Sponsor: Public Health
Title
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Appointments to the Community Health Services Advisory Committee
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Recommendation
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Appoint the following individuals to the Community Health Services Advisory Committee for a term beginning June 25, 2021 and ending June 26, 2023:
District Appointee
1 Hannah Fairman
2 Alyssa Fritz
3 Georgie Kinsman
4 Ayah Mohammed
5 Manoj Doss
6 Pa Vang
7 Jennifer Arnold
At-Large Steve Nelson
At-Large Carol Thunstrom
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Background and Rationale
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The Saint Paul - Ramsey County Community Health Services Advisory Committee (CHSAC) advises the Board of Commissioners and Saint Paul’s Mayor and City Council on issues related to public health. The CHSAC meets with the Director of Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health, as well as other department staff. Members of the committee hear presentations and participate in discussions focused on current public health issues, which may include:
• Identifying priority public health issues based on data, community engagement, professional knowledge and lived experiences. These priority issues provide guidance related to programs and services, action teams and budgetary allocation.
• Serving on department committees such as the Ethics Committee, or panels to review grant applications, public health award recipients, etc.
• Connecting the department to communities, resources, data and insights related to a current or upcoming issue.
• Providing policy recommendations to elected officials on public health issues, such as youth tobacco use and breastfeeding friendly workplaces.
The Committee has a total of thirteen (13) seats-one for each district and six (6) at-large. Appointment terms are two years and staggered 50% each year.
There are thirteen (13) vacancies on the Committee for all Districts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and At-Large. There was a total of eleven applications, five of which were from incumbents. The application, review, and appointment process for these specific vacancies were involved in a new pilot process that was presented to the Board of Commissioners at a Board Workshop on April 27, 2021. During the week of May 10, a community review team reviewed the applications and selected applicants to be recommended to the Board. On May 19, 2021, the applications and recommendations from the community review team were forwarded to the Board for review and final recommendations. Recruitment for the remaining at-large vacancies will continue until filled.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
In addition to the usual recruitment for advisory committee vacancies through GovDelivery and word of mouth by advisory committee members, staff, and the Board, the vacancies and application was promoted through an email listserv reaching numerous diverse organizations and networks. The Communications Department also recruited through all social media accounts and county website. This extended promotion process is a step towards better outreach to more racially diverse and underrepresented voices that are often missed. Furthermore, the application for these vacancies were updated to focus more on the lived experiences and knowledge and skills a resident may bring along with an optional section to insert demographics to ensure we are reaching new and diverse candidates.
Through the pilot process, a community review team was formed with the responsibility to review the applications through a community lens. Three racially diverse community members were selected to help review applications and make recommendations to the Board. Criteria used to score the applications were qualitative and based on responses that communicated relevant formal and informal knowledge, skills, and abilities; provided examples of relevant experience; and included unique perspectives which may not be currently represented on the Committee.
Community Participation Level and Impact
For these appointments, the Community Health Services Advisory Committee was part of a new pilot that incorporated more involvement from the community. Community members were recruited through an email listserv to various diverse organizations and networks. Three community members were selected to review the applications and make recommendations to the Board for the first time. Before reviewing the applications, the department director joined the first review session to present the Committee’s background, context, and considerations from an internal perspective. The community review members were able to ask questions for clarity throughout the process. During the review session, two internal staff who were not associated with the Committee were present to facilitate the discussion, track scores and note down recommendations. These recommendations were sent to the Board of Commissioners to consider when making their selections for appointment.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Representatives on Ramsey County advisory boards and committees do not receive County compensation; they contribute their time and expertise to provide guidance and insights to County policies and programs.
County Manager Comments
Appointments to Ramsey County advisory boards and committees are made by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners. For more information on the Community Health Services Advisory Committee, please visit <https://www.ramseycounty.us/your-government/leadership/advisory-boards-committees/community-health-services-advisory-committee>.
Last Previous Action
On April 20, 2021 and April 27, 2021, the County Manager’s Office and Chief Clerk presented a board workshop with updates on the Advisory Councils, which included details on proposed standardized processes and the pilot that was in effect with the Parks and Recreation Commission and Community Health Services Advisory Committee.
On August 6, 2019 the County Board appointed Richard Ragan, Amina Abdullah, Joseph Adamji, Jennifer Arnold, Christine Iseman, Alyssa Fritz, Ayah Mohammed, and Pa Vang to the Community Health Services Advisory Committee (B2019-285).
Attachments
1. Community Health Services Advisory Committee Membership Roster