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Salem health board eyes inclusive workplace training program

SALEM – The board of health discussed a potential inclusive workplace training program in its September meeting.

Health Commissioner Kayla Crowl explained that as part of the department’s Workforce Development Grant it was obligated to spend $10,000 of those funds to promote equity, noting that the expenditure “could be training, it could be policy implementation, things that cater to promoting equity in your department in the community you serve.”

Crowl said that another Northeast Ohio department had used its equity funding on workshops with The Diversity Center of Ohio, and that after discussing the department’s makeup and the community they serve the Diversity Center recommended their “Creating Inclusive Workplaces Program,” which is a series of three trainings each focusing on a different element of fostering a diverse and culturally sensitive and intelligent workforce each lasting three to four hours. These trainings would come with a price tag of $9,600 for all three sessions for up to 50 participants, with Crowl noting that should the department choose to pursue the program she would reach out Police Chief J.T. Panezott, and Fire Chief Scott Mason to see if they would be interested in having department personnel participate in the training.

While the board was in favor of the trainings in principal Board Vice President Pro-Tempore Judy Sicilia raised concerns with the time required for each session of three to four hours, questioning how the department would be able to function with multiple staff members unavailable for multiple hours.

“Three to four hours out of a day when we don’t have that many employees and can’t rotate the employees and do half of them one time and half another time…I mean that’s a long time,” said Sicilia.

The board ultimately requested Crowl discuss possible adjustment to meet the department’s staffing needs with the development center and tabled the issue for further discussion.

Director of Nursing Chelsea Clark’s report was delivered on her behalf by Crowl as she was unable to attend due to illness. Crowl said that the department had held its back-to-school vaccination clinic in August and had 16 people attend. Crowl also said that COVID-19 cases remain on the rise within the city 63 cases reported in August which were still mostly isolated within long-term care facilities, Crowl also said that cases of sexually transmitted illnesses within the city were becoming “a little bit more consistent,” and that in addition to the department’s efforts to begin offering anonymous take home STI kits discussed at length in the board’s June meeting, the department would be expanding its prophylactic offerings in an attempt to curb transmission.

Crowl also delivered Environmental Health Director Alan Masters’ report as he was out of the office for a medical procedure. In the wake of the mercury spill which displaced a Salem family in May, and increased awareness of mercury and its negative health impact that followed residents have been contacting Masters to properly dispose of mercury located in their homes with pounds several pounds turned since May. This trend continued in August with Masters collecting 28 pounds of mercury over the course of the month for proper disposal.

In response to the volume collected within a single month Sicilia questioned whether the department should plan to further promote awareness of the potential presence of mercury within older buildings and certain older items like thermometers, and the health risks associated with mercury again after some time had passed. The board and Crowl ultimately agreed that it would be a good idea to do so, and to possibly make an educational video on the subject.

During his report Housing Inspector Jarrod Richter said that the housing department had completed 340 inspections in the month of August, “and almost all of those were passes.” However, Richter said that number was “a little misconstrued,” as a much of that total was coming from multi-unit inspections including one building on Lincoln Avenue with 128 units which were able to be completed all in a single day, and others with 20 or even 40 units to be inspected at once. Crowl and Richter reiterated past comments championing the compliance, and helpfulness of both the property owners and renters at these complexes, noting their cooperation and diligence enables such a high volume of inspections to be completed so rapidly.

Crowl also said that housing complaints were down in August, attributing the decrease to the increase in completed inspections, and changing weather reducing high grass issues.

During her report Crowl said that she would be presenting the board with the department’s annual food service operation and retail food establishment, pool, and tattoo license fees so that they could have the first of three readings required for their establishment and adoption. Crowl also said that the department would begin implementing a new process where staff review meeting minutes with her during subsequent staff meeting to ensure that their reports are recorded accurately in the minutes and promote communication between the board and department staff.

The meeting concluded with an executive session for the discussion of personnel and budgetary matters with no action to follow.

The board of health will meet next at 2 p.m. Oct. 16.

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