Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Update topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public health director reports ongoing HIV response, warming-center use and single application for day-space RFP
Summary
Public Health Director Jen Gunderman updated the committee on an ongoing HIV outbreak (44 newly diagnosed cases to date, no new case in about a month), warming-center operations that logged about 10,708 bed stays for at least 425 unique individuals, and the city's recent day-space RFP, which drew a single application from Together Place.
Jen Gunderman, Bangor’s public health director, gave a broad update to the Government Operations Committee covering infectious disease, warming centers, shelter and outreach efforts, and several requests for proposals (RFPs).
On HIV, Gunderman said the outbreak response continues and noted Maine CDC’s usual outbreak designation timeline; she told the committee the city has recorded about 44 newly diagnosed individuals tied to the event and no newly reported case in roughly a month. “We have a long-term system-building process in place to support people for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Gunderman provided final reports from two warming centers and said the centers recorded roughly 10,708 bed stays between November and April, representing at least 425 unique individuals. She presented a per-bed figure derived from program totals and reported that the city’s calculation yielded about $11 per bed stay after reconciling the math with coordinating staff.
On homelessness services, Gunderman said the city put out an RFP for a day space; applications were due July 1 and the city received one application from Together Place. She said the single submission appeared “pretty robust” and could provide a starting point for further collaborative work.
Gunderman also reported a separate electronic medical record (EMR) RFP with about 12–13 applicants; the EMR work is intended to diversify the department's billing capacity to support case management, lactation services, immunizations and STI services.
Public-health environmental work includes vector surveillance: mosquito traps will be deployed with Parks & Rec and samples sent to the statewide vector lab for identification and testing; Gunderman noted an uptick in mosquito-borne disease in the area in recent years. She also described plans to expand tick-borne disease education after a reported Powassan case in Penobscot County.
On syringe waste, Gunderman said she will convene affected departments and local organizations to develop a citywide approach that includes household disposal as well as street-level cleanup and potential redemption or take-back events.
Committee members asked for more regular HMIS data and pressed whether expanding overnight shelter or repurposing city property had been considered; Gunderman said those are ongoing conversations and emphasized different shelters serve different client needs (low-barrier and higher-barrier models). She also said she will pursue regional and state coordination and will report back, especially around federal NOFO timelines that may affect voucher funding.
