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Norwood Board of Health hears regional hires, SAFE 2.0 funding and radon-testing info
Summary
Board members were briefed on a new regional public health nurse, a posted epidemiologist job, state SAFE 2.0 funding and free radon test kits; officials said regional grant funding will pay some staff and encouraged homeowners to test for radon.
The Town of Norwood Board of Health on Dec. 17 received updates on regional public-health staffing, new state funding and radon outreach. Regional staff reported hiring Kristen McEntire as a regional public health nurse; McEntire will be based in Dedham and her salary will be paid through the public-health excellence grant administered by the shared-service region.
A regional staff member said the epidemiologist position for the shared service region was recently posted and closed with about 10 candidates; that role will be located in Norwood. Officials emphasized these are grant-funded positions. "When the grants go away, the positions go away," the regional staff member said, noting the positions are intended to fill gaps across several towns.
Speakers also highlighted a recent state economic-development package, estimated at about $4,000,000,000, that includes SAFE 2.0 (State Action for Public Health Excellence). According to regional staff, SAFE 2.0 builds on the earlier public-health excellence grant to create baseline training, credentialing and shared software so local health departments can standardize disease tracking and inspection records across the Commonwealth.
The board was advised the standardization effort will allow the state to see inspection and disease data across municipalities, but speakers warned it will require towns to change software and operations. "Everyone's using their own software now," a regional staff member said; the goal is statewide compatibility so the state can monitor trends and outbreaks more consistently.
Board members also received guidance on radon. Regional staff described radon as a radioactive gas that can accumulate in homes and increase lung-cancer risk over time, and said the state is offering free radon test kits by phone at 1-800-723-6695. The recommended testing window is October through March, when homes are more likely to be closed for accurate results; if levels are high, mitigation typically involves a contractor-installed pipe-and-fan system paid for by the homeowner.
The regional staff member said information, fact sheets and links to the state resources are posted on the Town of Norwood health webpage. No formal actions were taken on these items during the meeting.
