer screening in Yonkers at 30 S. Broadway and would like the committee to attend to show their support.

Mrs. Stewart-Cousins mentioned the governor’s proposed budget cuts to mental health and the letter from Carolyn Hedlund of the Mental Health Association and whether or not to have a Home Rule message regarding the cuts. Mrs. LaMotte said she thought it should pass through the Legislation Committee.

Mrs. Bronz said that State Legislators should be contacted and Mrs. Stewart-Cousins said she would call Assemblyman Gary Pretlow regarding the Mental Health budget.

On motion of Mrs. Stewart-Cousins and seconded by Mrs. Bronz the meeting was adjourned at 11:40 PM by a vote of 4-0.