Timeline and rollout
2021: The Minnesota Legislature appropriates $6 million annually to identify, test, and expand new ways of building capacity in foundational public health responsibilities. SCHSAC and the Joint Leadership Team establish the Minnesota Public Health Infrastructure Fund to support locally-led projects that improve, pilot, or strengthen approaches to building foundational capacity, and that can share implications and lessons for the entire state public health system.
2022: Locally-led innovation projects start to explore regional data models in Southeast Minnesota and Northwest Minnesota.
2023-2025: Evidence grows, showing local, regional, and statewide benefits of working together regionally to build public health data capacity. The Minnesota Infrastructure Fund continues to invest in and learn from innovation projects supporting regional data collaboration.
Summer 2025: SCHSAC amends recommendations for the Minnesota Infrastructure Fund, to dedicate up to $1.6 million annually for up to eight regional data models ($200,000 per region per year), on an ongoing basis.
Today: Local and state staff are planning together where, when, and how to roll out regional data models. This includes hosting discussions at regional LPHA meetings and SCHSAC meetings, and in other spaces.
Fall 2025: Local public health, along with support from state staff, engage in regional conversations assessing needs, interest, and facilitating planning conversations with partners.
October 2025: Join regional data model representatives from Southeast and Northwest Minnesota regions to hear about their journeys, and learn more about how the regional data models can build capacity statewide.
Early 2026: Regions begin to form and implement regional models.
Regions
Regional data model funding can support up to eight regions. Local public health jurisdictions will determine regional boundaries and participants.
Each region’s model and structure may look different, depending on region and participant needs.
While participation in regional data models is neither required nor mandatory, the goal is to provide statewide coverage through regional data models, to include every local public health jurisdiction that wants to participate.
Questions and assistance
For more information on regional data models in Minnesota, please contact:
Gabby Cahow
Data Modernization Planner
MDH Public Health Strategy and Partnership Division
gabby.cahow@state.mn.us
Kate Ebert
Minnesota Infrastructure Fund Grant Manager
MDH Center for Public Health Practice
kate.ebert@state.mn.us