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SALEM -- The Salem City Health District received positive feedback in its state audit and recent visit for the Vaccines for Children program, Health Commissioner Kayla Crowl reported at the board's January meeting.
Crowl said she and Environmental Health Director Alan Masters had collaborated on the department's responses to items highlighted by the Ohio Department of Health, and that the state had been "very pleased" with the department's response and performance. Crowl said that the highlighted items included the adoption of updates to the department's food program, license and inspection policies and procedures, and the department's complaint and enforcement manual, all of which were approved in the meeting. Crowl also said that the department's staff was happy with the steps taken to implement the state's requests.
"They seem to be satisfied with our responses and we seem to be satisfied with the efforts we have had to implement. This is our implementation for making our standards what they should be. Alan (Masters)'s on board, I'm on board and its definitely something that will do the department good," said Crowl.
Crowl also said that the visit for the Vaccines for Children Program had gone exceedingly well, with the only area highlighted for improvement being the product of a new regulation to retain a supply of children's Covid-19 vaccines, which the department swiftly remedied.
"We passed with flying colors. The only thing, and it is a new guideline, they're asking us to do is we did not have any of the children's covid vaccines. That is a new guideline that we are to have those on hand at all times, we haven't had anyone ask for it so they hadn't ordered it, but now it will be on hand," said Crowl.
The meeting also saw discussion of the department's workforce development grant funding. Crowl explained that the department had $13,000 in grant funding that would need to be re-allocated irrespective of the currently unfilled outreach, and part-time housing inspector positions which are already budgeted into the grant funding. One suggestion for the funds was to continue the department's search for an outreach specialist, and to use the $13,000 to expand the hours of Public Health Nurse Chelsea Clark to assist with outreach. Ultimately the board made no formal decision.
The board of health will meet next at 2 p.m. Feb. 21.