POLICY & ADVOCACY

Policy News, Updates and Action Alerts
Click any of the LD titles below to download public testimony that MPHA provided regarding that bill.

October 8, 2010

Dear MPHA and HPP Partners and Advocates,

I am excited to announce to you today the significant and advantageous transformation of the Maine Public Health Association.

As many of you are aware, over a year ago the Maine Public Health Association convened the Executive Committees of both MPHA and Health Policy Partners of Maine to examine the benefits of merging coalitions in an effort to improve financial and operational sustainability. Given the economic climate and limited resources to both coalitions, paired with a fundamental and shared mission and vision to improve the public health and decrease chronic disease in Maine, both boards agreed to move forward with plans to consolidate. We are thrilled to present this merger, which will provide the HPP membership with the necessary operational supports while expanding the MPHA membership benefits to include stronger advocacy networks and public policy activities.

On September 17th, members from both groups met to finalize plans to merge the two organizations. While there are several details left to solidify, beginning with a formal announcement at the Maine Public Health Association Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 5, 2010, Health Policy Partners of Maine and the Maine Public Health Association will become one entity, existing under the MPHA board with shared membership.

While this represents a major organizational adjustment, and changes are to be expected, our goal with this merger is to build on the cumulative successes of both organizations and not to lose any fidelity embodied by the hard work and history of either organization. Below is a list of merger highlights. Should you have further questions, please feel free to contact me following the MPHA Annual Meeting announcement.

• The Health Policy Partners of Maine (HPP) brand (including name and logo) will no longer be in use. Those formally affiliated with HPP will transition to Maine Public Health Association (MPHA) membership.

• Funding for the policy arm of MPHA will be derived from previous HPP funding sources, as well as public policy pledges (a campaign set to kick off on Oct. 5th), HMP donations and other fundraising activities currently being planned for FY 2011.

• The obesity policy committee and tobacco policy committee of HPP will merge with the MPHA policy committee to create one entity with an operating structure to be determined in the next few weeks.

• The policy committee of MPHA will continue to monitor and support legislation at the state and national level pertaining to broad public health initiatives.

• The current chairs of the obesity policy committee and the tobacco policy committee (currently Lori Kaley and Lee Gilman) will chair the post-merged MPHA policy committee, with support from Amy Olfene of the American Lung Association.

• The Friends of the Fund for a Healthy Maine will remain a separate entity and will not fall under the organizational umbrella of the Maine Public Health Association, though we will remain actively involved.

The primary purpose of this merger is to build capacity for policy advocacy and improve benefits to all existing and future members. Your membership and financial support is necessary to ensure we can build upon the impressive history of the Maine Public Health Association and the Health Policy Partners of Maine (including work under its former title, Maine Coalition on Smoking or Health). Without the financial support of our constituency and partners our efforts to sustain current effort levels will be greatly impaired. If you and/or your organization is not a current member (all memberships expired 9/30), please visit the Maine Public Health Association’s website to become a member and/or make additional policy donations to help us meet our $50,000 goal for 2011 so the newly formed MPHA policy committees can flourish into the next fiscal year.

I want to personally thank the MPHA and HPP Boards and the many partners who have been open-minded, flexible and forward-thinking in this process. I strongly believe that this decision will promote the public health of all Mainers and I am proud to be a part of organizations that are willing to make tough but necessary decisions for the benefit of all.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership and I look forward to serving you in the upcoming year!

Sincerely,
Tina Pettingill, MPH
Executive Director
mainepha@gmail.com or 207.730.1040