An Act To Sustain and Strengthen Community Health Coalitions
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1614
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: ROSEN, PINGREE, ANDREWS, MAYO, DUCHESNE, MILLER, SHERMAN
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-I

Legislative Document 
No. 1614 
S.P.596 
In Senate, May 3, 2005 
An Act To Sustain and Strengthen Community Health Coalitions 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator ROSEN of Hancock. 
Cosponsored by Representative PINGREE of North Haven and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: ANDREWS of York, MAYO of Sag ada hoc, Representatives: DUCHESNE of 
Hudson, MILLER of Somerville, ROSEN of Bucksport, SHERMAN of Hodgdon. 
Ptinted on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§31-B is enacted to read: 
31-11-,,-
Health Care 
.c&IDIl1i.§.~.i_QJl, 
to Certify 
and Recertif-y 
Comprehensive 
CommuI1Uy 
Health 
Coalitions 
~_~_p-Ems e s / 
Legislative 
Per Diem f..QL 
Legislators 
Sec. 2. 22 MRS A §§261 and 262 are enacted to read: 
§261. 
Commission to Certify and Recertify Comprehensive Community 
Health Coalitions 
The 
Commission 
to 
CertifY----Jilld 
Recertify 
CQmprehensive 
Community Health CoalitiQns, 
established in Title 
5, 
section 
12004-1 and referred to in this section as "the commission," is 
established 
to 
ensure 
that 
comprehensive 
community 
health 
coalitions have expectations of high perfQrmance 
and positive 
Qutcomes in Qrder for the coalition infrastructure tQ perfQrm its 
public health functions. 
1. Duties. 
The commission shall: 
A. 
Certify and recertify cQmprehensive 
community health 
coalitions; and 
B. 
Assess and monitor the role of comprehensive community 
health coalitiQns in furthering the objectives of the State 
Health Plan adopted pursuant to Title 2, section 103 and 
other statewide planning initiatives and ensure community 
input in state health PQlicy and prQgram planning. 
2. 
~hip. The cQmmission consists Qf the fQllowing 
rutmbers, and each member serves until the applicable apPQinting 
authority appoints a replacement: 
A. 
The following 6 core members: 
(1) One member of the Senate appointed by the President 
of the Senatej 
(2) 
One 
member 
of 
the 
House 
Qf 
Representatives 
appointed by the Speaker of the House: 
(3) 
One member of the Governor's staff appointed by 
the GQvernorj 
Page l-LROI73(1) 
• 
• 
• 
(4) 
One 
representative 
of 
a 
statewide 
council 
of 
governments appointed by the Governor; 
(5) 
One member of the Department of Health and Human 
Services a-PPQinted by the Commissioner of Health and 
Human Services; and 
(6) 
One 
member 
of the Executive Department, 
State 
Planning Office appointed by the Director of the State 
Planning Office; and 
B. 
Eleven 
additional 
members 
nominated by 
the 
core 
members appointed pursuant to paragraph A and appointed by 
the Governor including: 
(1) 
Two 
representatives 
of 
statewide 
associations 
representing diverse 
residents, 
including 
low-income 
persons, 
cQJl]!!j!ni ties for children, citizens organized 
to strengthen democracy, Indian tribes and churches; 
(2) 
Four 
representatives 
of 
statewide 
associations 
representing 
public 
health 
and 
community 
health, 
including public health professionals, substance abuse 
professionals, 
consumers 
of 
health 
care 
services, 
worksite 
wellness 
organizations, 
education 
programs 
offered 
as 
extensions 
to 
a 
public 
university, 
hospitals, dentists, 
a 
minority health organization, 
associations 
concerned with cancer, 
lung health and 
heart 
heal~~~sociations concerned with 
equal 
justice and economic policy; 
(3) 
One 
representative 
of quality-of-life 
sectors, 
including 
an 
association 
of 
municipalities, 
an 
association promoting smart growth and an association 
of nonprofit organizations; 
(4) 
One representative of businesses; and 
(5) 
Three persons representing youth, senior citizens, 
disabled persons and persons with low incomes. 
§262. 
Statewide system of comprehensive community health 
coalitions 
There is established a statewide system of the comprehensive 
communi ty heal th coali tions that serve all communities that are 
contributi.ll9:.-t~b~.rQtection and 
irnQr.9vement of health and 
!;Wality of liULJor all Maine 
resi~ in alignment with the 
goals and strategies of the State Health Plan adopted pursuant to 
Title 2, section 103. 
The dutie~f the system of comprehensive 
community health coalitions 
include 
performing public health 
functions at the community level and the following: 
1. 
Coa1iYon. 
MobiUzipg and maintaining a 
mul tisector 
coalition with representation from businesses, faith communities, 
local 
government, 
health 
providers, 
community 
organizations, 
citizens and age-specific groups: 
2. 
Public health functions. 
Providing locally appropriate 
public health functions: 
3. 
Assessment. 
Ensuring 
completion of 
a 
comprehensive 
community assessment: 
4. 
Action plan. 
De~QPing an action plan that aligns with 
needs identified by the community assessment and objectives of 
the various state plans, including the State Health Plan adopted 
pursuant to Title 2, section I: 
5. 
Coordination. 
Coordinating 
categorical 
funding 
and 
programs: 
6. 
Consultation. 
Consulting 
with 
service 
area 
municipalities 
to 
coordinate 
community-assessment-based 
plans 
with municipal comprehensive plans; 
7. 
Partnerships. 
Mobilizing and fostering partnerships to 
implement the community-assessment-based action plan: 
8. 
Indicators. 
Monitoring Quality-of-life indicators: 
9. 
Initiatives. 
Coordinating initiatives with community 
stakeholders: 
10. 
Life initiatives. 
citizens, 
organizations 
and 
initiatives: 
Informing, 
empowering and linking 
municipalities 
to Quality of life 
11. 
Communic~J&p b~~s. Providing communication bridges 
between local, regional and statewide initiatives; 
12. 
Resources. 
Providing 
resources 
for 
technical 
assistance to local organizations; 
13. 
Resource leverage. 
Leveraging local, state and federal 
resources, 
funding 
and 
volunteers 
for 
Quality-of-life 
and 
community health improvement; 
• 
• 
14. 
Collaborat~. 
Collaborating in evaluation efforts with 
local, state and federal initiatives: and 
15. 
Funding. 
Identifying $50,000 annually in operational 
funding for each comprehensive community health coalition. 
Sec. 
3. 
Appropriations 
and 
allocations. 
The 
following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
COMMISSION TO CERTIFY AND RECERTIFY 
COMPREBElfSIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH COALITIONS 
Commission to Certify and Recertify 
Comprehensive Community Health Coalitions 
Initiative: 
Provides 
funding 
for 
meetings 
and 
expenses 
and 
funding for community health coalitions. 
GENERAL FUND 
Personal Services 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2005-06 
$0 
$0 
2006-07 
$200,000 
$200,000 
Sec. 4. Effective date. 
This Act takes effect January 1, 2006. 
SUMMARY 
This bill proposes to establish the Commission to Certify 
and 
Recertify 
Comprehensive 
Community 
Health 
Coalitions, 
to 
establish a system of comprehensive community health coalitions 
and 
to 
appropriate 
$200,000 
in fiscal year 
2006-07 
for 
the 
Commission 
to 
Certify 
and 
Recertify 
Comprehensive 
Community 
Health Coalitions. 
The 
bill 
contains 
an effective date 
of 
January 1, 2006.