Resolve, Regarding the Role of Local Regions in Maine's Emerging Public Health Infrastructure
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1812
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: CUMMINGS, BARSTOW, BLISS, BRAUTIGAM, CLARK, HANLEY, MARLEY, PLUMMER

Legislative Document 
No. 1812 
H.P. 1164 
House of Representatives, April 2, 2007 
Resolve, Regarding the Role of Local Regions in Maine's Emerging 
Public Health Infrastructure 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Speaker CUMMINGS of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator PERR Y of Penobscot and 
17/~ 
/J7.7I!dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BARSTOW of Gorham, BLISS of South Portland, BRAUTIGAM of 
Falmouth, CLARK of Millinocket. GERZOFSKY of Brunswick, HANLEY of Gardiner, 
MARLEY of Portland, PLUMMER of Windham. 
Emergency preamble. \Vhereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Public Health Work Group was established by the Governor's Office 
on Health Policy and Finance pursuant to recommendations contained in the 2006 State 
Health Plan for Maine; and 
Whereas, the Public Health Work Group has issued consensus recommendations for 
the establishment of a regional public health infrastructure, including Regional 
Coordinating Councils in 8 public health regions, both urban and rural. that will improve 
the public's health, and calls for cel1ain other functions to be carried out at the local, 
regional and state levels through a partnership of government and nongovernment 
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entities; and 
Whereas, the mechanisms for governance and many matters related to the 
functioning of the Regional Coordinating Councils have not yet been defined; and 
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Whereas, an effective regional public health system must incorporate meaningful 
roles for both the public and private sectors, including, but not limited to, county and 
municipal governments, hospitals, other providers of medical care and behavioral health 
services and schools, and ensure that those roles are coordinated, complementary and 
responsive to local needs and are linked appropriately to state agencies; and 
Whereas, Maine's local and county governments, through their elected officials, are 
uniquely positioned to provide coordination with and accountability to the citizens and 
taxpayers within their respective communities and regions and, combined with the 
existing public health capacity within Maine's municipal health depal1ments, together 
represent a source of considerable expertise; and 
Whereas, considerable progress on study and planning related to the establishment 
of the Regional Coordinating Councils has been made in some counties of the newly 
designated regions, notably Cumberland, Sagadahoc and Penobscot counties, and this 
expeliise will help guide and inform the Public Health Work Group as it fUliher develops 
guidance for the establishment, authority and governance of the Regional Coordinating 
Councils; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. 
Regional Coordinating Councils Subcommittee established. 
Resolved: That the Public Health Work Group created pursuant to the State Health 
Plan, referred to in this resolve as "the work group," shall establish the Regional 
Coordinating Councils Subcommittee, referred to in this resolve as "the subcommittee," 
and appoint the members of the subcommittee in compliance with the following. 
The subcommittee members must include representatives of the following entities or 
constituencies: the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Office of 
Substance Abuse within the Department of Health and Human Services, county 
commissioners, municipal elected officials, municipal health departments, local health 
officers, hospitals, public health organizations and associations, health care providers, 
emergency management officials, community social service agencies, voluntary health 
agencies, comprehensive community health coalitions, education and training institutions, 
school administrative units and the Governor's Office on Health Policy and Finance. 
Appointed members may represent multiple constituencies, but the subcommittee may 
have no fewer than 10 voting members. The entire membership of the subcommittee 
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must reflect all 8 public health regions. 
The subcommittee must be cochaired by 2 
members who are also members of the work group, one a representative of county or 
local government and the other a representative of a nongovernmental entity. Members 
must be appointed and the subcommittee must initially convene no later than May IS, 
IS 
2007 in accordance with procedures established by the work group. The subcommittee 
shall: 
I. 
Schedule and facilitate meetings in such a manner as to ensure broad regional 
pal1icipation, including holding meetings via teleconference: 
2. Agree by consensus upon appointment of a neutral facilitator; 
3. Conduct in-depth research and analysis on relevant governance models; 
4. 
Commence its work with consideration of the work group consensus 
recommendations on the Regional Coordinating Councils; and 
5. Develop recommendations for a general framework for the Regional Coordinating 
Councils in the 8 public health regions. both urban and rural. The recommendations must 
relate to at least the following aspects of the Regional Coordinating Councils: authority; 
financing: governance: relationship to the Maine Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention, other state agencies and local and county governments; scope of functions; 
and the roles, if any, of local and county elected officials and municipal health 
departments in the framework ultimately developed. With respect to the roles, if any, of 
local 
and 
county 
elected 
officials 
and 
municipal 
health 
departments, 
the 
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recommendations must address the following possible roles: convening or coconvening 
the Regional Coordinating Councils in concert with the Maine Center for Disease Control 
and Prevention and the comprehensive community health coalitions; gathering 
information about and providing input into the activities of the Regional Coordinating 
Councils within their respective regions; providing assistance in securing or leveraging 
funding to support the functions of the Regional Coordinating Councils; and appointing 
or coappointing members to serve on the Regional Coordinating Councils in a fair and 
equ itable manner; and be it further 
Sec. 2. 
Reports; authority to submit legislation. 
Resolved: 
That the 
subcommittee shall provide an interim report of its findings and recommendations no 
later than August 1, 2007 and a final report of its findings and recommendations no later 
than November 1, 2007 to the work group. The reports must include any draft legislation 
necessary to carry out the subcommittee's recommendations. 
The work group shall 
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provide the subcommittee's interim report, together with any vote of the work group on 
that repOlt, to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services and the Joint 
Standing Committee on State and Local Government by September I, 2007. 
The work 
group shaIl provide the subcommittee's final report, together with any vote of the work 
group on that report, to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services and 
the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government by December 1,2007. The 
Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services may submit legislation related 
to the Regional Coordinating Councils to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd 
Legislature; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Public Health Work Group composition. Resolved: That the voting 
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membership of the work group must be updated, at least 30 days prior to the first 
scheduled meeting of the subcommittee, to ensure that at minimum the following entities 
and constituencies are actively and equitably represented and participate regularly in the 
work group: the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Office of 
Substance Abuse within the Department of Health and Human Services, county 
commissioners, municipal elected officials or designees, municipal health departments, 
local health officers, community health centers, health care providers, hospitals, 
behavioral health provider organizations, public health associations and organizations, 
emergency management officials, community school service agencies, voluntary health 
agencies, comprehensive community health coalitions, education and training institutions, 
the Legislature, school administrative units, the Governor's Office on Health Policy and 
Finance and environmental health organizations. 
The membership of the work group 
must reflect all 8 public health regions. The work group shaIl seek to ensure broad 
regional participation in all meetings, including by holding meetings via teleconference. 
Meetings of the work group must be scheduled and facilitated to ensure representative 
participation. 
At any meeting at which the work group formally considers any draft or final 
recommendations of the subcommittee, at least 2/3 of the work group voting membership 
must be in attendance to vote on those recommendations. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited 
the preamble, this 
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legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Public Health Work Group to establish the Regional 
Coordinating Councils Subcommittee to develop recommendations for a general 
framework for Regional Coordinating Councils in the 8 public health regions. 
The 
Regional Coordinating Councils Subcommittee is directed to report to the Public Health 
Work Group, which is directed to transmit the subcommittee's reports to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Health and Human Services and the Joint Standing Committee on 
State and Local Government. 
The Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human 
Services is authorized to submit legislation regarding the Regional Coordinating Councils 
to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature. 
The resolve also requires 
changes to the membersh ip of the Public Health Work Group.