Governance Groups and Communities of Practice for Foundational Responsibilities

Foundational Public Health Responsibilities (FPHR) Community of Practice

Local public health leaders and practitioners meet online monthly to learn about, discuss, and resolve questions related to the elements of the FPHR framework, its organization, definitions and activities, incorporating FPHR into current work, and more.

Get involved: Foundational Public Health Responsibilities (FPHR) Community of Practice

CHA-CHIP Community of Practice

This group of local public health staff meets regularly online, to discuss issues around community health assessment (CHA) and community health improvement planning (CHIP).

Get involved: CHA-CHIP Community of Practice

Regional Data Practice Groups

These groups provide a forum where Tribal and local public health can share lessons learned, seek advice, and coordinate efforts related to data collection, analysis, dissemination, reporting, and evaluation. They also provide opportunities to exchange health data information, and pool resources to develop capacity among participants.

Get involved: Email the MDH Data Technical Assistance Team

MDH-LPH Communications Community of Practice

Communications leads and staff interested in communications from state, local, and Tribal public health meet every other month online, to discuss communications best practices. 

Get involved: MDH-LPH Communications Community of Practice

Health Equity / Community Partnerships Community of Practice

This local public health community of practice meets regularly to discuss health equity and community partnerships best practices. 

Get involved: Email Linda Kopecky and Kate Ebert, MDH Center for Public Health Practice

Health Equity / Community Partnerships Community of Practice

This local public health community of practice meets regularly to discuss health equity and community partnerships best practices. 

Get involved: Email Linda Kopecky and Kate Ebert, MDH Center for Public Health Practice

The following responsibilities do not have communities of practice at this time: 

Areas: 

• Access to and linkage to care
• Chronic disease and injury prevention
• Communicable disease control
• Environmental public health
• Maternal, child, and family health 

Capabilities: 

• Accountability and performance management
• Emergency preparedness and response
• Organizational competencies
• Policy development and support 

Joint Leadership Team for Public Health System Transformation

The Joint Leadership Team are the stewards of transforming the public health system in Minnesota, with representatives from the Local Public Health Association of Minnesota (LPHA), the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) including from the MDH Office of American Indian Health, and the State Community Health Services Advisory Committee (SCHSAC).

Learn more: Joint Leadership Team

SCHSAC Foundational Public Health Responsibilities (FPHR) Workgroup 

This group of local and state leaders and elected officials meets online monthly, to develop recommendations for minimum standards that the public health system can use to measure if and how foundational responsibilities are implemented at the local and state levels. This group was recommended to convene by the previous SCHSAC Foundational Funding Workgroup (2023-2024). The SCHSAC FPHR Workgroup will deliver its recommendations to SCHSAC in December 2025. 

Learn more: Standing and Active SCHSAC Workgroups (click on "Foundational Public Health Responsibilities Workgroup")

SCHSAC Local Public Health Data Modernization Workgroup

This group of local and state leaders and elected officials leads and coordinates local public health data system transformation as part of a whole governmental public health system approach to data modernization. The workgroup works in concert with other public health system transformation efforts and supports the advancement of a more aligned, transparent, and reciprocal governmental public health data partnership between local public health and MDH. 

Learn more: Standing and Active SCHSAC Workgroups (click on "Local Public Health Data Modernization Workgroup")

SCHSAC Performance Measurement Workgroup 

This workgroup of local and state leaders and elected officials meets online monthly, and leads efforts to measure and assess the performance of Minnesota’s governmental public health system and its capacity to carry out public health responsibilities. 

Learn more: Standing and Active SCHSAC Workgroups (click on "Performance Measurement Workgroup")

Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Oversight Group

This standing committee partners with MDH to guide strategic direction for public health emergency preparedness and response in Minnesota. 

Learn more: Standing and Active SCHSAC Workgroups (click on "PHEP Oversight Group")

Infectious Disease Continuous Improvement Board (IDCIB)

The IDCIB works to ensure an effective and efficient state-local partnership in the infectious disease area of public health responsibility. The group serves as a forum for regular communication, identification of issues, and joint problem-solving. 

Learn more: Standing and Active SCHSAC Workgroups (click on "IDCIB")

Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (EHCIB)

This group works broadly to monitor and advance state-local work in environmental health. 

Learn more: Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board

The following responsibilities do not have governance groups at this time:

Areas: 

• Access to and linkage to care
• Chronic disease and injury prevention
• Maternal, child, and family health 

Capabilities: 

• Assessment and surveillance
• Communications
• Community partnership development
• Equity
• Organizational competencies
• Policy development and support