Chairman: Scott Horton

Vice Chairman: Jared Goderie

Members: Marie N. Born, Richard Fogarty, Charles Potter, Bruce Van Genderen, Gregory D. Young

(Community Services, Public Health, Social Services, Office for the Aging, Youth Bureau, Veterans n Services Committee: (Community Services, Public Health, Social Services, Office for the Aging, Youth Bureau, Veterans Agency)

This committee shall have general supervision over all of the following County offices or agencies and their related functions, including, but not limited to, those powers and duties outlined under specific statutory authorities:

• Community Services
• Public Health Department and Public Health Programs
• Education and Medical Services for Handicapped Children
• Youth Bureau - Emergency Medical Services (other than Enhanced 911)
• Office for the Aging - Veterans Agency - Social Services Department and Programs

This committee shall review all recommendations to it by various advisory committees created by the Legislative Body.

This committee shall make a report and/or recommendations when it becomes necessary to do so as it relates to all activities as hereinabove described.

In the absence of the Director of the Veterans Agency and Director of Office for Aging, the Chairperson of this Committee shall have and exercise all the powers and duties which have been assigned to said offices.

2022 Meetings: Tuesday at 10:00 AM

February 1
March 1
March 29
April 26
May 31
June 28
July 26
August 30
September 27
November 1

Updates:

August 8, 2022
Supervisor Horton thanked Supervisor Goderie for chairing the last Human Service Committee meeting in his absence. As the Board knows, the Human Services Committee Departments have the largest budgets that total approximately $66 million. He stated that it’s been a challenge, but took a moment to thank the Department Heads for “controlling” each department’s budget the best that they can.

May 10, 2021
Supervisor Potter provided COVID-19 update on behalf of the Human Services Committee. See attachment.

Mr. Stead stated that the County has been immersed in COVID-19 since March. He stated that the 7-day rolling average is now back over 3 percent. Mr. Stead stated that he has been trying to remind everyone that the important statistics are about the size of the group that is positive. Mr. Stead explained that a whole percentage point rise in a positivity rate is equivalent to about 4.8 people in Fulton County. If the same calculations were done in Albany County, the % rate rise would be equivalent to about 30 people. Mr. Stead stated that an outbreak in a metropolitan downtown area is more likely to spread as opposed to a rural area like Fulton County. Mr. Stead stated that Fulton County is hovering back and forth between 1.5 and 3.2 percent, and that Montgomery and Schoharie County are similar.

He also explained that emphasis is shifting away from county health departments administering large scale vaccinations. He stated that Ms. Headwell is now facilitating contractors to get onsite mobile vaccinations set up at schools in Fulton County. Mr. Stead stated that the vaccinations for schools have to be Pfizer due to age regulations. Ms. Headwell is reaching out to network Pfizer for local schools including Gloversville and Johnstown in the next couple weeks.

June 8, 2020
Supervisor Born commented that the Public Health Department is “doing a great job”.

May 11, 2020
Supervisor Born commented by stating what a good job the department heads are doing reporting to Human Services Committee. She reported that, to date, our County has seen no cases of the “pediatric inflammation syndrome”. She has spoken with the Public Health Department, Office for Aging, Veterans and Community Services Departments and all are doing a super job.

February 10, 2020
Supervisor Born advised that she attended the recent NYSAC Conference and the topic of Raise the Age was discussed with several unfavorable conversations.

December 10, 2018
Supervisor Born advised that new Public Health Director Laurel Headwell started on December 3, 2018.

October 9, 2018
Supervisor Born advised that the Board will be conducting interviews for Public Health Director later in the meeting.