Public health director briefs committee; members approve two letters of interest for local services funding

Jane Gunderman, Bangor public health director, updated the Government Operations Committee on Wednesday about recent statewide and local public-health work, and the committee approved two letters of interest seeking outside funding for programs addressing primary-care access and HIV case management.

Gunderman told the committee that the Maine Continuum of Care has recently restructured to a more traditional nonprofit governance model, and that a statewide working group convened under LD 1364 is drafting guidance on so-called harm reduction health centers. “The report at the end of this…is not to say Maine should have overdose, harm reduction health centers, but to say, here are the things that Maine should consider,” Gunderman said.

The work group has reviewed legal and operational models in other states and will deliver a report to the Legislature in about a month, Gunderman said. She also said local public-health partners have…