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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Richard Allan Aronson, MD, MPH¹, Sheryl Peavey¹, and Sandra Janoff². (1) Maine CDC, Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Key Bank Plaza, 7th floor, State House Station #11, Augusta, ME 04333-0011, 207 287-5345, Richard.Aronson@maine.gov, (2) Future Search Network, 9 Arthurs Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096

The promotion of human rights for all children and families is at the heart of MCH. Humane policies and systems require an understanding of how health and safety are inextricably linked with social justice. A Future Search Conference is a unique interactive planning tool that fosters the conditions for the creation of such policies. It is based on four principles: 1) “Whole system” in the room; 2) Global exploration before local action; 3) Focus on future and common ground; and 4) Self-management and shared responsibility. It results in commitment and action to reduce inequalities that occur as a result of class, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and geographic status. To strengthen Maine's move toward humane systems change in MCH, we took a bold step and used Future Search as integral to our State Early Childhood Comprehensive Service Systems Grant. A Future Search Conference took place on January 6-8, 2005, not only to widen the circle of stakeholders but also to validate and build upon the work of the Early Childhood Task Force of the Governor's Children's Cabinet, chaired by Maine's First Lady. This session will describe the design of a Future Search Conference and share Maine's results from using this tool to inspire and inform public policy change. Future Search enhanced partnerships across departments, programs, systems, and other boundaries; developed new strategies of collaboration; created cross-cultural visions, and developed and started action plans to obtain a long-term commitment to dignifying the whole MCH population and humanizing the policies affecting them.

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