Hopkinton Health Director Shaun McAuliffe and members of the Board of Health lauded public health nurse Simone Carter during Tuesday night’s meeting for her work and leadership in public nursing.

“Simone deserves some praise,” said McAuliffe.

He and the board discussed Carter’s efforts both locally and for the state to innovate and standardize municipal nursing practices. 

Carter was selected by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to help draft the state’s nursing standards. She has continued to work on those standards while balancing her regular duties for the town.

Additionally, she and Kasey Mauro — who worked as the town’s public health nurse previously and still collaborates with the Health Department — are the first two nurses in Massachusetts trained and approved to provide functional and foundational public health at the municipal level.

This training helps to provide education to residents of all ages on things like nutrition, vaccinations, health checkups and exercise.

“If we can provide proper education … we can have a greater impact on public health than physicians,” McAuliffe said in a follow-up interview.

Carter’s efforts have been recognized by health officials across the state. McAuliffe commented that she was well-received at the Massachusetts Health Officers Association conference that took place in November. 

He and Carter also noted that the state’s Office of Local and Regional Health was putting together an article about Hopkinton’s public nursing program. McAuliffe reported the article likely will come out in January.

During her nursing report, Carter thanked the board and stated her efforts were not undertaken alone.

“I didn’t do it in a vacuum,” Carter said. “If I didn’t have support, I wouldn’t be here.”

Added Carter: “I think some folks at the state have recognized our efforts, and that feels good.”

Board discusses budget, staffing

McAuliffe provided the board with updates on the Health Department’s current budget, plans for staffing and the next steps on its new revolving fund. 

“Next year will be the first year we really start expending a budget,” he said.

According to McAuliffe, department spending has been low due to the lack of adequate staffing. The department’s revolving fund, which would fund new nursing positions, was approved by voters at November’s Special Town Meeting. However, it will not come into effect until fiscal year 2026.

Once the fund comes online, the Health Department will be able to capture up to $200,000 to fund nursing salaries. The money comes from an assortment of fees the department collects, and any surplus will be redirected into the town’s general fund.

The department is prepared to begin working on staffing new nursing roles, but the job listings have yet to be posted. McAuliffe said he is working with the town’s Human Resources Department to push the job listings out.

In the meantime, the Health Department continues to maintain a budget of around $68,000. 

“We’ve been advised by the state to stock up on supplies,” said McAuliffe.

Board of Health chair Richard Jacobs expressed satisfaction in the progress McAulilffe’s department has made on funding and staffing its programs.

“Things are falling into place,” Jacobs said to McAuliffe. “Not as quickly as we’d like to have happened, but you’re making your points and people are listening at all levels.”

“I think it’s the best we could have hoped for,” he added.