Community Health Needs Assessment

Planning has begun for the 2019 Maine Shared Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA).  This collaboration between Maine CDC, Central Maine Healthcare, EMHS, MaineGeneral, MaineHealth, and numerous other organizations creates a triennial assessment of the health of Maine people.  

Indicators have been selected to describe health outcomes, health behaviors, healthcare access and quality, and the social, community, and physical environment that affects health.  Local committees are being formed to plan for community conversations about the data and health priorities later in 2018.  Contact Jo Morrissey, Project Manager, to get involved.

The 2016 Maine Share CHNA provided key information for hospitals’ community benefit programs across the state, as well as for the district public health improvement plans and the soon to be finalized State Health Improvement Plan.

Flu widespread in Maine

Influenza activity in Maine is widespread with laboratory confirmed influenza reported in all sixteen counties. Maine’s Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) has confirmed Influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3, and influenza B/Yamagata in Maine indicating most strains are circulating. Maine CDC has followed up on 33 outbreaks as of January 9. Flu vaccination is still strongly encouraged and is widely available, especially to protect people at risk of severe disease. The vaccine appears to be a good match to all strains this year, and it is not too late to get vaccinated.

Disease Surveillance and Reporting

For up-to-date information and recommendations on influenza for health professionals, go to http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals

For influenza surveillance information in Maine, go to www.maineflu.gov.

No Flu 4 You

Take these steps to prevent illness this flu season: 

•  Wash your hands
• Cover your cough
• Stay home when you’re sick
• Get vaccinated

Prevent to Protect: Prevent infections for baby’s protection

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month. This year's theme reminds women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant to get vaccinated, prevent insect bites, practice good hygiene, and talk to their health care providers to prevent infections that can increase the risk of birth defects or other health problems.

The Maine CDC Birth Defects Program (MBDP) uses a public health approach:

• to assess the full impact of birth defects on Maine children and their families
• to improve access to specialty services for families and locate resources for emotional and economic support, which includes referring the infant with a confirmed birth defect to the Department of Education Part C – Child Development Services (CDS) Program
• to monitor trends related to prevalence of selected birth defects in Maine, and
• to educate the provider community and the public on prevention strategies to decrease the incidence of birth defects in Maine. 

MBDP is currently collaborating with Maine CDC's Infectious Disease Program to identify babies and mothers exposed to the Zika virus.

By the numbers

61,000

More than 61,000 students from 300+ schools participated in the 2017 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS). The 2017 data are publicly available, including county-level data. All results can all be found on the MIYHS website. 

In this issue

• Community Health Needs Assessment
• Flu widespread in Maine
• Prevent to Protect: Prevent infections for baby’s protection
• News from the districts - Aroostook

News from the districts - Aroostook

In the fall of 2009, many schools were faced with the challenge of implementing school located vaccine clinics (SLVC) in response to the H1N1 epidemic. Providing this added level of care to students at a time when staff resources were stretched thin was certainly intimidating, but many schools answered the call to increase access to flu vaccine to as many Maine students as possible.  

In Aroostook District, some schools have continued the practice of offering vaccine in the school setting. One administrative unit operates SLVC independently and another collaborates with a community health partner. 

Deb Raymond, RN, Director of Health Services at MSAD #1 schools and her nursing staff have made a commitment to the practice. They have also served as mentors and a resource to others around the state as they navigate the process. Although the number of students who have received the vaccine has decreased somewhat over the years, Mrs. Raymond feels it is important to keep the mechanism of the clinics in place. The students and staff have become accustomed to the process and for many it is no longer a big deal. Students are supported and made to feel safe by their peer community and trusted adults.

 Conducting these clinics on an annual basis inspires a confidence that a clinic could be stood up in short order to respond to future public health emergencies.

Why immunize students at school?

• Because that is where kids are, at school. You go to where they are!
• If students are not vaccinated at school, many will not be vaccinated for influenza.
•  Attendance rates are higher for students (and staff) who are vaccinated. 

For more information:

• Stacy Boucher, Aroostook District Public Health Liaison 
  stacy.boucher@maine.gov 
• Ordering & Storing Vaccines – call the Maine Immunization Program at 287-3746
• ImmPact – call the ImmPact Help Desk 1-800-906-8754