Georgine Butman, advisor for the Greenville MOOSE youth group, reported on attendance at the Peer Leadership Institute held Nov. 30-Dec. 1 in S. Portland. Eight students and three adults from Greenville were among 480 at the two days of workshops. Butman also reported on the group's ongoing activities in the Moosehead region.

Robin Mayo provided an update on the No Butts! retailer program, which teaches store employees how to target underage cigarette buyers. Robin has been undertaking compliance checks with stores that have previously received training, and is also enrolling new stores in Milo, Sebec and Greenville. A total of 19 retailers have either joined the program for the first time or have had compliance checks done. Robin also reported the following sites have been designated as Tobacco Free Areas with written policies or town resolutions and have appropriate signage posted: Kiwanis Park and YMCA, and Pleasant River Lumber, all in Dover-Foxcroft; and Harris Field in Milo.

Robin also reported on the PPHC's efforts to encourage worksite wellness initiatives in the region. We have connected with a potential 150 area businesses through the Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce, providing mailings on health topics. We have offered flu shots, tobacco cessation classes and have plans to over educational programs on Heart Disease in February and Asthma in May.

PPHC is also involved with the Heart Safe Community initiative, and has engaged with Mayo EMS and the Heartwise program in the early stages of striving for a Heart Safe Community designation. Through this initiative, communities strengthen early access to emergency care through recognition of warning signs/symptoms of heart attack or stroke; increase training for CPR; support defibrillation training and access to AEDs; and improve early advanced care with ACLS ambulance service staffed by paramedics.

Laurie Mahar of Mayo's Counseling program reported on information gained from her attendance at the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) conference. The ACE study reveals a powerful relationship between our emotional experiences as children and our physical and mental health as adults, as well as major causes of adult mortality in the U.S. There are many direct connections to the PPHC's work, including a documented relation between childhood sexual abuse and adult obesity. Indeed, many unhealthy lifestyle choices such as drug/alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, overeating are adult coping mechanisms with short-term emotional benefits but long-term health risks for people reacting to adverse childhood experiences of abuse and household dysfunction. Mayo Counseling is focusing on the ACE study to provide early intervention/prevention, and build resilience among youth, and it helps that counselors are now available at primary care locations to improve ease of access. PPHC provided four scholarships to those attending the ACE conference; these included guidance counselors from MSAD #41, family practice provider, and respiratory therapist. Other individuals from the Penquis Region who attended included: staff from Union #60, Penquis CAP, and MRH Counseling Staff. There are plans to develop a task group of participants to identify ways this study can be put into practice within the Penquis region.

Robin reported the ongoing discussions of the Public Health Work Group, which is looking at reducing the 31 Healthy Maine Partnerships to 8 sub-state public health regions. As it now stands, Piscataquis would be joined with Penobscot County, with the City of Bangor Health and Welfare Department as the likely fiscal agent. The PPHC would thus join with the Bangor, Millinocket and Lincoln regions, as well as the River Coalition in Old Town. Robin said the new RFP could be ready by Jan. 1, or March, or the Bureau of Health could maintain the status quo for another year. It is expected the schools would be treated separately in the RFP, with funding coming from the Dept. of Education and perhaps requiring a 20% local match for school health coordinators. A special PPHC meeting will be called if more definite information is available.

The Office of Substance Abuse has provided a grant to Piscataquis and Penobscot counties to do local assessments at the county level and develop strategic plans for both. Penobscot gets $50,000 and Piscataquis $30,000 for the 6-month planning phase, ending June 30, 2007. A phase II grant may be available for plan implementation. Robin will meet with OSA the week of Dec. 11 to discuss details.

Greg Bellemare reported SAD 4 has completed drug impairment training for educators in order to enable teachers/administrators to evaluate the condition of students who might be drug-impaired at school. This was one of the interventions identified from the MSAD #4 Drug Task Force.

Next meeting: Wednesday, March 21, 1-3 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Tom Lizotte