Introduction

The Upper Valley Public Health Network is managed by the Mascoma Valley Health Initiative (MVHI). MVHI is a grassroots, community-based initiative formed in September 2001 with the mission of maintaining and improving the health and well-being of Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton and Orange residents using the principles of public health. The overall goals of MVHI are to:

1. Promote and encourage healthy behaviors and mental health;
2. Assure the quality and accessibility of health services;
3. Prevent injuries;
4. Prevent epidemics and the spread of disease;
5. Protect against environmental hazards;
6. Respond to disasters and assist communities in recovery.

Service Area

The municipalities served by MVHI include - Canaan, Cornish, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton, Grantham, Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme, Orange, Orford, Piermont, and Plainfield. The total population served is approximately 42,000 people, with towns ranging from 300 to 13,000 residents.

Partners

MVHI is governed by a 12 member Board of Directors comprised of residents and community members in the region. The Board of Selectmen from the towns are asked to be a part of the MVHI Board of Directors and we currently have representation from 5 of the towns in the region. Other board members are elected by the MVHI membership and many have backgrounds in health care, education, town government or human services. In addition to the board members, key partners include school personnel, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, area primary care and mental health providers, and local health officers, police, fire, and emergency services personnel.

Priorities for Action

After completion of local public health assessment system capacity and community health needs assessments to assess community health needs and local public health system capacity, MVHI established as its initial priority work areas:

• Improving health education and health promotion activities including development of activities to improve youth fitness and nutrition;
• Improving access to oral health care;
• Improving access to affordable primary care and prescriptions;
• Development of a regional resource directory and participation in operations planning activities for public health emergencies;
• Enhancement of local training opportunities for health officers and other local public health workers; and
• Continued development of an effective partnership and broad constituency to address pressing public health issues.
• Preventing youth from initiating tobacco use, preventing exposure to secondhand smoke, and assisting tobacco users in quitting.
• Facilitating the Regional Coordinating Council for the Upper Valley All Health Hazards Region IV in public health emergency preparedness and response activities. Go to http://www.mvhi.org/AllHealthHazards/AHHR_Website.htm for more information.

MVHI was a pilot site for a youth suicide prevention initiative in association with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, has partnered with Alice Peck Day Hospital to provide dental services in area schools, and has brought a free clinic and prescription assistance programs into the community in association with Dartmouth. MVHI has served as a state funded Tobacco coalition since 2006. In addition, with support from the New Hampshire Endowment for Health, MVHI has completed a community assessment of transportation needs as they relate to health care access. Currently, MVHI is partnering with local organizations and stakeholders to begin addressing the transportation needs of the community. Finally, MVHI is working with the state of New Hampshire and other local and regional public health entities to begin the process of regionalizing public health within New Hampshire. MVHI has had representation on the regional financial assessment committee, and is a pilot site to complete a regional assessment, which will delineate those assets and needs related to public health within the region. Other activities have included a health fair and quarterly newsletter.

For additional information on MVHI including community health needs results, go to the website www.mvhi.org.