POLICY & ADVOCACY

MPHA Legislative Priority Areas (not prioritized in any order):
• Fund for a Healthy Maine
• Environmental Issues
• Health Care Access
• Obesity
• Tobacco
• Public Health Infrastructure

MPHA Position Statement
The MPHA is a professional organization that was organized in 1984 and has 290 members statewide. We are also affiliated with the American Public Health Association which was established in 1872.

While we acknowledge the critical role that medical care plays in maintaining and restoring the health of individuals, our organization promotes those initiatives, policies and laws that are proven to improve the health of populations. We support initiatives that protect health, promote health, and assure access to health services. We also strongly advocate for those activities that will prevent disease or detect it early. Examples of the kind of public health efforts we support are laws and policies that promote immunization, protect drinking water, require the use of seat belts, ban indoor smoking and that expand access to health care services. Our policy support is based on demonstrated evidence of effectiveness.