At the Boston University School of Public Health Practice Office, our goal is to foster collaborative relationships with public health programs in the greater Boston area so that the health and educational needs of the community are addressed. The Field Practice Placement program allows public health students to contribute to this goal, and gain hands-on experienceworking in the field.
We are seeking to expand the list of potential placement opportunities for our students. As you consider the needs in your community, you may realize that a student placement would benefit you. MPH students come from a variety of backgrounds, and focus on academic concentration areas that include environmental health, epidemiology and biostatistics, health law, health services, international health, maternal and child health, and social and behavioral sciences. Placement projects vary widely, depending on agencies' needs and students' skills and interests.
Field placement students are supervised by an agency staff member to ensure a work experience that is productive both for the student and the organization; students also work closely with faculty preceptors to ensure a valuable learning experience. Placements last for several months or longer, with students spending anywhere from four to sixteen (or more) hours per week on-site, depending on the needs of the participating organization and the number of credits being earned by the student. Compensation or a stipend may be offered.
Terry Sass
MPH Field Practice Coordinator Practice Office Boston University School of Public Health 617-638-4656/fax 638-4483
To the Editor,
Weymouth currently has a town meeting, Selectmen and a 5 member elected board of health. The Charter Commission is proposing a city council and board of health appointed by a mayor. The commission has asked for examples of how pressure from an appointing authority resulted in a less effective board of health. I would appreciate members calling or writing me with their experiences and thoughts.
Mary McAdams R.N. Health Board Member
21 Erin Way Weymouth MA 02190 (781) 331-1483
Thank-you to DPH
As chairman of the Essex board selectmen in 1994, I was involved in the negotiation of an agreement between my town and the state and federal governments, the goal of which was to eliminate pollution of the Essex River caused by failing or nonexistent septic systems. The agreement required among other things, the inspection and upgrade of septic systems over a seven-year period, with the systems which could not be upgraded according toTitle 5 becoming the responsibility of the town to find, if possible, an off-site solution.
Within months of signing the agreement, it became clear that the three-member, elected board of health, which was responsible for the majority of the initial work embodied in the agreement, was not effectively carrying out its responsibilities under the agreement. Attempts by the selectmen to resolve these issues through normal processes filled the newspapers with controversy but were unsuccessful. The board of selectmen and board health became two elected boards pitted against each other with no expedient legal process to resolve the conflict.
An attempt to convert the boh to an appointed board failed at town meeting. With the success of the town’s pollution abatement program hanging in the balance, I scrapped my intention to seek re-election as selectmen and instead ran for the board of health. I was elected by a slim majority in May 1997. Upon my election, the two incumbent members resigned and the selectmen appointed to new members to fill the vacancies. We then initiated steps to resolve the deficiencies of the previous administration.
The Wastewater Program Coordinator is responsible for other obligations of the court order and reports to the selectmen. He prepares enforcement orders for the board health and tracks compliance in order to satisfy the court order. He works for both boards but is ultimately responsible to the board selectmen. His task is to insure that the town does not violate provisions of the order and incur stipulated penalties. The Town’s agreement and Title 5 were being handled effectively but since none of the new members had previous board of health experience we were ignorant of the broad range of duties for which we are responsible.
This is where the Department of Public Health came to our assistance. I called the DPH and explained our situation. My first contact with Priscilla Luongo of the Division of Food and Drugs. She was extremely helpful in explaining our duties relative to her department, providing me with reports on the previous board’s performance and referring me to other departments which could inform me of our other responsibilities. Allison Hackbarth, Beth Altman and Linda Sperandio were similarly helpful. These DPH employees outlined the duties of a board health related to public health issues, providing us with DPH publications and recommending strategies that we could use to serve our constituents.With their guidance, we put in place a management structure which utilizes full-time staff to perform the daily duties and to coordinate specialized private contractors to carry out the other tasks associated with the board of health. In this fashion, we provide a broader and more effective array of services at a lower cost than existed when we took office.
As a local board we depend upon the DPH to keep us informed and educated on a wide array of issues. To date my experience with DPH has been very positive.
Ed Neal Essex BOH Chairman
Wendell Seeks Info on Alternative Septic Systems
The Town of Wendell is looking into alternative septic systems for our town buildings: Town Hall - sporadic daily use with several large usages each month; Town Library - average 83 patrons/ 3 day week. Town Offices - 1-5 people in and out with larger group meetings 5-10 times per week. We could possibly invite several residences to join the system. We would appreciate any information concerning possible alternative systems, or other towns in similar situations, or possible contacts who might be able to aid us. Please call 978-544 3395 or write Septic Committee, Wendell, MA 01379, fax (978) 544-7467.