June 24, 1998
To:Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team
From:Interim Contact, Board of Health for the City of Toronto Health Unit
Subject:Selection Process for Appointing Citizen Members to the Current Board of Health
Recommendation:
The Board of Health at its meeting on June 23, 1998:
- Adopted the outreach strategy and selection criteria for citizen appointments to the current
Board of Health, as outlined in the report (June 15, 1998) from the Medical Officer of
Health;
- considered strategies for effective, meaningful and ongoing citizen participation as a key
component to its strategic planning;
- with respect to the selection process for the appointment of citizen members, adopted the
option of establishing a sub-committee with a mandate to screen citizen applicants and
nominate a slate of citizen appointees to the Board of Health. These recommended
appointees would then be forwarded to the Nominating Committee and to City Council;
- requested that its decision in this respect be forwarded to the Special Committee to
Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team and subsequently to City
Council for approval of the proposed selection process for citizen appointments.
Background
The Board of Health had before it a report (June 15, 1998) from the Medical Officer of
Health respecting the Selection Process for Appointing Citizen Members to the Current
Board of Health and recommending an outreach strategy and selection criteria for citizen
appointments to the Board of Health.
The Board's action in this matter is forwarded to the Special Committee to Review the Final
Report of the Toronto Transition Team and subsequently to City Council for approval of the
proposed selection process for citizen appointees to the Board of Health.
Interim Contact
Board of Health
for the City of Toronto Health Unit
cc:Dr. Sheela Basrur, Medical Officer of Health
Selection Process for Appointing Citizen Members to the Current Board of Health
The Board of Health recommends
The Board of Health submits the following report (June 15, 1998) from the Medical
Officer of Health respecting the selection process for appointing citizen members to the
current Board of Health:
Purpose:
This report recommends an outreach strategy by which citizens would be advised of the six
openings for citizen appointments to the current Board of Health, selection criteria by which
applications would be screened and three options for a selection process to appoint citizen
members.
Source of Funds:
Not applicable.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)The Board of Health adopt the outreach strategy and selection criteria for citizen
appointments to the Board of Health;
(2)the Board of Health choose one of the following three options for a selection process for
the appointment of citizen members:
(a)the Board of Health will form a Selection Subcommittee to screen citizen applicants. The
Subcommittee will nominate a slate of six citizen members to the Board of Health which will
forward the recommended slate to City Council for appointment;
(b)the Subcommittee will nominate six citizen members to the Board of Health which will
forward the slate with its recommendations to the Nominating Committee for approval and to
City Council for appointment; and
(c)the Board of Health will refer the outreach strategy and selection criteria outlined in this
report to the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will nominate a slate of
six citizen members and forward the recommended slate to City Council for appointment;
(3)the Board of Health direct the City Clerk to forward its decision with this report to the
Miller Committee for approval of the proposed selection process for citizen appointments
and subsequently to City Council; and
(4)the Board of Health consider strategies for effective, meaningful and ongoing citizen
participation as a key component of its strategic planning.
Background:
At its meeting on May 12, 1998, the Board of Health considered four options developed by a
Subcommittee for selecting six citizen members to the Board of Health. These options
included appointment by the City's Nominating Committee, based on recommendations from
Community Councils, and appointment by Citizen Health Committees to be established in
each of the six former municipalities. The options also included choosing citizen members to
represent geographical and issue areas, as well as agencies and boards representing key
sectors in health, social services and education. After due consideration, the Board requested
the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Board's next meeting on a proposed selection
process for appointing six citizen members to the current Board of Health.
Comments:
Facilitating and supporting participation at both the individual and community levels is
recognized as a key health promotion strategy to "enable people to increase control over and
improve their health" (Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986). A basic tenet of public
health practice is the need for meaningful community involvement in identifying health
needs and the resolution of health concerns. It is a fundamental responsibility of boards of
health to initiate and support practices which facilitate community participation in shaping
and implementing public health programs and services. This is particularly critical in
Toronto where many of our residents experience barriers to civic participation in relation to
socio-economic status, linguistic, ethno-racial and/or cultural identification. Community
participation assists in developing policies, plans and programs that are responsive to the
people they serve. As well, community participation also builds community capacity to
improve individual and community health.
To this end, each Board of Health in the former six municipalities developed a range of
approaches to ensure that citizens were involved meaningfully in decision-making on public
health needs and issues. These diverse strategies included citizen members of Boards of
Health, community advisory boards and committees, a range of issue-based consultative
processes and board task forces, community forums, subcommittees, etc. The involvement of
citizens in the work of Boards of Health has resulted in the development of healthy public
policies, new programs and structures to meet emerging health needs, the recognition of the
importance of efforts to make services equitable, appropriate and accessible to the various
ethno-cultural and racial communities; the delivery of community services through alliances
with communities and community organizations, and the development of policies and
programs that advocate for actions to address unmet health needs.
While it is clear that appointing citizen members is only one strategy by which the Board of
Health will seek community involvement in decisions affecting public health, it is a crucial
component in support of its mandate to oversee and ensure the provision of the wide range of
health programs and services required by Ontario's Health Protection and Promotion Act and
the Mandatory Health Services and Programs Guidelines. It is also the overseer of mandated
programs to meet needs specific to the City that have been identified and approved by City
Council. The Board provides crucial policy direction to Public Health and serves as a forum
in which citizens and communities can make health needs known.
One important component of a process to appoint citizens to the Board of Health concerns
efforts to reach groups and individuals that do not traditionally volunteer for this type of
position. Membership on boards is not always effective in involving individuals and groups
of low socio-economic status or from ethno-racially and/or linguistically diverse groups. In
addition to barriers of time and cost, people may be intimidated and overwhelmed by the
language and decision-making procedures used in meetings. (Singer, Michael, Can. Medical
Assoc. Journal, Aug. 1995). Therefore, in order to ensure a diversity of representation,
special outreach efforts must be made to reach diverse communities and solicit interest in
membership on the Board of Health. The following outreach strategy, selection criteria and
options for a selection process have been developed for appointing citizen members to the
current Board of Health.
(1)Outreach Strategy
Citizens will be informed of openings for citizen appointments on the Board of Health by
the following methods:
(a)A "Notice to Potential Board Members" will be sent to all former members of Boards of
Health in the former six municipalities;
(b)notices will be sent to members of all advisory committees to Boards of Health in the
former six municipalities;
(c)notices will be sent to agencies and committees, including ethno-racial alliances,
connected to Boards of Health and health units in the former six municipalities;
(d)advertisements and notices will be placed by the Nominating Committee in newspapers
if feasible;
(e)notice will be posted on City of Toronto website; and
(f)City Clerk's will ensure applications already submitted are notified.
(2)Citizen Selection Criteria
Potential citizen members of the Toronto Board of Health should demonstrate the following:
(a)Residence within the designated boundaries of the City of Toronto, with particular
attention to be paid to geographical diversity;
(b)a reflection of the demographic profile of the City, including gender balance, ability in
languages other than English, populations representing ethno-racial and/or cultural groups,
disability, sexual orientation;
(c)interest and/or background in issues affecting municipal public health programs and
services;
(d)interest and/or skills in planning and policy development leading to a comprehensive
municipal public health agenda that meets local community needs;
(e)experience in organizational activities, such as committees, non-profit groups, voluntary
societies, occupational associations;
(f)skills in leadership and management and/or experience in administration and budget
development;
(g)demonstrated skills in conflict management, negotiation and mediation; and
(h)ability to make a commitment to monthly involvement in Board of Health meetings and
related committee or other activities.
Applicants should be screened with due regard to the above criteria and preference given to
candidates who meet more than one criteria. The final slate should represent geographical
diversity in the City, ethno-racial diversity, and a broad range of interests in public health.
(3)Options for Selection of Citizen Members
The following options for citizen selection identify varied levels of involvement for Board
of Health members in the process:
(a)The Board of Health will form a Selection Subcommittee to screen citizen applicants. The
Subcommittee will nominate a slate of six citizen members to the Board of Health which will
forward the recommended slate to City Council for appointment;
(b)the Subcommittee will nominate six citizen members to the Board of Health which will
forward the slate with recommendations to the Nominating Committee for approval and to
City Council for appointment; and
(c)the Board of Health will refer the outreach strategy and selection criteria outlined in this
report to the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will nominate a slate of
six citizen members and forward the recommended slate to City Council for appointment.
Conclusions:
Community involvement in the Board of Health will assist elected officials as well as Public
Health employees in developing policies, plans and programs that are responsive to the
people we serve. A range of approaches are necessary to ensure that citizens are involved in a
meaningful way in decision-making on public health needs and services. An important first
step to ensure citizen involvement is an inclusive and fair process for selecting six citizen
members for the current Board of Health. This outreach strategy, selection criteria and
options for a selection process will ensure that a range of diverse factors are represented in
the choice of citizen members of the Board of Health.
Contact Name:
Liz Janzen, Regional Director, Toronto Office
Ph:392-7458
Fax:392-0713
E-mail: ljanzen@city.toronto.on.ca
The Board of Health also submits the following communication (June 15, 1998) from
Rita Luty, Chairperson, Northern Health Area Community Health Board:
At the Northern Health Area Community Health Board meeting held on June 3, 1998, the
following Motion was proposed by Cathy Kozma:
"That the report from the Medical Officer of Health which proposes a process for citizen
participation in Board of Health activities be considered a `deputation item' at the Board of
Health."
The motion was Seconded by Anne Marie Keogh. Motion Carried.
This is forwarded to you for inclusion in the June 23, 1998 Board of Health agenda.
