MaineToday Media newspapers cover release of statewide assessment of health care needs

The , Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel on April 24, 2011 published a story on a Statewide Community Health Needs Assessment that was conducted by the the Â鶹´«Ã½ Center for Community and Public Health, under contract with OneMaine Health, a collaboration between Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, MaineGeneral Health and MaineHealth.

The story reports that "health experts say the study answers questions such as where to focus resources on anti-drug programs for youth. However, they also say it also raises many other questions, such as why cancer is more prevelant in northern and eastern Maine."

"Having these numbers in front of people and communities can really help galvanize opinion and action," said Deborah Deatrick, vice president of community health for MaineHealth, which operates Maine Medical Center and other hospitals in southern and coastal Maine.

The Muskie School and Market Decisions, Inc. helped complete the report.

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The Â鶹´«Ã½ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.