Communications and Outreach Work Group Meeting Minutes
February 6, 2002
ORRHES Members present:
James Lewis and David Johnson
Public Members present:
Linda Gass
ATSDR staff present:
LaFreta Dalton (phone) and Bill Murray
James Lewis convened the meeting at 5:35 pm.
James Lewis said a letter of appreciation had been sent
to Dr. Lucy Peipins’ boss for her outstanding effort
in presenting the Epidemiology Workshop both to the Public
Health Assessment Work Group (PHAWG) and to the ORRHES.
James also mentioned that part of the COWG/ORRHES outreach
strategy included the recommendation by the ORRHES to ATSDR
to develop a website.
La Freta Dalton said the ORRHES website has been put on
the ATSDR contractor’s (ERG, Inc.) website and pilot
testing will begin next week.
James Lewis remarked that some former ORRHES members who
had expertise in developing websites are no longer on ORRHES.
There must be time available to explore the use of the
website. The indexing of the website is critical as is
the search strategy that can be used. Links to key documents
are needed on specific topics.
La Freta Dalton said that there is no search engine on
the website in accordance with the directions from the
ATSDR webmaster. In the pilot testing, there will be two
(2) comment periods (two (2) weeks each) during which comments
will be accepted. The changes will be incorporated in the
four (4) weeks following the comment period. The website
will be completed in ten (10) weeks.
James Lewis said that the work needs to be completed quickly.
He asked if the website would be available during the four
(4) week modification periods. A process document is needed
for ORRHES that estimates time to completion.
La Freta Dalton promised to update the chart.
James Lewis emphasized that a summary and timeline is
needed for the ORRHES meeting on March 26, 2002. A health
concerns form with the person’s name and an identification
number is also needed. There were additional comments about
the form that it has to be user-friendly and a pre-paid
postage mailer would be useful. Another issue was where
the form would be sent.
Regarding the website, James Lewis thinks several items
should be included, i.e., organizational charts (ATSDR/ORRHES/WG),
contact points, email addresses of ORRHES members.
He also recommended that the Work Group Chairs should
review questions and issues raised by the public and that
ATSDR should review all the ORRHES and WG minutes.
The review of the minutes of the last COWG meeting (November
8, 2001) was deferred to the next meeting.
The agenda items for the next (not scheduled) meeting
include:
- Minutes of the meetings on November 8, 2002, and February
6, 2002.
- Fact sheet
- Health concerns form
- ORRHES website
- Prior recommendations
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 pm.
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