MDI TOMORROW
Community Health Workgroup
Minutes ñ June 13, 2002 ñ Swan Building Conf. Rm, Bar
Harbor, 3:30-5pm
Attending: Don Straus, Barbara Peppey,
Michael Anderson, Doug Michael
We
identified a need to attend to process (maybe even more than content), as we
discussed the need to Mobilize community around whatever agenda we set
forth--How will our efforts be sustained beyond this planning piece? We
need to get buy-in from community and the concomitant energy that might flow
from it. We do seem to be in a bit of an identity crisis and want to know
our efforts will realize something--also talked about the desire to do a few
things well, rather than many not well. The big questions left for me is
how is what we are doing (suppose to be) tied into the larger MDI tomorrow
effort and what, if anything might we hope to do on our own--we seem to be
functioning differently from some of the other committees who are making things
happen as they go--which is ok. Upon reflection I think we aught to
"assign" some among us to the other committees to carry the community
health agenda--and we didn't seem to decide that clearly at the last
meeting--can that idea go on the agenda?
-Barbara
The meeting began with some discussion of ìWHAT NEXT?î
for this working group.
q At the
last meeting, we decided to see what we learned from the large group panel
discussions about how the other issue groups interrelate with issues of
Community Health
q A proposal
was made that we might be most effective working together with the other committees
integrating the community health issues with transportation, economic
prosperity, Affordable Housing and land Use/Community Design, rather than
working separately in isolation.Ý
q A combined
meeting of the Land Use and Affordable Housing groups is taking place June 20,
Barbara and Michael agreed to attend, Doug will try to as well.
How might we engage the broader community in discussion of
the community health issues?
q Besides
integrating with the other committees, possibly via the MDI Tomorrow survey
which may or may not have funding.
q Through an
island wide conference which will take place in the fall
q We would
like some clarification from the steering committee on this question, to gain a
better sense of the process we as a sub-committee need to be responsible for.
ìWhat is our chargeî.
q Some
disinterest was expressed in spending time drafting survey questions unless we
are likely to have a survey funded.
q Don
described a unique community engagement process he has been involved in
utilizing technology to rapidly integrate and synthesize participant
input.Ý More on this is available at www.americaspeaks.org
q
A process which gathers the views of large numbers of
citizens and not just the few coming to a committee meeting
q
A re-framing of ìHealthî to reflect a broader view of health
not limited to Healthcare or treatment of illness
q
Addressing of social and cultural norms where by the choices
people make ñ personally and collectively ñ support living healthy and living
well.
q
A wellness model where allopathic (disease oriented) care is
not the overwhelming component.
What are our next steps?
q Barbara
& Michael will attend the Housing/Land Use meeting on June 20
q Doug will
get clarification from steering committee on what is our subcommittee ìchargeî
q Doug will
review the progress to date and send an email to the committee members with
suggestions for next steps and possible meeting dates.