May 2024 – Board of Health Summary
Written by Comms Team, May 14, 2024
May 8, 2024
Peterborough Youth Substance Use Prevention Pilot
Carolyn Doris, Manager of Family and Community Health and Claire Townshend, Manager of Family and Community Health provided an update on Peterborough Public Health’s approach to youth substance use prevention. Peterborough region ranks above the Ontario average for youth self-reported alcohol use, ED visits due to cannabis consumption, and cigarette consumption. PPH acts as the prevention lead for the Peterborough Drug Strategy. To address youth substance use, PPH with support from PDS, is in the preliminary stages of implementing the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM). The IPM is an evidence informed program designed to meet the needs of youth and address the protective and risk factors which can influence substance use harms. At this time, PPH is working to build relationships with youth, school boards and community partners and collaborating with other communities across Canada also implementing the IPM model.
Association of Local Public Health Agencies (ALPHA) 2024 Resolutions
The Board of Health motioned to support six resolutions going forward to the ALPHA conference taking place on June 6. These include:
- Permitting Applications for Automatic Prohibition Orders under the Smoke Free Ontario Act, 2017 for Vapour Product Sales Offences
- Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Public Health Outcomes
- A Proposal for a Comprehensive Provincial Alcohol Strategy: Enhancing Public Health through Prevention, Education, Regulation and Treatment
- Reviewing Provincial Regulatory Needs for Supportive Living Facilities Serving Vulnerable Individuals
- Early Childhood Food Insecurity: An Emerging Public Health Problem Requiring Urgent Action
- Compliance with Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA): Proposed 2024 alPHa General Operating By-Law to replace The Constitution of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (Ontario)
Healthy Babies, Healthy Children Program and Infant Toddler Development Program 2024/25 Budget
The Board of Health approved the 2024/2025 budget for the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children (HBHC) and Infant Toddler Development (ITD) programs. These programs have not seen a funding increase to the base budget since 1998 and 2003, respectively. This has led to a limitation in capacity and staffing to accommodate the increasing expenses to the program. The budget is balanced based on the assumption that funding will not increase for the 2024/2025 year.