Update on collaborations:

• Robin Mayo distributed copies of the completed Penquis region service directory, compiled by the Penquis Resource Exchange. The 30-page booklet was produced with financial assistance from a PPHC grant.
• Robin reported that the PPHC mini-grant program has awarded funds to the following recipients: American Legion Post, Milo, $4,000 for basketball court improvements; Maine Audubon, $2,500 for Borestone Mt. hiking trail improvements; SAD 41 Wellness Committee, $1,000 for weight loss program; Mayo Regional Hospital ER, $500 for Flupacks.
• The MOOSE (Mentors Offering Anti-Smoking Education) youth groups are active in Greenville, Guilford and Milo.
• Robin has identified 76 restaurants in our region that may be included in a healthy dining out guide. The intent will be to encourage restaurants to offer healthier food choices. The goal is to produce the guide by spring, 2005.
• Robin will be updating the PPHC web site and hopes to include the regional service directory and the dining guide on line.
• Mayo Regional Hospital is offering a presentation on weight management tips for kids on Dec. 30.
• The PPHC was not successful in applying for a Maine Cardiovascular Health Program mini-grant to improve awareness of heart attack and stroke symptoms. The effort was useful, however, in fostering increased collaboration between PPHC and Mayo's Heartwise and Workwise programs.

Piscataquis County Youth Overweight Collaborative:
Dr. David McDermott, a family practice physician at Dover-Foxcroft Family Medicine, reported how physician offices throughout Piscataquis County are participating in the Maine Youth Overweight Collaborative, supported by the Maine Center for Public Health.

The program's goal is to work with children who are overweight or at risk in order to help them avoid the health risks associated with being overweight: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint problems, asthma, depression, eating disorders. Through this initiative, providers will plot the Body Mass Index of children ages 5-18, and classify those at the 95th percentile as overweight. In order to raise awareness of healthy lifestyle issues, families will also be administered a 5-2-1-0 survey to push the theme of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of TV, 1 hour of exercise and 0 sodas/fruit juices each day.

Dr. McDermott said a baseline study in his practice disclosed that 40% of children are overweight or at risk. He will be talking to school nurses to get them involved in follow-up efforts, and hopes to eventually build a community coalition of families, schools, physician offices, faith communities, YMCA and others to address this public health problem.

Sustainability issues:
Robin and Susan Crippen discussed the state's future vision for the Healthy Maine Partnerships. The need to focus on chronic health issues, in addition to the HMP goals centered on tobacco use, physical activity and healthy eating, is driving Maine toward development of a more comprehensive public health system. The state health plan due in 2005 will address the HMPs role in the transition to a full public health system.

One strategy could be to combine the HMP approach with the Healthy Communities model, which is one reason why PPHC has applied for membership in the Maine Network of Healthy Communities.

Susan shared the principles of Healthy Communities and also the essential public health services. She noted that between HMPs and Healthy Communities much of the infrastructure for a public health system is in place, but the assets are not aligned in a system with sufficient funding to ensure sustainability.

Susan said a feasibility study is being planned that will assess prospects for the creation of a public health system in Piscataquis County that would broaden and build on the existing PPHC structure. The PPHC could serve as a vessel through which state public health funds could flow to our region.

In addition to that feasibility study, Mayo's Counseling Program is involved with the One ME Assessment Project through the state Office of Substance Abuse, focusing on substance abuse prevention strategies. Additional funding will be available through the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant to help create a statewide prevention/health promotion infrastructure.

Indications are that the next round of HMP funding, set for one year from now, will be a joint request for proposal involving HMP and the state Office of Substance Abuse.

Next meeting:
Wednesday, March 23, 1-3 p.m. at Mayo.

Minutes submitted by Tom Lizotte