An Act To Establish and Promote Statewide Collaboration and Coordination in Public Health Activities and To Enact a Universal Wellness Initiative
Sec. 1. 2 MRSA §103, sub-§3, ¶F, as amended by PL 2005, c. 369, §4, is further amended to read:
Sec. 2. 2 MRSA §103, sub-§3, ¶G, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 369, §5, is amended to read:
Sec. 3. 2 MRSA §103, sub-§3, ¶H is enacted to read:
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§14-G is enacted to read:
| Health Care | Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health | Not Authorized | 22 MRSA §412 |
Sec. 5. 22 MRSA c. 152 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 152
PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE
§ 411. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
§ 412. Coordination of public health infrastructure components
Healthy Maine Partnerships must include interested community members; leaders of formal and informal civic groups; leaders of youth, parent and older adult groups; leaders of hospitals, health centers, mental health and substance abuse providers; emergency responders; local government officials; leaders in early childhood development and education; leaders of school administrative units and colleges and universities; community, social service and other nonprofit agency leaders; leaders of issue-specific networks, coalitions and associations; business leaders; leaders of faith-based groups; and law enforcement representatives.
The department and other appropriate state agencies shall provide funds as available to coalitions in Healthy Maine Partnerships that meet measurable criteria as set by the department for comprehensive community health coalitions.
(1) Participate as appropriate in district-level activities to help ensure the state public health system in each district is ready and maintained for accreditation;
(2) Provide a mechanism for districtwide input to the state health plan under Title 2, section 103;
(3) Ensure that the goals and strategies of the state health plan are addressed in the district; and
(4) Ensure that the essential public health services and resources are provided for in each district in the most efficient, effective and evidence-based manner possible.
A district coordinating council for public health, after consulting with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, shall develop membership and governance structures that are subject to approval by the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health.
(1) Participate as appropriate to help ensure the state public health system is ready and maintained for accreditation;
(2) Provide a mechanism for the Advisory Council on Health Systems Development under Title 2, section 104 to obtain statewide input for the state health plan under Title 2, section 103;
(3) Provide a mechanism for disseminating and implementing the state health plan; and
(4) Assist the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention in planning for the essential public health services and resources to be provided in each district and across the State in the most efficient, effective and evidence-based manner possible.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall provide staff support to the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health as resources permit. Other agencies of State Government as necessary and appropriate shall provide additional staff support or assistance to the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health as resources permit.
(1) Each district coordinating council for public health shall appoint one member.
(2) The Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention or the director's designee shall serve as a member.
(3) The commissioner shall appoint an expert in behavioral health from the department to serve as a member.
(4) The Commissioner of Education shall appoint a health expert from the Department of Education to serve as a member.
(5) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall appoint an environmental health expert from the Department of Environmental Protection to serve as a member.
(6) The Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the cochairs of the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health, shall convene a membership committee. After evaluation of the appointments to the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health, the membership committee shall appoint no more than 10 additional members and ensure that the total membership has at least one member who is a recognized content expert in each of the essential public health services, has representation from populations in the State facing health disparities and has at least 2 members from the Advisory Council on Health Systems Development under Title 2, section 104. The membership committee shall also strive to ensure diverse representation on the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health from county governments, municipal governments, tribal governments, city health departments, local health officers, hospitals, health systems, emergency management agencies, emergency medical services, Healthy Maine Partnerships, school districts, institutions of higher education, physicians and other health care providers, clinics and community health centers, voluntary health organizations, family planning organizations, area agencies on aging, mental health services, substance abuse services, organizations seeking to improve environmental health and other community-based organizations.
The Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health shall report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and the Governor's office on progress made toward achieving and maintaining accreditation of the state public health system and on districtwide and statewide streamlining and other strategies leading to improved efficiencies and effectiveness in the delivery of essential public health services.
§ 413. Universal wellness initiative
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health, the district coordinating councils for public health and Healthy Maine Partnerships shall undertake a universal wellness initiative to ensure that all people of the State have access to resources and evidence-based interventions in order to know, understand and address health risks and to improve health and prevent disease. A particular focus must be on the uninsured and others facing health disparities.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Governor's Office of Health Policy and Finance shall provide staff support to implement the universal wellness initiative in this section as resources permit. Other agencies of State Government as necessary and appropriate shall provide additional staff support or assistance.
Sec. 6. Staggered terms. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 412, subsection 6, paragraph C, of the members first chosen by the membership committee of the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health, 1/3 must be chosen for a term of one year, 1/3 must be chosen for the term of 2 years and 1/3 must be chosen for a term of 3 years.