BFIO Executive Meeting Minutes

Date: September 15, 2015

Present: / Anne Smith, Marg LaSalle, Hiltrud Dawson,Tanis Brown, Robyn Merkley ,Jenny Vandermeer, Doris Balcarras, Wendy Lahey (Recorder)
Regrets: / Grace Machado, Kathy Venter, Karen Nielson, Anna Marie Smith, Anna West
Agenda Item / Discussion / Action, Target Date and Responsibility
1.0 Approval of Minutes / Juneminutesapproved by Robyn Merkley with changes to BF Conference in NL name (see below).
Follow up from Action Items from June minutes:
  1. Social media opportunities – Facebook - need to follow up with Karen re: status of this. Robyn – preliminary emails sent re: tweets
  2. Photo release form – for specific events for the executive, not for the general membership; this form will be stored ?; website section with executive access only suggested – including expense claim form – Tanis will send Karen an email asking what options we have. Or if not possible, could possibly do what BCC does - make motions and log them includingwhich motions were passed. Expense claim form – seems to be working ok.
  3. Changed BF conference in NL name to Breastfeeding In NL, Committing to Best Practices. A Research and Clinical Symposium.
/ Tanis will send Karen an email asking what options we have.
2.0 Approval of Agenda / Agenda approved with no changes.
3.0 New Business:
3.1 Teleconferencing Service
3.2 BFIO work plan
3.3 LGBTQ Statement
3.4 Resource Review Process
3.5 Feedback Process and Tracking
3.6 Budget and Supporting BCC
3.7Developing a Sustainable Infrastructure for BFIOntario
3.8Displays
3.9Public profile
3.10Mail chimp update
3.11BCC Assessment committee rep on P/T committee
3.12BCC Ask an Assessor FAQ on website
3.13BFIO travel expenses
3.14BFIO promotional kit budget
3.15Conference and BFI designation planning
3.16BFI Expo 2017 planning
4Standing Items
4.1 BCC Board Update
4.2 BCC P/T update
4.3 BFI Strategy Implementation Committee update
4.4 BFIO – CHS
4.5 BFIO – Hospital network / Welcome to Jenny Vandermeer - Chair, BFIO in CHS effective 2016. Tanis introduced the executive.
3.1 – Current service provider no longer an option; exploring options; Health Nexus has sent a contract agreement for executive to review; this would be a fee for service line for BFIO; original rate was 3.1 cents/minute/line, now it is 1.9 cents/minute/line; a two hour teleconference would cost $22.80 for 10 people; previously we paid over $60 Canadian for teleconferencing services; may be more expensive to do it on our own; we can compare/obtain quotes with other teleconferencing service companies; strategies for suggestions for names of companies we could look at to compare?
- Marg – discussion re: potential conflict of interest
- Marg - emails to Marg re: difference between BFIO and BFI Strategy; we need to be clear about roles to reduce confusion among members and the public
-Anne - BFIO supports organizations to achieve and maintain designation; health nexus is one of our partners therefore Anne does not see conflict of interest
-Marg – we are separate entities/orgs; we work collaboratively; philosophy or practices may be somewhat different; these distinctions should be made clear to the members and the public
-Hiltrud – good opportunity to get the word out and clarify who we are and what we do; we should work on having a description ready
-Marg – we need to be clear who we are
-Hiltrud – creates confusion with her in the Communications position; now as treasurer she is working more behind the scenes and less confusing
-Tanis – we should think about public imaging at conferences, increasing social media profile, etc will help clarify and solidify what our role is
-we want to commit to newer strategies to achieve this goal
-Marg - Health Nexus contract for teleconferencing – Hiltrud will not be the primary contact as this may be a conflict of interest; we need be above reproach; Hiltrud agrees this should be changed;
-Tanis – what process are we following? We do not have a formalized process to follow; we are doing due diligence and working ethically but we do not have a formal process, i.e. to obtain 3 quotes for teleconferencing; her health unit could assist but would this also be seen as a conflict of interest?
-Marg- these questions should be addressed as they come up
-Tanis – what if health units offered their teleconferencing services in kind, is that due diligence or conflict of interest? Health Nexus gave the line in kind in the past but prices have increased and we need a dedicated line that can be managed by the executive;
-other province callers? The letter does not specify if it is in Ontario only or nation-wide
3.2Work plan – Tanis sent out tools that may be helpful to use; do we want to contribute to organizing this? Tanis has a high level overview of executive member’s roles but does not have the details. This could also be stored in the executive section of the BFIO website as a shared document.
3.3LGBTQ statement – making BFI work as inclusive as possible; what process do we want to start to ensure this? Does anyone have experience with the LGBTQ community or know where to start? Marg – one health unit thought language in 10 Steps using the word mother wasn’t inclusive, she took it to the national assessment committee and they are not changing the word; it is intended for the person in the role of the mother; how it applies to the transgendered community? Could we have one statement re: role of mother at the beginning? Could we do outreach or connect with an advocacy group to see what language is inclusive to them? We could do this provincially but it would be a national decision. In Ontario, we could ask Marg or Kathy to bring it forward to the BCC. We could formulate the statement and offer that to the BCC as a suggestion. “Mother” referring to the person who is lactating. Some consider “mother” offensive. LLL uses the terms breastfeeding and chestfeeding in their language. Teresa Pitman in her work has a statement acknowledging men who seek support. My BF Guide – reviewers weren’t ready for this language and it was included.
3.4Resource review process – Best start would like resources reviewed by a BFI assessor because this is what organizations want, resources that are BFI approved. There was a meeting with Marg and Kathy and Hiltrud and others from the Best Start Resource Centre. The outcome was BFIO supports provincial resources and facilities can still make their own; review requests will go to Marg who will forward to Ontario and national BFI assessors who will do this. That individual will have a contract with Best Start and will be identified by name at the beginning of the resource. It will be a fee-for-service contract with that person unless that person has their time covered by their employer already.
3.5Advocacy process and tracking – Tanis sent google doc link that we can track when requests come in or when opportunities come in to advocate for BFI strategies. This can be kept on the executive section of the website. The spreadsheet can be modified with potential options, i.e., drop downs to track different sectors, i.e. hospital and CHS; themes; which of the 10 Steps it relates to; need to be mindful of privacy and confidentiality; sometimes overlap in the 10 Steps that issues apply to; may want to divide national vs. provincial resources.
3.6Budget - Hiltrud sent budget doc; we may be able to reduce the teleconference expenses which would be very helpful; 15% of income from membership suggested to give to BCC; we have a little surplus in the budget; we could increase our membership costs next year; we could increase our spending for promotion.
3.7Infrastructure –due diligence i.e., with services we contract; dedicated teleconference line; we need a written process that could go in our terms of reference.
3.8Displays –members can now request displays for events, we have had 5 requests for World BF Week but can only locate 2 out of the 3 displays; we should purchase another one, cost ~$300 - $500?; Tanis – skin-to-skin banner cost ~$150; display table needs and budget – Robyn – pink flower pots with flowers; burgundy table cloths; promo swag like pens or post-it notes with BFIO website on it; would all this extra go along with the banner? i.e., in a hard-sided suitcase with wheels? Need to consider shipping; agencies need to send it back also, who pays for that? Return shipping info needs to be laminated and provided in the kit; include picture of the table set-up so orgs know how we would like it to look; include table cloth and pad of BFIO info sheets and the org can provide their own flowers or candy, etc. On our website we can include what is provided and what the org needs to provide on their own. Include “property of BFIO” in large bold print on the outside so that it doesn’t get mixed up with other equipment. Two levels of display sign-outs: one for general membership and one for the executive.
3.9We want to increase public awareness of BFIO; strategies through conferences and BFI designation celebrations; moving forward can be plan for key conferences that we want representation at and can bring the banner and display items for the table; then executive can prioritize our time so that everyone contributes to promoting the public profile of BFIO;can we make a calendar for 2016 conferences and executive can see where gaps are in need to fill.
3.10Deferred
3.11Marg will formally sit on the P/T committee; opportunity to help build capacity
3.12AAA teleconferences – request through BCC be shared with BCC and put on BCC website; executive agreed to this
3.13Travel expenses - .42 cents a km on current expense form will be covered as needed; can add to TOR that we encourage orgs to pay mileage where possible.
3.14
3.15
3.16BFI Expo 2017 planning – first meeting Nov. 30th 10 -11 a.m.
4.2 Tanis will send out summary from P/T meeting she attended Sept. 14th
4.5 Doris – not a lot of hospitals are staying on the line after the AAA teleconference; would it be better to make the AAA longer and not do the hospital network teleconference afterwards; this needs more discussion; dialogue on the national level about opening up AAA nationally; peer support for hospitals still very important provincially; maybe hospital network needs to be done differently, i.e., with an agenda sent out ahead of time with specific topics to discuss/more structure to it; CHS group initially focused on each step as they got going. / Tanis will obtain two other quotes for teleconferencing service providers. The executive will forward any suggestions of service providers to Tanis within one week.
Will clarify if Health Nexus service is Ontario only or nation-wide.
Robyn will look into a group with expertise in LGBTQ language.
Tanis, Robyn and Anna Marie will review and revise with options.
Hiltrud and Anna will have a proposed new fee structure for members ready for the November executive meeting.
The executive agreed to contribute 15% of membership fees to BCC.
Tanis will do this.
Tanis will find out what company made the skin-to-skin banners for her health unit.
Robyn will obtain quotes for one or two banners and then executive can decide on a budget for the display table.
Wendy will send out another email to the membership to try and locate the missing banner
Marg will create a display for the conference in October and take a picture that can be used.
Executive to email Tanis with info re: 2016 key conferences or names of orgs in order to contact them and find out what dates they are considering.
Mileage reimbursement will be reviewed on an annual basis.
This item will be discussed further at the next executive meeting as part of New Business.
6.0 Next meeting / Next meeting: November 16th, 9 – 11 a.m. / Wendy will send doodle poll for February 2016 executive meeting.

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