| A New Streamlined
Public Health Infrastructure for Maine— 
"The public
health system is an integral part of Dirigo Health Reform. We are maximizing resources and
building collaborations that will yield better health for our citizens," said the
governor. "This will lead to more efficient and effective delivery of healthcare
statewide."
By Ramona du Houx
"Today we are
laying the foundation for a stronger pubic health system," announced Governor
Baldacci during a celebration at the State Capitol that launched a new streamlined public
health infrastructure where agencies and health organizations will work together to
provide better health services for all Maine citizens.
Recognizing the
healthcare crisis in America, Governor Baldacci’s first major initiative was the
passage of the Dirigo Health Reform Act, with a bipartisan majority in the Legislature.
The goal of the Dirigo Health Act, is to make Maine the healthiest state in the nation.
Four years later, according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Census, Maine is tied
for first in the nation for making sure citizens have healthcare coverage.
"The public health
system is an integral part of Dirigo Health Reform. We are maximizing resources and
building collaborations that will yield better health for our citizens," said the
governor. "This will lead to more efficient and effective delivery of healthcare
statewide."
The governor is joined by
state healthcare workers at the celebration of the new state heathcare partnerships
Among the improvements,
the Maine Center for Disease Control has created eight Public Health Units within
Department of Health and Human Services regional offices. Health inspectors, public health
nurses, and other staff will be located together in these health districts and will be
more accessible to residents and health professionals.
"A true
coordination between public health, disease prevention, mental health, substance abuse
treatment, services to children and the elderly and others will be possible with this new
public health infrastructure," said Dr. Dora Mills, director of the Maine Center for
Disease Control and Prevention.
A statewide system of
comprehensive community health coalitions is already in place, which includes Healthy
Maine Partnerships, funded by five combined sources of Federal and Tobacco Settlement
funds. The state will work hand in hand with these coalitions which are focused on
educating communities on obesity, exercise, nutrition, and tobacco prevention. A focus
will be to continue to work with schools. Currently Healthy Maine Partnerships have
programs in forty-one school districts.
Bringing all these
partners together with the goal of streamlining services to maximize resources and
coordinate efforts leading to better efficiencies took two years of hard work.
"We’ve
consolidated more than 100 grants and contracts that did not provide statewide coverage to
28 statewide Healthy Maine Partnerships that will," said Baldacci. "With current
consolidation efforts going on throughout government at all levels, I’m pleased to
see that our public health community has worked hard to stretch dollars to do more and
cover more."
The governor is joined by
state healthcare workers at the celebration of the new state heathcare partnerships
The governor presented
apple tree saplings to the Healthy Maine Partnerships present at the event, symbolizing
the foundation of a system with strong and seamless connections from local, regional, and
state levels. "An apple a day is the symbol of good preventive health, but these
saplings — like our emerging public health system — need to be nourished through
the hard work of the people here today and the Healthy Maine Partnerships," said the
governor.
"The whole mission
is to make Maine’s public health system more effective and more efficient," said
Dr. Mills.
The state conducted a
series of forums in each district to ensure the public’s input was heard and viable
ideas acted upon. There will be opportunities for the public to monitor and weigh in on
the State Health Plan as it is being developed. More information: dirigohealth.maine.gov
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