Work of newly merged South East Health Unit gets underway

The newly merged South East Health Unit’s Board of Health recently held its first meeting since its vote to amalgamate on January 1, 2025, and there was much business to attend to.

The new board met on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in the Kingston Main Office at 221 Portsmouth Avenue (the former main offices of KFL&A Public Health) at 1 pm. Beginning with an address from the board chair, introductions of the new representatives, and eventually getting into the nitty gritty details of policy and procedure, the meeting demonstrated there is much work to do to solidify the new Health Unit. Key goals include reducing health inequities, improving service delivery, and enhancing public confidence in Public Health. 

Board Chair, Hastings County Mayor Jan O’Neill, emphasized the importance of governance, transparency, and collaboration.

“This is a very large board,” she reminded, “and in the beginning, there will be considerable business items to consider to ensure progress, particularly operational issues; certain meeting protocols and structure will be necessary.” 

She indicated that she and South East Health Unit Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Piotr Oglaza, had met earlier in the month to “attempt to develop a strategy for meetings and prepare the agenda.” She hoped that all members would be diligent in allowing speakers to have their say.

“My personal goal is to let everyone have their input and create meaningful discussion. Then, hopefully, decisions will be made by consensus and motions passed where legally required," O'Neill said.

The new board chair praised the cooperation of the committee, whom she said had worked together collegially and diligently to make the merger smooth. O'Neill also emphasized the importance of relying on the communications team to answer public inquiries to ensure consolidated messaging.

Each of the 18 board members then introduced themselves and talked a bit about what they hoped to focus on as a board. Specific issues discussed included homelessness, mental health, and the need for practical service delivery and administrative efficiencies. 

Many echoed Belleville Councillor Sean Kelly, who noted that he had a goal “to see that Public Health become a stronger voice for municipalities with the challenges of public health, whether it's homelessness, food insecurity, or mental health.”

Prince Edward County Councillor Bill Roberts said he wants to see “more and better and practical service delivery to prospective publics in eastern Ontario through administrative efficiencies and innovation.” He was also passionate about "reducing health inequities in southeastern Ontario.”

Kingston Councillor Conny Glenn mentioned that she, as a registered Kinesiologist and the inaugural president of the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario, believed prevention is the key to good health. 

“Prevention is something that I eat, sleep and breathe…. looking at prevention best practices. I also sat on the Rehabilitative Care Alliance for Ontario, commenting on rehab care, so I understand what's happening in our system. There are a lot of things that are broken in Public Health that have a huge role to play in prevention and promotion. So that's a huge reason why I'm here,” she said.

Glennnoted she has experience working in mental health in Toronto. There, she "got to see some great models,"and she is "hoping to bring those to bear now” in her role, she said. She also said she understands from her work as a councillor that homelessness is a critical issue, and “I think around this table, we have the opportunity to make a difference.”

“I am glad there are so many people who are interested in governance, finance, and all of those things which are the bedrock foundation for an organization running well,” Glenn noted, saying that she is coming at the objectives of the Board as a health-care provider. 

“I'm coming at it as somebody who sees the role of Public Health should be expanded. We're in the midst of a health-care crisis. We don't have enough health-care providers. If we don't focus more on prevention, I don't see us getting out of it anytime soon; which is a sad to say. But this is the critical role we can play, and so I want to see us advocate and advocate hard for the services that we're going to be able to deliver.” 

Other items discussed included the proposed Board of Health meeting schedule, finance committee membership and draft terms of reference, budget planning assumptions, governance committee membership and draft terms of reference, and a meeting schedule for finance and governance committees.

Board of Health meetings for the South East Health Unit will be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and the locations will rotate between Kingston, Brockville, and Belleville.