Renee Speh opened the agenda with the following updates:

• School Health Coordinator subcontracts -- Subcontracts have been distributed to SADs in Dover-Foxcroft, Guilford, Milo and Greenville, providing stipends for designated SHCs in each district, and additional funds for other school staff to accomplish different pieces of the work plan. Dover-Foxcroft, Guilford and Milo schools have returned their signed contracts, while Greenville is still seeking a qualified candidate. Greg Bellemare, Piscataquis Community Middle School principal in Guilford and the SHC for SAD 4, reported eight days of in-service training are planned for five staff members in his district. SAD 4 has been working on a health curriculum for two years, so these grant funds fit in well with that ongoing effort.
• My Turn -- Students who attended initial training at Camp Kieve in November will meet again Feb. 24 at the Piscataquis YMCA, followed by a physical activity. There is also a regional My Turn meeting in Bangor on March 2.
• Gallup report -- Piscataquis County data was missing from the Maine youth tobacco survey, apparently because local schools failed to participate. It was also missing from the “Chronic and Cardiovascular Disease” section. Renee handed out summaries of relevant data for our region.
• Smoking cessation -- Will Hunter and Renée Speh will attend a conference in March on the latest smoking cessation issues and curriculum, and incorporate that information into our efforts. Renée briefed Mayo's medical staff in January, and physicians are very interested in this topic.
• Public health -- Susan Crippen discussed the 10 essential public health services in light of the recent grant received by North Country Healthy Communities to develop a local public health infrastructure. Members discussed potential models for a regional health system, and how the PPHC's tobacco grant program would fit into the big picture. It was agreed that a steering committee, including PPHC members, will look at specific ways to deliver public health services.

Old business:

• Conclusion of current DHS contract -- The PPHC's tobacco grant contract with DHS expires June 30, and Renée reviewed the timeline for grant renewal and how work plan objectives can be accomplished. She is looking to outsource certain tasks in order to meet completion deadlines.
• Grant applications -- The Americorps grant for additional program staff was not funded, but Renee may try again next year. She is working on another application for funds for teen substance abuse/tobacco prevention, and on a nutrition mini-grant with Cooperative Extension.
• Move & Improve -- Renee is a cite coordinator for the Move & Improve program and can help implement this at work sites.
• PPHC membership -- Members discussed relationship of Executive Committee, with representatives from specifically described constituencies, to the Council at large. Tom Lizotte suggested drawing up formal by-laws that would establish the Executive Committee of 9-11 members as a steering group that would meet monthly. The Council would then have a broader membership that would meet quarterly, with each quarterly meeting tied to an event or guest speaker relating to tobacco use, exercise or nutrition issues. Renée will work on draft by-laws.

Maine Coalition on Smoking OR Health
PPHC members heard from Kiely Foley of the Coalition, who noted that a 4% cut in the Fund for a Healthy Maine is proposed for next year. Overall, Fund for a Healthy Maine programs financed from tobacco settlement funds took a 26% hit last year, so funds available for future programs have been greatly diminished. Kiely said the HHS committee is waiting for budget reprojections before making any recommendation to Appropriations on FHM cuts. If budget reprojections show more money is available, then top priorities for that "new" money are Medicaid, tax reform and the Rainy Day Fund. The Coalition is working to place the Fund for a Healthy Maine on the reprojection priority list.

The Coalition also favors increasing the cigarette excise tax, and wants any funds generated to go to health programs and improving access to health care.

PPHC members discussed legislative advocacy methods to support those goals.

Meeting adjourned. Minutes submitted by Tom Lizotte

Next meeting:
Thursday, March 21, 10-11:30 a.m. at new conference room in Mayo Resource Center.