HEALTH COMMITTEE

AUGUST 16, 2006

COUNCIL CHAMBER

Convened: 4:38 P.M.

Adjourned: 5:45 P.M.

 

Present were:       Chairperson Councilor Barbara G. Haller

                             Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes

                             Councilor Gary Rosen

 

Also:                     Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Leonard Morse

                             Assistant Director of Public Health Derek Brindisi

                             Assistant City Clerk Susan Ledoux, clerk

         

1.       Communication of the City Manager   relative to the report “Operation Yellow Box” be referred to the City Council’s Standing Committee on Health.

#23B CM May 2, 2006

 

Councilor Lukes recused on a roll call 2-0 and left the table for the duration of the discussion.

 

Recommend Hold

 

Speakers:

Dr. Gina Trachimowicz, 1 Washburn Rd., Auburn, MA

Celeste Anderson and Andrea Haas – summer intern students

Abigail Averback, member of the Health Board

William Breault, 4 Hathaway St.

Peter Stefan, 838 Main St.

Sandy Stearn, Director of Health Services for Anna Maria College and a representative Consortium of Colleges for the Worcester area, 3 Forest View Rd., Keene, NH

 

Chairman’s Orders:

 

1.       Request City Manager provide City Council with a list of names and locations of eligible distributors of needles and syringes such as pharmacists, manufacturers or dealers in surgical supplies or manufacturers or dealers in embalming supplies.

2.       Request City Manager provide City Council with a report on whether over the counter sale of needles and syringes is an option or a requirement for pharmacists or distributors.

3.       Request City Manager provide City Council with a report of the implications of this legislation (Chapter 172 of the Acts of 2006) will have in regards to the possession of hypodermic equipment in terms of the numbers and distribution by individuals or agencies without fee.

4.       Request City Manager contact our legislative representatives and provide City Council with a report on information regarding the program for the collection and disposal of spent hypodermic needles and lancets as referred to by Chapter 172 of the Acts of 2006.

5.       Request City Manager provide City Council with a copy of the report that was referred to in Chapter 172, Section 17 of the Acts of 2006.

6.       Request City Manager provide City Council with a list of addresses where drop-off boxes in Rhode Island are located.

7.       Request City Manager provide City Council with a report on whether pharmacists or distributors who sell needles are required to dispose of these needles.

8.       Request City Manager prepare language for local legislation to require pharmacists or distributors that sell over the counter needles and syringes be required to take back these spent products for disposal.

9.       Request City Manager contact local colleges to ask if they would be interested in participating in an on campus yellow box program and if so how they might want to participate is this program.

 

2.       Order of Councilor Gary Rosen and Councilor Barbara G. Haller request the Standing Committee on Health conduct a hearing in the near future to discuss the Hector E. Reyes House, a culturally sensitive Latino treatment residence which has been proposed by a community task force seeking creative solutions to stop the increasing level of violence among young Latino males.

          #25 CC May 9, 2006

In Committee August 2, 2006-Held

Recommend Hold

         

Chairman’s Order request City Manager provide City Council with a report on the ethnicity of the Administrative Staff, Clinical Staff and Clients that are treated by social service programs dealing with recovering addicts and alcoholics to see how ethnicity is reflected in the treatment programs that are provided to our community.