To: Charles Winfrey, Human Services Committee Chairperson
From: Michelle Estell, Interim Health Officer
title
RE: Overnight Travel to the 2024 School Based Hearing and Vision Screening Program’s 75th Anniversary Technician Workshop
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Committee approval and referral to the Board of Commissioners for travel to the 2024 School Based Hearing and Vision Screening Program’s 75th Anniversary Technician Workshop.
BACKGROUND:
This year is the 75th Anniversary of the Michigan School Based Hearing and Vision Screening Program. In other years, the State of Michigan has hosted separate coordinator and technician workshops/annual meetings. For 2024, the State of Michigan is hosting a two-day, combined event to provide training and updates to all program staff and celebrate the milestone for the program.
DISCUSSION:
Attendance at the 2024 School Based Hearing and Vision Screening Program’s 75th Anniversary Technician Workshop is a required for certified hearing and vision technicians and is recommended for program coordinators or supervisors. There will be relevant sessions for the attendees which are related to their job duties. Annual topics generally include program, accreditation, and screening protocol updates as well as discussions of data and reporting and improving parent follow-up. April Swartout, Public Health Supervisor, and up to 6 hearing and vision health technicians in the hearing and vision program are requesting to attend the workshop which is being held at Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan. The hearing and vision health technicians attending include Rhonda Brock, Tameka Johnson, Dennis Underwood, and Regina Wright as well as two technicians that will either be returning from leave and/or will be hired and certified in vision by the time of the conference.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
Attendance at this conference will cause no impact to Human Resources.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Travel and conference costs are budgeted from the account 2210-619.00-913.001 not to exceed $3,500.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
Staff will coordinate with Motor Pool to carpool using county car.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
Supervisor for the program may request use of a Health Department assigned hotspot for connectivity during the conference. Staff attending the conference will travel with their work computer devices to be able to conduct County business while offsite. If any technology issues arise while offsite, calls to the technology helpdesk may be made.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
Healthy, Livable & Safe Communities: Early identification, and treatment of hearing issues in children leads to improved educational and social outcomes. The training will provide updates to the Program Supervisor as well as the Health Technicians on updates to screening protocol and program changes.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Interim Health Officer to authorized travel and overnight lodging for April Swartout, Rhonda Brock, Tameka Johnson, Dennis Underwood, Regina Wright, and up to two other Hearing and Vision Health Technicians in the Health Department to attend the 2024 School-Based Hearing and Vision Screening Program’s 75th Anniversary Technician Workshop at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan, September 29 - October 1, 2024, at a total cost not to exceed $3,500.00 to be paid from account 2210-619.00-913.001, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the May 15, 2024 meeting of the Human Services Committee of this Board).