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Sponsor seeks extension of commission to finish recommendations on regional public-health networks
Summary
Senate Bill 251 would reestablish a commission studying New Hampshire's 13 regional public-health networks so the group can complete recommendations after DHHS provided a contractor study near the commission's statutory sunset.
Senator Sue Prentiss asked the House committee to reestablish a commission studying the delivery of public health through New Hampshire's 13 regional public-health networks. She said the commission produced an interim report but needs additional time to evaluate a DHHS-contracted study that arrived months before the commission's statutory sunset.
Prentiss described the networks as partnerships of hospitals, EMS, visiting-nurse associations and other local stakeholders that perform immunization clinics, emergency public-health preparedness, community health assessments and other functions where full local public-health departments are not present. She told the committee the commission had met repeatedly and gathered broad input but had not completed final recommendations because the department's contractor report required review.
Abby Rogers, legislative liaison for DHHS's Division of Public Health Services, said the department supports continuing the commission's work and noted the networks' roles in immunization, substance-misuse prevention and emergency dispensation planning. Prentiss said the commission membership and the department agree to continue the work and that the group has already established contacts and a framework for recommendations.
No committee action or vote was recorded at the hearing; Prentiss said the commission would deliver final recommendations if reauthorized.
