June 2025 Board of Health Meeting - Minutes

Meeting Date
June 2025 Board of Health Meeting
Meeting Document Type
Minutes

Board Members Present:

Renaldo Agostino, Dr. Mark Awuku, Joe Bachetti, Dr. Jennifer Bondy, Dr. Sardar Khan, Angelo Marignani, Michael Prue, Rob Shepley, Jennifer Yee

Board Member Regrets:

Fred Francis, Hilda MacDonald, Robert Maich

Administration Present:

Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, Dr. Ken Blanchette, Michael Horrobin, Kristy McBeth, Eric Nadalin, Dan Sibley, Linda Watson, Konrad Farrugia (recorder)

Board Chair

Joe Bachetti

QUORUM: Confirmed

  1. Call to Order     
    Board of Health Chair, F. Costante, called the meeting to order at 3:01 pm.
    1. Land Acknowledgement – Read by Board Chair, J. Bachetti
    2. Quorum – Confirmed at 3:01 pm
    3. Declaration of Conflict of Interest – none  
  2. Approval of Agenda
    Motion:       That the agenda be approved with the above addition.
    Moved by: R. Agostino
    Seconded by: Dr. Khan
    CARRIED
  3. Approval of Minutes: May 15, 2025
    Motion:       That the minutes be approved.
    Moved by: A. Marignani
    Seconded by: R. Shepley
    CARRIED
  4. Medical Officer of Health Updates:
    1. Measles Update (Dr. Mehdi Aloosh)
      Dr. Aloosh provided an update on the status of measles in Windsor-Essex County.
      Dr. Aloosh reported one confirmed case in the last 21 days.
      Dr. Aloosh said that we are at the tail end of the measles outbreak in our region.
      Dr. Aloosh thanked everyone involved at the WECHU that worked on the measles outbreak and all community partners as well.
    2. Opioids and Overdose Rates in Windsor-Essex (Dr. Mehdi Aloosh)
      Dr. Aloosh provided an update on the Opioids and Overdose Rates in Windsor-Essex County.
      Dr. Aloosh said the burden of toxic disease in Windsor-Essex County is greater than previously understood. 60% of 96 overdose deaths in 2024 were among unhoused individuals.
      Discussion ensued around opioid trends, youth substance use, overdose data accuracy, and structural determinants of health.
      Enhancing Substance Use Prevention & Harm Reduction Strategies (Eric Nadalin)
      (Resolution for Approval)
      E. Nadalin provided a presentation on Enhancing Substance Use Prevention & Harm Reduction Strategies.
      E. Nadalin said there has never been more work being done, system wide, to combat substance use in our community than right now.
      E. Nadalin discussed the Implications of Local Data.
      Windsor-Essex County exceeds the provincial averages
      Significant local impact on emergency services and communities
      Data supports the need for:
          Expanded direct client service programs.
          Targeted upstream community efforts.
          Continued real-time surveillance and response.
      E. Nadalin mentioned that a new department, Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction (SUPHR), launched at the WECHU in January of 2025.
          Shifted from Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention to form a focused, dedicated department.
          Aligned with upcoming Ontario Public Health Standards.
          Driven by trends in local substance related harms, including opioid deaths and emergency visits.
      E. Nadalin provided an overview of local and provincial initiatives including WECOSS (Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy), OSUNS (Opioid and Substance Use Notification System), naloxone distribution, and peer engagement.
      New efforts include technology for drug checking and youth/parent engagement campaigns.
      R. Agostino said Windsor-Essex County ranks at the top of the opioid crisis in our region. What is Windsor-Essex County doing wrong when compared to cities of similar population.
      Dr. Aloosh said this response requires an in-depth assessment to provide a detailed response. One can hypothesize about needing more treatment, more prevention. It is very difficult to say that even if more treatment and prevention occurred that this would yield better results, outcomes, and/or data.
      E. Nadalin said in Windsor-Essex County the proximity to the US border could be the reason for high drug toxicity.
      E. Nadalin said Windsor-Essex County is a blue-collar population and higher rates of overdose occur amongst the blue collar and lower socio-economic populations.
      R. Agostino asked if there is a correlation with community related to the opioid crisis. Many people in crisis are brought into the downtown core and once in the core there are only two places for them to go – Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4) or the Downtown mission. Once onsite at H4 or the Downtown Missions the new arrivals become part of the community which later becomes like family to those involved in substance use. Is there any information or data that shows that adding people to H4 or the Downtown Mission adds to the existing problem?
      Dr. Aloosh said there are many risk factors such as: social determinants of health, income, housing, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), etc. All of these risk factors contribute to the opioid crisis. Proportionally, Windsor-Essex County has higher rates with 60% of 96 opioid related deaths in 2024 stemming from unhoused individuals. However, 70% of deaths across the region typically occur private residence.
      Dr. Aloosh said the WECHU is working with community partners to understand why the rates for opioid related deaths in Windsor-Essex County are higher than other areas in the region.
      R. Agostino asked how overdose related deaths are reported to the WECHU.
      Dr. Aloosh said the coroner’s office conducts an in-depth investigation followed by a toxicology assessment.
      R. Agostino said he is seeing an incredible amount of young people that have been suffering from drug addiction. Is there any data available that would explain why there is a trend of younger people using opioids?
      Dr. Aloosh said the evidence produced by Public Health Ontario points back to structural issues such as income, mental health, housing, and access to health care.
      E. Nadalin said one of the reasons we are enthusiastic about the peer engagement community that the WECHU is establishing is that this group adds colour to the data by including those with lived experience.
      Dr. Bondy said the WEC Connect system is tremendous and commended the efforts of the team that was part of developing WEC Connect. 
      Dr. Bondy asked if there is anything on the horizon to target the demographic that would not necessarily be considered high risk. Dr. Bondy said cocaine use is on the rise in the east end suburbs of Windsor.
      E. Nadalin said the WEHCU continues to target alcohol, cannabis, and vaping. 
      Dr. Bondy said with respect to the drug toxicity from the USA is there an opportunity for a partnership with Henry Ford hospital. 
      Dr. Aloosh said as part of the surveillance activities one of the initiatives the WEHCU started lats year was to reach out to Detroit Public Health. The WEHCU is in the process of signing an MOU with Detroit Public Health.
      Dr. Bondy said discharges from Southwest Detention Centre often result with individuals being dropped off in the downtown core. Is there any opportunity to go back to the province for discharge planning? If people have nowhere to go and nothing to do this leads to greater opioid related deaths.
      E. Nadalin said the WECHU recognizes that post-release from incarceration is a key time. When these individuals are released back into the world their tolerance for substances is now significantly lower.

      PROPOSED MOTION
      Whereas, Windsor-Essex County has been consistently ranked among the areas in Ontario with the highest rates of opioid overdoses presenting in Emergency Departments, as well as significantly higher rates of opioid-related deaths.

      Whereas, new and unrecognizable compounds and substances have entered the drug supply, worsening the substance use crisis.

      Whereas, Windsor-Essex County’s alcohol-related ED visits and hospitalizations are significantly higher than the provincial average, with emergency department visits rising among youth and young adults, particularly those 24 and under.

      Whereas, the Public Health Agency of Canada's Youth Substance Use Prevention Program has previously opened opportunities for community-based funding program that focuses on implementing upstream prevention models for local community agencies.

      Now therefore be it resolved That the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health endorses the prioritization of communities which are experiencing disproportionately high overdose rates like Windsor-Essex for the allocation of funding from all levels of government for both upstream (e.g., youth prevention) and downstream services.

      FURTHER THAT, the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health supports work of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to explore new partnership opportunities with local agencies to implement novel drug testing solutions to support enhanced data collection, surveillance, and harm reduction services for people who use drugs.

      AND FURTHER THAT, the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health encourages the Public Health Agency of Canada for continued commitment to opening funding streams through one-time grants for Public Health Units and other community agencies in the most impacted regions to support local evidence-based substance use prevention models.

      Motion:     That the above information be received. 
      Moved by: R. Agostino
      Seconded by: Dr. Khan
      CARRIED
  5. Consent Agenda
    1. Information Reports
      1. Communications Reports:
        1. May 2025
      2. Locally Driven Population Health Model – Youth Mental Health Project
      3. Emergency Preparedness
      4. 2024 WECOSS Annual Report
      5. 2025 Q1 Financial Report
      6. 2024 Audited Financial Report
        1. Executive Summary
        2. WECHU Financial Statements for year ended December 31, 2024
        3. MCCSS Financial Statements for year ended March 31, 2025
        4. 2024 WECHU Audit Report Motion Document (for approval)
          That 2024 WECHU Audit Report Motion Document be approved as presented.
          Moved by: M. Prue
          Seconded by: R. Shepley
      7. Approved Finance & Audit Committee Meeting Minutes – March 6, 2025
        Motion:       That the Consent Agenda be approved as presented.
                              Moved by: A. Marignani
                              Seconded by: R. Shepley
                              CARRIED
  6. Correspondence
    1. Middlesex – London Health Unit Letter of Support –  Addressing Household Food Insecurity (for information)
    2. alPHa Letter: Investing Proceeds of Tobacco Settlement to Strengthen Public Health (for information)
  7. Business Arising
  8. Resolutions/Recommendation Reports
  9. New Business
    1. Connected Not Controlled Digital Technology PSA Contest Outcomes (Ashley Kirby)
      A. Kirby provided a presentation on the Connected, Not Controlled Challenge.
      Students in grades 6-12 were asked to create a 30-second video to raise awareness about the impacts of technology use on their health and daily life.
      64 videos submitted by 133 students from 19 schools
      Focused on screen time impacts and mental health
      Winning videos to be used in a public awareness campaign
      Strong youth engagement and peer-to-peer messaging model
      A. Marignani said smartphones have taken away social skills that youth would normally develop. 
      A. Kirby said there were prizes awarded to many of the participants at various levels.
      K. McBeth said this initiative was a great example of youth speaking to youth.
    2. WECHU Staff Census Presentation & Report (Darcie Renaud/Elspeth Troy)
      D. Renaud and E. Troy presented the WECHU Staff Census Final Report.
      The census was administered to 236 active WECHU employees. Of those, 188 chose to participate by answering at least one question; gave us a response rate of 80%
      75% of staff (161 out of 214)
      100% of management (22 out of 22)
      WECHU Staff - 77% female, <3% gender diverse/nonbinary/two-spirit, 11% of workforce identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and various religions and caregiving backgrounds.
      Recommendations:
      Explore factors impacting inclusion for employees based on age, disability, race, religion, Indigeneity, gender and sexual orientation. 
      Ensure managers understand and fulfill accommodation responsibilities (disability, mental health, religion, family care).
      Reduce stigma around mental health and improve supports.
      Increase representation and retention of racialized employees.
      Address gender-based barriers to advancement.
      Create safer, more inclusive environments for 2SLGBTQ+ staff through education, visibility, and inclusive facilities.
      Offer accessible, multifaith prayer spaces based on staff consultation.
      D. Renaud said that the staff census will take place again in five years.
    3. 2024 Annual Report (Eric Nadalin)
      E. Nadalin provided a brief overview of the 2004 Annual Report which has been published on www.wechu.org.
      E. Nadalin thanked A. Atkinson, Manager of the Communications department and all the WECHU staff for their contributions to the 2024 Annual Report.
    4. CEO Update (Dr. K. Blanchette)
      Dr. Blanchette said that he, along with Dr. Aloosh, attended the alPHa conference recently in Toronto. 
      Dr. Blanchette was able to speak with Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health.
      Dr. Blanchette will share any future alPHa conferences with the Board of Health for those interested in attending.
      J. Bachetti noted that Dr. Jennifer Bondy’s Board of Health term has been extended until June 13th, 2028.
      J. Bachetti reminded board members of the upcoming Board of Health – Emergency Preparedness Training on Friday, July 18th at the WECHU.
  10. Next Meeting: At the Call of the Chair, or Thursday, September 18, 2025
  11. Adjournment
    Motion: That the meeting session be adjourned.   
    Moved by: R. Agostino
    Seconded by: R. Shepley
    CARRIED
    The open meeting session adjourned at 4:40 pm
  12. In-Camera Session (Closed Session in accordance with Section 239 of the Municipal Act)
    The Board moved in-camera at 4:40 pm
    The Board moved out of in-camera at 4:54 pm

RECORDING SECRETARY: K. Farrugia

SUBMITTED BY: K. Blanchette

APPROVED BY: WECHU Board of Health



List of links present in page
  1. https://www.wechu.org/board-health-meeting-agendas-and-minutes/june-2025-board-health-meeting-minutes
  2. https://www.wechu.org/board-meetings/june-2025-board-health-meeting
  3. http://www.wechu.org