Joint leadership team and subgroups
TRANSFORMING THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IN MINNESOTA
SCHSAC (State Community Health Services Advisory Committee), LPHA (Local Public Health Association of Minnesota), and MDH have formed a joint leadership team to guide together the work of transforming the state's public health system, determining what it looks like when a system is equitable and has adequate resources.
We envision a public health system in Minnesota in which state, local, tribal, and community health agencies work together as a system, sharing access to information, and making timely strategic decisions through shared power. Together, the Minnesota public health system prevents disease, protects well-being, and improves the health of all residents regardless of where they live.
We strengthen the state and local public health system so that it:
Builds cross-sector and community partnerships
- Developing solutions in collaborative relationship with community partners and those with varied lived experiences
- Engaging and partnering across sectors, and empowering communities in prevention, emergency response, and sustaining health
- Anticipating and adapting to changing needs of the community's populations
Advances health equity
- Supporting policies that confront the root causes of health inequities
- Operating with health equity as its core principle
Operates inclusively and sustainably
- Supporting policies and resources that enable recruitment, training, and retention of a diverse, strong, inclusive workforce that is representative of the communities served
- Establishing foundational public health capacities across the state
- Practicing both accountability and flexibility
- Leveraging stable and sufficient funding for state and local public health infrastructure that results in, alignment with community priorities
Leverages data
- Using timely, secure, interoperable data and technology systems to drive health improvement and policy
The joint leadership team meets twice per month, and conducts its work in a collaborative, co-created model. What does this mean?
- The core leadership team is facilitated independently (e.g., not facilitated by someone from the organizations listed above).
- All leadership team members develop meeting agendas together in consultation with the independent facilitators.
- The joint leadership team makes decisions collaboratively/by consensus.
This work of system transformation is not led by one single organization.
The team is responsible for:
- Defining and championing a new vision for Minnesota's public health system
- Developing a roadmap to create the public health system we need, and providing the leadership and oversight necessary to implement the roadmap
- Developing recommendations for its organizations, governmental public health leaders, and policymakers
- Engaging leaders, subject matter experts, consultants, and others to explore issues, provide insight, and inform recommendations
- Strategically engaging partners and allies
Local Public Health Association (LPHA)
- Sarah Grosshuesch (Wright), 2022 Chair
- Nick Kelley (Bloomington), Chair-Elect
- Kari Oldfield, Director
- Maggie Rothstein (Aitkin, Itasca, Koochiching), 2023 Chair
- More information: LPHA
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
- Brooke Cunningham, Commissioner of Health
- Chelsie Huntley, Director, Community Health Division
- Kim Milbrath, Section Manager, Center for Public Health Practice
- Maria Sarabia, Assistant Commissioner, Health Improvement Bureau
- Halkeno Tura, Assistant Commissioner, Health Equity Bureau
- More information: About MDH
State Community Health Services Advisory Committee (SCHSAC)
- Tarryl Clark (Stearns), Chair
- Sheila Kiscaden (Olmsted), Past Chair
- De Malterer (Le Sueur-Waseca), Chair-Elect
- More information: SCHSAC
The following subgroups have been commissioned by the joint leadership team to focus on specific tasks:
Cost and capacity assessment subgroup
- Jason Orr, University of Minnesota
- JP Leider, University of Minnesota
- Annie Sieger, UMN consulting team
- Chelsie Huntley, MDH
- Kari Oldfield-Tabbert, LPHA
- Jim McDonough, SCHSAC
- Joshua Bunker, MDH
- Kristin Sweet, MDH
- Tom Hogan, MDH
- Marlee Marrison, LPHA
- Nicole Ruhoff, LPHA
- Amy Westbrook, LPHA
- Susan Palchick, LPHA
- Ann Stehn, LPHA
- Joanne Erspamer, LPHA
- Pam Kellogg, LPHA
- Sara Benson, LPHA
System assessment subgroup
- Richard Scott, LPHA
- Jody Lien, LPHA
- Tim Sumner, SCHSAC
- Janelle Lambert, MDH
- Tarryl Clark, SCHSAC
- Halkeno Tura, MDH
- Ann Zukoski, MDH
- Kari Oldfield-Tabbert, LPHA
- Michaela Samoudi, HEAL Chair, MDH
- Anne Barry, community
- Mary Wellik, community
Communications subgroup
- Nicole Brown, MDH
- Jenna Carter, SCHSAC
- Kristin Erickson, MDH
- Allie Hawley March, MDH
- Julie Kadrie, MDH
- Kim Milbrath, MDH
- Jenna Olson, LPHA
- Mandy Meisner, SCHSAC
- Allison Thrash, LPHA
- Scott Wasserman, LPHA
- Noya Woodrich, MDH
Based on the collaborative nature of this work, please direct any questions or feedback to one of the following. If you are from:
- Local public health staff and leadership: Please contact your LPHA representatives currently serving on the joint leadership team. You can find them listed above under "Members."
- MDH staff and leadership: Please contact the MDH staff currently serving on the joint leadership team. You can find them listed above under "Members."
- SCHSAC members and alternates: Please contact the SCHSAC representatives currently serving on the joint leadership team. You can find them listed above under "Members."
- General questions: Please contact the MDH Center for Public Health Practice at health.ophp@state.mn.us.