224607 Lessons learned from a statewide community-based public health initiative

Monday, November 8, 2010

Michelle Mitchell, MSocSc(Clinical Psychology) , Maine Center for Public Health, Augusta, ME
Pamela Bruno MacDonald, MPH , Maine Center for Public Health, Augusta, ME
Melissa Furtado, MPH , Maine Center for Public Health, Augusta, ME
Sarah Martin, PhD , Maine Center for Public Health, Augusta, ME
Andrew Finch, LCSW , Healthy Maine Partnerships, Division of Chronic Disease, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Augusta, ME
The Healthy Maine Partnerships (HMP) Initiative is a community-based public health initiative established by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (MCDC) in January 2001 to create local intervention sites dedicated to addressing tobacco, tobacco-related chronic diseases, and associated risk factors. The MCDC provides funding, technical assistance and guidance to support the local sites' efforts and to build and enhance the public health infrastructure across the state. The 28 community coalitions are expected to accomplish this work through the development and implementation of policy and environmental/systems changes at the local level. Through community engagement, the HMPs serve as public health entities in communities and build strong relationships with community-based and tribal organizations, schools, worksites and youth groups. The implementation of the Initiative is evaluated by a multi-disciplinary team, contracted by the state, with expertise in epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, and health informatics. As part of the overall evaluation, the Team used two methodologies to evaluate how the Initiative has enhanced the public health infrastructure across Maine: (i) key informant interviews with leaders in state agencies and non-governmental partners; and (ii) web-based surveys among state staff; community staff; and external Initiative stakeholders. Areas of focus were (i) coordination of efforts and resources; (ii) programmatic and policy decisions; (iii) provision of funding and program management; and (iv) provision of technical assistance. This presentation will discuss the evaluation findings and their implications on building and sustaining community partnerships as part of a comprehensive public health infrastructure.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe lessons learned from the implementation of a progressive community coalitions-based statewide approach to public health. Evaluate the essential elements required for sustainable partnerships between communities, state agencies and external stakeholders in implementing a participatory public health initiative.

Keywords: Evaluation, Community-Based Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a member of the HMP Evaluation Team.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.