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Health Building Plagued by Health Hazards, Officials and Staff Say

March 10, 2007 — The health of the Charles Harwood Complex (CHC) was the topic of discussion at the Senate Health and Hospitals committee meeting Friday, as senators heard about chronic roof leaks leading to mold outbreaks and employees having to work in conditions hazardous to their health.
"My greatest concern … is the existing mold and mildew," said Acting Department of Health Commissioner Phyllis Walker, as she read her prepared statement to senators gathered in the Frits E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room in Frederiksted.
Walker said she was alerted to the problem in October 2006 and has since "consolidated the delivery of health care in the unaffected area of the complex." However, the dental services had to be limited to emergency services only because of the increased risk of infection posed to patients by the presence of mold.
The mold infestation also causes health problem with employees, said Ann Thurland, director of the Bureau of Health Education.
"The staff has complained of itching, hives, swelling, symptoms of allergies and labored breathing," Thurland said, adding that she suffered the same symptoms. Thurland testified that she opted to do more field work, but every time she would come to her office at CHC her symptoms would reappear. In 2007, her physician diagnosed that an environmental containment caused constriction in her airways.
"There was visible mold on the desks and file cabinets, and black mold growing on the ceiling tiles," Thurland said. She asked the senate body to "identify funds to make CHC a healthy place to work."
Committee chairperson Norman Jn Baptiste called Thurland's testimony "riveting."
Dental services have been severely curtailed. Patients can no longer receive most treatments because the presence of mold can cause health risks.
"This has caused an extreme hardship on the population we serve," said Dr. Rodney A. Miller, Dental Services assistant director. Last fiscal year, 3,361 patients received preventative dental services, including 221 Head Start children, he said.
In addition to dental services, CHC has direct responsibility for conducting programs of preventative medicine, including maternal child health, family planning, environmental sanitation, mental health and a substance-abuse program. These programs are still ongoing, Wallace said.
Reminding DOH staff that the St. Croix Legislature had recently undergone mold remediation, Jn Baptiste said "No one should be in the area when (ceiling) tiles are being removed."
The complex, which provides low-cost medical and dental services to qualified persons, has entered the final Phase III of a renovation process that began in 2002.
The department obtained permission to put $1.6 million originally slated for Phase III toward the mold-remediation work. Included in that would be $500,000 to repair and upgrade the air-conditioning units. Wallace asked senators for an additional $2.3 million to complete the final renovations to the facility. Once the funds are secured, the mold remediation and air-conditioning work would begin in "six to eight weeks," she said.
Phase III includes work on the building exterior, sidewalks, paving, parking, lights and security fencing.
Freshman Sen. James Weber questioned Walker about the department's maintenance policy. The department may be better served by a "function-based" instead of a "site-based" maintenance team, he said, suggesting that the government create a "roving staff to address maintenance" at various government agencies.
Sen. Usie R. Richards questioned James Bernier, director of Engineering and Maintenance, attempting to get to the bottom of the maintenance problem. Roy Construction did the roof work, giving a 10-year warranty, James said. Attempts to get a maintenance contract with the vendor have not proven successful, he said.
During a rainstorm in 2004, a portion of the CHC roof began to leak heavily. It was not until 2006 that repairs were made, Bernier said. Officials also said employees adjusted thermostat temperatures, causing an imbalance in the system, and used unauthorized exits, which added to the condensation and increased mold growth.
Richards called for a cost and payment disbursement of "any and all" CHC renovation funds to determine the complete scope of work for the project.
Insisting he would not "throw good money after bad management," Richards firmly requested that the information be forwarded to the committee chair within the week.
Responding to other questions, Wallace admitted that an air-quality report had been forwarded to the department, but that information was not shared with employees. Wallace said she did not have the report with her, adding that the report reflected the mold count "at its height" and that steps had been taken to improve the situation.
"I don't care if it was a high point or a low point … the occupants of the building should have been notified," Jn Baptiste responded.
The meeting was concluded after senators exhausted their questions and Wallace had to leave to catch a flight to St. Thomas.
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