Local Public Health Association of Local Public Health Association of MinnesotaMinnesota

Platform & Platform & PrioritiesPriorities

Julie MyhreJulie MyhreWednesday, November 12, 2008Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Carlton County Public HealthCarlton County Public Health

Local Public Health Association of Local Public Health Association of MinnesotaMinnesota

Platform & Platform & PrioritiesPriorities

Julie MyhreJulie MyhreWednesday, November 12, 2008Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Carlton County Public HealthCarlton County Public Health

Local Public Health AssociationLocal Public Health Association

• ELIGIBLE MEMBERSELIGIBLE MEMBERSCity, county and tribal gov’ts in MN – Public health managers and

supervisors– Each unit of gov’t may appoint four

voting members• CONNECTION NATIONALLY CONNECTION NATIONALLY

– NACCHO – www.mncounties2.org/lpha/

StaffStaff• FULL TIME DIRECTOR OF LPHA: Julie Ring Email: ring@mncounties.org

• Legislative Lobbyist• Coordinates meetings and communications• Clarifies Issues, Provides advocacy• Partners with other statewide organizations (ALA,

ACS, Ready4K, AHA, etc.)

Standing CommitteesStanding Committees

• Executive Committee• Policy and Practice Committee• Legislative Committee• Membership Committee

Health StatusHealth Status

National Health Expenditures• Access to Care 88%• Other 8%• Health Behaviors 4%Influence• 10% Access to Care• 20% Environment• 20% Genetics• 50% Health Behaviors

2009 – 2010 Legislative Platform2009 – 2010 Legislative Platform

• ISSUES– What’s happening? – What are we concerned about?

• POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS– What do want changed?

• Legislative or Policy?• KEY CONTACTS

– Content experts

Public Health InfrastructurePublic Health Infrastructure• FUNDING

– Support adequate funding

• PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM– Support funding

• WORK FORCE– Support policies and initiatives that

promote education, hiring and retention of PH Workers

Chronic Disease Prevention and Chronic Disease Prevention and Promotion of Healthy BehaviorsPromotion of Healthy Behaviors

• Health Care Reform needed– Support SHIP, increased coverage

• Monitor youth obesity trends• Schools: Food Meets Nutritional

Standards• Strengthen Phy Ed & Health Education• Maintain & Protect Freedom to

Breathe• Access to healthy foods• Statewide alcohol and cigarette tax:

fund prevention

Communicable Disease Prevention & ControlCommunicable Disease Prevention & Control

• Establish state emergency fund– Helps LPH recover costs from

outbreak • Oppose requiring LPH to report

undocumented persons to state/fed govt.

• Additional reimbursement to LPH for investigation, control and treatment of TB

Correctional Health

• Limit county responsibility for medical costs while maintaining a standard of health care to inmates

• Demonstration projects: Release planning

• Divert persons with mental illness into alternative settings

• Support system of electronic exchange

Ensuring Health Equity• Continue Eliminating Health

Disparities Initiative• Enhance health care access• Diverse Health Care Work

force• Funding for

interpretation/translation services

Environmental Health• Walkable and Bikeable community design• Limit exposure to mercury, radon, lead• Proper medical waste disposal• Explore models of evidenced based environmental health services (FB&L)• Address emerging EH issues – Bisphenyl A,

Phalates, etc.• Vacation Home Rental• Need for systematic response for • repairing, updating and monitoring • septic systems

Health Care System Improvement

• Keep funding for SHIP• Health Care Home

– PH role in case mgt/care coordination• Expand Health Care Coverage

– MA, MNCare, GA• Support policies/incentives for preventive health services • Uniform benefit set/ streamline admin

processes• Improved access to dental services

Healthy Children and FamiliesHealthy Children and Families

• Restore and maintain stable, ongoing funding– FHV, Teen Pg Prevention, MCH, WIC,

Youth Risk Reduction, etc.

• Continue TANF funding for FHV• Funding for Child Care Assistance• Family Violence Prevention • Family Planning

Long Term CareLong Term Care• Define Roles for Care Coordination/Case

Management as well as I&R, safety net, • Identification of gaps in services, assurance

of services (oversight function)• Fully fund county roles• Expand availability of quality LTC insurance• Support funding and policies of prevention and early intervention – healthy lifestyles

Mental HealthMental Health• Focus on prevention, early ID

and intervention• Encourage MH coordination with

physical and social services• Support full funding for nurse-

provided FHV for at-risk families with newborns

• Mental Health promotion campaign

PH Emergency PreparednessPH Emergency Preparedness

• Provide state funding for LPH Emergency Planning and response activities (currently no state funding)

• Need funding for infrastructure so have work force that can respond to emergency

Approval ProcessApproval Process• Align LPHA platform with MACCSA• Some key issues may make AMC

Platform• Membership: Feedback and Approval

– November 20, 2008

• Changes can be made if membership agreeable

Legislative Priorities 2008Legislative Priorities 2008

• Health System Improvement– Statewide Health Improvement Plan– Health Care Access– County Based Purchasing

• Local Public Health Data Integration– LPH needs interconnected, statewide info

system– Providers implement interoperable EHR by

2015

• Public Health Emergency Preparedness– Need ongoing, stable funding (fed $$ have

decreased)

Other Key Issues in 2008• County Role/Responsibilities for LTC• Correctional Health• Youth Risk Behavior (YRB)• Social Conditions that impact Health• Environmental Health Protection

– Air quality (indoor and outdoor), radon, lead• Infectious Disease Prevention and Control

LPHA ResourcesLPHA ResourcesFact Sheets on the Web to help us tell

our story!!

“Public Health: A Good Investment at any Time”

Don’t Work in a Vacuum!Don’t Work in a Vacuum!• Maintenance of Effort (MOE)

Issue• Current Tension between

County & State Government• Last Session: PH got added $$$

– other departments didn’t fair as well

• LPHA works well with MDH – other state agencies don’t work as

partners

How can you play a role?How can you play a role?• Identify PH Practice Issues &

Potential Solutions – You are the CONTENT EXPERTS!!

• Thank Elected Officials – SHIP

• Educate and Inform Elected Officials– Invite them on a home visit

• Help LPHA Identify Priority Issues– What’s still an issue? Is anything

missing??

Julie Myhre, DirectorCarlton-Cook-Lake-St. Louis Community Health Board

juliem@communityhealthboard.org

404 West Superior Street Suite 220Duluth, MN 55802

218-733-2862