Recorded presentation

Paul Kuehnert, MS, RN, Executive Director, Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, State of Maine, State House Station 11, 286 Water St., 8th Floor, Augusta, ME 04333-0011, 207-287-5179, Paul.Kuehnert@maine.gov, Judy Lloyd Storfjell, Public Health Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 4720 E. Hillcrest Drive, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, and Anne B. Keith, RN, DrPH, C-PNP, College of Nursing, University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth St, PO box 9300, Portland, ME 04104.

In 2002, the Maine Bureau of Health designed and implemented multiple, interconnected initiatives to expand and coordinate the early identification and rapid response to events of public health significance including bioterrorism. New initiatives were founded on the principle of strengthening public health infrastructure to function effectively day to day as well as during unpredictable emergencies. These initiatives were particularly challenging given the fact that Maine has no regional or county health departments and only two municipal health departments, neither of which provide all 10 essential public health services.

As a result, the Bureau contracted with a total of five municipal, university and hospital partners to develop and implement: 1) decentralized regional epidemiology teams that would build community capacity, improve infectious disease (ID) reporting, and enhance early identification and response to health threats; and 2) regional resource centers for public health emergency preparedness to conduct sub-state health systems response planning. The Bureau’s Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness provides overall coordination to the initiatives, working to weave together a comprehensive statewide system of early detection and response to events of public health significance.

This presentation will review the strategies used and lessons learned to date in Maine with particular attention to the effectiveness of “dual use” approaches to building public health infrastructure.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify which factors lead to successful implementation of "dual use" strategies in building public health infrastructure in a rural state.
• Describe problems encountered in implementing "dual use" strategies.
• Discuss approaches to resolving problems encounted in implementing "dual use"strategies.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employee--Executive Director, Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Maine Bureau of Health, State of Maine

Recorded presentation