Mort Sci Ad-hoc meeting minutes
P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164-0882
Telephone: 651-201-3829
Email:
Mortuary Science Ad-Hoc Meeting Agenda
March 8, 2016
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Hiway Federal Credit Union
840 Westminster Street St. Paul, MN 55130
In Attendance:
Present Members / Present Members / MDH Staff / Absent Members /Mark Arnold / Anne Kukowski / Tim Hoff
Peter Lind / Alexa Goetsch / Laurie Studer / Mark Ballard
Jody Bystrom / Carlena Weiland / Robert Ryan
Carrie McGhee / Erika Fulgern
Joe Sellwood / Marguerite Slonine
Dr. Michael LuBrant / Molly Crawford
Agenda Items:
1. Convene and Introductions
2. Announcements
a. Pot lucks - The Mortuary Science office does not regulate pot lucks. Families may bring food in for the family or they may choose to share it with their guests. The funeral home can have events catered; the caterer may choose to serve the food but staff can serve food also. Environmental health would be who would regulate any issues, but typically only if there was an outbreak Environmental health has a flow chart available. Suggestion was made to email out environmental health chart to all morticians. Suggestion was made to put something on website about food in funeral home.
b. Letter of Non-Contagious is now on our website. We generate a letter when a funeral home is sending human remains out of the country. Our office requires all paperwork is in turned into our office prior to generating the letter. The new application helps move the process along, to explain what is needed, and how the funeral home wants to receive the letter i.e. mail, fax, etc.
c. Criminal background checks in other states -- Dr. Michael LuBrant
Pre-need scandals would be easier to identify. Most states have boards that review applications. A procedure would need to be in place with BCA. Right now options would be complete a background check when application is received, every few years, and to existing licensees.
Rat back is a possibility in the future. Cost could be an issue. Applicant would sign consent form to submit background check. This would pertain to the initial license at first. We could provide a survey.
d. U of M Program Staff Changes - Dr. Michael LuBrant
Robyn replaced Molly as registrar. Request to expand funeral services to one year, waiting approval. Michael Matthews will have been there 40 years along with Dr. LuBrant.
3. Current Topics
a. Should facilities which no longer use prep rooms be required to decommission the prep rooms?
Possible requirements would be cap the sewer line, remove table and embalming machine along with the any embalming/preparation instruments, remove all embalming and preparation chemicals, and a thorough cleaning by a professional cleaner. The rooms would be able to retain the emergency eyewash and shower station, the unattached flush rim sink, the flooring, and the ventilation. This possibly may be a cheaper solution than having to bring a prep room up to date.
MFDAs surveyed response was every location had to have a prep room in 2013. The grandfather clause was still in effect. 2015 MDH removed the grandfather clause from Statute; thus, requiring that every funeral home have fully compliant prep rooms, added extension. Must be fully compliant by July 2017. Knoblach thought re-instating the grandfather clause would fix the issue. However, after meeting with MFDA, he would like to offer an amendment to his proposed language. MFDA is opposing his request. Mort-Sci asked for input on how members feel about decommission prep rooms. Ideas? MFDA suggests staying consistent. There could be many facilities who have already started to comply with updating their prep rooms. Washburn McGreavy has already started updating all locations.
b. What training do other states require for crematory operators?
Most states do not have requirements. Certified operator training has started through CANA, MFDA and other organizations. Some states require that individuals have some form of certification. Some states prohibit funeral homes to have crematories. Many issues and conversations have come up with the uptick in the numbers of cremations. Currently eight states have no requirements, thirteen states require some level of training. WI, IA and SD have no requirements. Crematories in most Midwest states do not have many requirement; however, some do require hands on training and a high school diploma or GED. Trend seems to be to require something. Operators in some states have a fee they pay, though it may be very minimal, they still need to apply and renew every couple years to show they are certified. Suggestion to administer a closed book test after the completion of the operator training. Cremations are more in depth than most people realize. Consumers may assume that crematory operators are educated and trained in what the profession. All members are in agreement that some requirement needs to be made.
Frequency of embalming handout. Chart shows data from Jan & Feb 2016. Data came from vital records and there is now a place to check on fact of death worksheet if the deceased is cremated or embalmed. This data started being recorded at the beginning of the year of 2016. Idea would be to add more question to the death worksheet for example ask for the location # of were an embalming took place?
Added new question: Religious objection to autopsies-on the death registration. ME office answers that. We can work with vital records to have less paperwork, and to collect data to help with future laws. Having data can help make meaningful decisions for example crematories are a bigger issue than prep rooms when the data shows there are more cremations being done.
c. Why do we require that MDH be notified before a change of ownership?
We are not always notified. Many may misinterpret what the statute means. We need to know change of ownership for regulation reasons. For example brining prep rooms up to code. When there is a change of ownership an inspection needs to be done if one has not been done in the past 6 months. A new license number is issued as well. Ownership also has to contact preneed beneficiaries if the ownership changed more than 50% or more.
d. What is direct supervision?
Table to April
4. Topic Requests
a. Bodies with no LNOK (legal NOK)-are there laws in the funeral director’s favor? After a specific time can proper disposal be done?
b. 149a.91, Subd. 2, Issues with washing of bodies in the prep room with non-licensed morticians. Can we change wording to be licensed morticians only during embalming?
5. Meeting Adjourned at 2:55 p.m.
6. Please email any topics to us.
7. Next Meeting: June 7, 2016
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Mort Sci Ad-hoc meeting minutes
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Hiway Federal Credit Union
840 Westminster Street, St. Paul, MN 55130
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meeting agenda
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