Board of Health
The full agenda, as filed
All 4 items in the clerk’s order. Each carries the city’s own words: the staff recommendation, what the body decided, and its status. Nothing below is written by us.
HL11.1adopted
2023: A Year-in-Review of Toronto Public Health
This report provides an overview of Toronto Public Health's main accomplishments and programs provided to City of Toronto residents during 2023. This report also highlights some of the innovative strategies and program achievements, as well as Toronto Public Health's key priorities for Toronto in 2024 and beyond. The full 2023 year-in-review summary is provided in Attachment 1 of this report.
The Board of Health: 1. Received the report (March 11, 2024) from the Medical Officer of Health for information.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Medical Officer of Health recommends that: 1. The Board of Health receive this report for information.
HL11.2amended
Toronto Public Health Update on Measles Prevention and Management
The Deputy Medical Officer of Health will give a presentation on Toronto Public Health Update on Measles Prevention and Management.
The Board of Health: 1. In light of the re-emergence of measles as a public health concern, reiterated its request to the Ministry of Health in Item 2022.HL36.3 to establish a provincial electronic immunization registry for all vaccines, which would enhance efforts to prevent and respond to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.
HL11.3amended
In November 2023, the Board of Health endorsed Our Health, Our City: A Mental Health, Substance Use, Harm Reduction and Treatment Strategy for Toronto. Our Health, Our City (OHOC) presents a city-wide, comprehensive, population-level approach to help address both mental health and substance use related issues in Toronto. It offers recommendations for all levels of government, City divisions, community partners, and health and social organizations across Toronto. A key guiding principle in the development of OHOC and its implementation is the meaningful inclusion of people with lived and living experience. The participation of people who use drugs and people with lived/living experience of mental health challenges and illnesses, as well as frontline service providers who work with these communities, is integral to the success of OHOC. In support of OHOC, the Board of Health directed the Medical Officer of Health to establish an implementation panel and to report back to the Board of Health in the first quarter of 2024 with recommendations on the panel terms of reference and membership selection criteria. This report outlines a process for establishing and convening the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel that will ensure inclusion of people with lived and living experience and frontline service providers in guiding the implementation of the OHOC.
The Board of Health: 1. Approved the Terms of Reference attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 11, 2024) from the Medical Officer of Health, for the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel. 2. Appointed Director Ausma Malik to be the Chair of the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel for the remainder of the 2022-2026 Toronto City Council term, and until a successor is appointed. 3. Directed the Medical Officer of Health to initiate a process to recruit candidates for the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel in consultation with the Chair of the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel, and to report back to the Board of Health in the third quarter of 2024 with the recommended candidates for appointment. 4. Concluded the Toronto Drug Strategy Implementation Panel and replaced it with the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel. 5. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Board of Health - Budget Committee as part of the development of the 2025 Operating and Capital Budget Submissions on the costs of expanded drug checking services in all parts of the city where evidence and community needs dictate.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Medical Officer of Health recommends that: 1. The Board of Health approve the Terms of Reference attached as Attachment 1 to this report, for the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel. 2. The Board of Health appoint a Board of Health Director to be the Chair of the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel for the remainder of the 2022-2026 Toronto City Council term, and until a successor is appointed. 3. The Board of Health direct the Medical Officer of Health to initiate a process to recruit candidates for the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel in consultation with the Chair of the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel, and to report back to the Board of Health in the third quarter of 2024 with the recommended candidates for appointment. 4. The Board of Health conclude the Toronto Drug Strategy Implementation Panel and replace it with the Our Health, Our City Implementation Panel.
HL11.4amended
2024 Board of Health Self-Evaluation
This report contains the results of the self-evaluation of Toronto's Board of Health (the "Board"), conducted in 2024. The Minister of Health publishes the Ontario Public Health Standards: Requirements for Programs, Services and Accountability (OPHS) as per Section 7 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. The Standards identify the minimum expectations for public health programs and services to be delivered by Ontario's 34 boards of health. Boards of health are accountable for implementing the Standards, including the requirement to have a self-evaluation process of its governance practices and outcomes. Overall, the Board's self-evaluation survey findings were positive, indicating that it has strong governance and understanding of roles and responsibilities, uses effective relationships and informed decision-making, and is responsive to the immediate and long-term public health needs of the community. In addition to the positive findings, opportunities and next steps were identified, including encouraging collaboration between Board members, increasing knowledge of community partners, and exploring community engagement opportunities with community stakeholders. Toronto Public Health ("TPH") will work with the City Clerk's Office and the Chair of the Board of Health to explore opportunities to address these findings over the course of the current and upcoming terms of the Board.
The Board of Health: 1. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to work in collaboration with the City Clerk and the Chair of the Board of Health to implement measures to address opportunities for improvement identified through the 2024 Board of Health self-evaluation. 2. Requested the Medical Officer of Health, in consultation with the City Clerk, to give a presentation to the Board of Health on the Ontario Public Health Organizational Standards and the powers, restrictions, and responsibilities of members of the Board of Health in the first quarter of 2025. 3. Requested the City Clerk and the Medical Officer of Health to offer one-on-one training on the Ontario Public Health Organizational Standards, the powers, restrictions, and responsibilities of members of the Board of Health, and the Board of Health procedural by-law and rules of procedure to any newly appointed Directors in the remainder of the 2022-2026 term.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Medical Officer of Health recommends that: 1. The Board of Health receive this report for information.