A. Strengthen the statewide consistent delivery of Essential Public Health services to all Maine people.

B. Achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency through coordination, collaborative planning, and leveraging of Maine’s public health and private assets.

C. Assure health disparities for vulnerable populations are being addressed. 

D. Assure Local and District Health Improvement Plans inform and are informed by the State Health Plan.

E. Coordinate assessment of local public health needs and the development, implementation, and evaluation of Local and District Health Improvement Plans.

F. Assure accountability to local communities for fairness and transparency in the public health system.

G. Assure accountability in the use of State resources for achieving the goals of the State Health Plan.

H. Recognize, link with, and strengthen both governmental and non-governmental roles as part of the public health system at local, county, and state levels.

I. Comprehensive Community Health Coalitions

District Coordinating Councils

As part of Maine’s public health infrastructure, District Coordinating Councils (DCC) will be designated by the Maine CDC based on recommendations from each of the eight districts and with review and comment by the Statewide Coordinating Council (SCC). DCCs will:

1. Be the district-wide representative body for collaborative planning and decision –making for functions that are more efficiently and effectively accomplished at the district level.
2. Perform, through its members, some of the specific functions of the 10 Essential Public Health Services at the district level.
3. Mobilize working partnerships in which efforts and resources are combined within the district in order to produce results that no one community, organization or sector could achieve effectively or efficiently alone.
4. Include members from or representing (see attached chart).
5. Have governance and leadership competency including:
   a. Agreed upon operating principles and transparent decision-making.
   b. A small volunteer Steering Committee charged with convening, agendas, and overseeing communications.
   c. Linkage with the Maine CDC/DHHS Local Public Health Liaison.
6. Through its members, have competency in:
   d. District-wide convening, fostering collaboration, and mobilizing across communities, organizations and sectors.
   e. Leveraging local assets, and securing external resources such as contracts, grants and in-kind goods or services.
   f. Interpretation and use of health assessment data.
   g. District-level and issue-specific planning.
   h. Evaluation design, analysis, and use of evaluation findings.
   i. Use of the Internet and other skills and channels for effective communications.
   j. Working with fiscal agents capable of accepting and administering funds on behalf of the district as a whole.

District Coordinating Council to include members from or representing:

• Maine CDC/ DHHS
• County Governments
• Municipal Governments
• City Health Departments
• Hospitals
• Emergency Management Agencies
• Emergency Medical Services
• Tribes
• Comprehensive Community Health Coalitions/ HMPs
• School Districts
• Local Health Officers
• Institutions of Higher Learning
• Clinics and Community Health Centers
• Voluntary Organizations
• Family Planning Organizations
• Area Agencies on Aging
• Mental Health Services
• Substance Abuse Services
• Community-based Organizations, Issue-specific Coalitions, Civic Groups
• Others