The Clark County Board of Health approved the first reading of a policy to require food service establishments to post health inspection reports Thursday.

Clark County Attorney William Elkins reviewed the draft following the board’s March meeting, made revisions and sent it back to the board before the first reading.

The board meets quarterly, but the next meeting has not been scheduled.

If the board approves the second reading in its next meeting, the policy will go into effect in January 2020.

Health department environmentalist Carlene Whitt said she plans to host a public meeting in July to allow the public to comment on the policy before the board reconvenes in the fall for a final vote.

According to the policy, food service establishments required to post inspection  reports include restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations which serve prepared food, schools and care facilities.

Because of a lack of a structured operating time and often a lack of a physical structure, mobile food units, pushcarts, restricted concession food services, temporary food service and similar food service facilities will not be required to post inspection reports but will have to keep inspection reports on hand and make them available for viewing upon request.

According to the policy, food establishments must place the inspection report where it is visible upon entry into the establishment, as determined by the health department.

Establishments which continually violate the regulation may receive a fine, according to the draft.

The board also discussed updates to its many community health initiatives.

During her report, CCHD Nurse Administrator Jennifer Gulley told the board about updates on the opioid crisis funding from the preparedness branch at the Department for Public Health. The health department received an awareness/education grant totaling $7,067.15.

The health department collaborated with the Clark County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy (ASAP), Clark County Public Schools and Winchester Police Chief Kevin Palmer on this award category to purchase the “Too Good For Drugs” curriculum. The groups will implement the program in the schools in fourth through eighth grades in the school year 2019-20.

The health department also convened stakeholder to develop the Community Opioid Crisis Response Plan in April, and met again in May, to enable public health and its partners to effectively address the varied manifestations of the opioid, illicit and other misused drug epidemic in the county, Gulley said.

The goal of the plan — which costs about $6,000 to implement — is to recognize where there is a “higher than usual,” Gulley said, number of overdoses in the community to activate a response that will reduce the number of deaths.

The group meets next on June 13 to discuss thresholds. Gulley said Emergency Management Services is also working toward implementing ODMAP, a web-based system that assists in monitoring overdose incidents by first responders and public health.

The health department is also applying for the Diabetes Group Education Service Provider position, with award monies ranging from $18,000 to $62,000 per health department.

The board also approved the Fiscal Year 2020 budget and approved to keep the tax rate of 4.6 percent the same.

The board also announced the following upcoming events:

— Diabetes Support Group, 5:30 p.m. June 13 at the Clark County Health Department

— Breastfeeding Coalition meeting, 10 a.m. June 28 at the Clark County Health Department

— The First Six Weeks, a free breastfeeding class, 5:30 p.m. July 25 at the Clark County Health Department

— African American Health Series, 11 a.m. Aug. 2. Details of the meeting are to be determined. Tentative guest speaker will be a physical therapist.

— 2019 Fall Diabetes Self-Management Classes, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 1, Oct. 8, Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 at the Clark County Health Department. Preregistration required. The classes are free.