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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Brenda M. Joly, PhD, Maine Center for Public Health, 12 Church Street, Augusta, ME 04330, (207) 629-9272, bjoly@mcph.org and Barbara A. Leonard, MPH, Division of Community Health, Maine Bureau of Health, 11 State House Station, Key Plaza, 4th Floor, Augusta, ME 04333.
Currently, the public health system in Maine is fragmented. Unlike other states, Maine does not have a series of local or county public health agencies providing services to its citizens. Thus, there is no coordinated system at the community or regional level that assures the delivery of the essential services. Through a Robert Wood Johnson funded Turning Point project, professionals from across the state have come together to form a vision for strengthening Maine’s public health infrastructure. The plan includes a blueprint outlining a three-tier model that will take upwards of seven years to fully implement. This model, which will be discussed in detail, emphasizes a partnership of local, regional, and state agencies and coalitions. This presentation will describe the broad spectrum of partners involved, the challenges of this process, and the strategies used to address the barriers. Lessons learned during the initial planning phase will also be discussed. The presentation may be of particular interest to other rural states that are looking to build support for a stronger local infrastructure.
Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to
Keywords: Infrastructure,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.