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Building Healthy Communities Through Involvement
Public Health Regional Planning and Field Consulting
The Need
The public health system in New Hampshire has been fragmented and under-funded, and the individuals who provide local public health services are stretched thin. The Twin Rivers has a limited public health structure to address public health needs of residents and communities.
Actions
Several municipalities and CCNTR have entered into a contractual relationship that will provide consultation services to public health officers, town managers, and Boards of Selectmen. CCNTR has funded a Public Health Officer Consultant position in which an experienced, credentialed, public health professional is available to provide assistance to towns, as they address public health needs and issues. This will build collaborative working relationships among professionals, citizens, and between a group of towns. CCNTR is working with regional Public Health Officers in support of peer-to-peer education and training, to maximize public health capacity in the twelve towns of the region.
CCNTR engaged local police, safety/fire and town health officers, as well as, State health and safety departments to conduct an all hazards approach to emergency preparedness. Associated training for health and safety staff has also been conducted. Simulated disaster training has been and will continue to be coordinated and conducted by task teams of the community.
It is CCNTR‘s goal to help municipalities further develop this fledgling regional health entity, so that it can continue to develop the health and safety infrastructure of the twelve town region, share resources and capitalize on existing strengths.
Involvement
CCNTR has engaged the broadest public participation in projects that address public and community health. Collaboration between the private sector and local government, health officers, police, fire, or emergency medical services, as well as healthcare, social service and state departments make it feasible to address broad issues of public health. This effort is funded by theHealth Alert Network of the Center for Disease Control, WK Kellog Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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