The Maine Public Health Institute (MePHI) informs health and public health policy and system development through research, policy analysis, technical assistance, and workforce training. MePHI is committed to effectively integrating the science, tools, and practices of population health, public health, health policy, and healthcare management to improve access, population health outcomes, and healthcare cost efficiencies. 

close-up of someone working in a community garden
MePHI promotes and applies the shared values of public health and healthcare through our organizational home within the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine. Through the broad applied research portfolio and interdisciplinary teams of the Catherine Cutler Institute,  MePHI provides the organizational capacity and “backbone” support to mobilize collective expertise, leadership, and resources within existing organizations, networks, and communities to identify and undertake coordinated strategic initiatives to improve public health and health systems.
Contact Judy Tupper for more information about MePHI.

Mission: The MePHI seeks to improve the health and quality of life of Maine’s citizens by:

  • Promoting, convening, and supporting collaboration among community organizations, institutions of higher education, government agencies, and the business community to build Maine’s capacity and infrastructure for health improvement.
  • Advocating for effective health-related policies in all sectors to promote health, prevent and resolve health problems, and address unmet community health needs.
  • Serving as a resource for cutting-edge knowledge and evidence for public health and health care policy and practitioners.
  • Promoting and supporting evidence-informed interventions that engage the collective, coordinated expertise, resources, and action of organizations, citizens, and communities throughout the State to transform systems and improve health.
  • Promoting the development and retention of a highly skilled and diverse public health and health management workforce.

Values

  • We work to ensure that all Maine citizens live in a community where they have an equal opportunity for a life of optimal health.
  • We seek to empower, support, and collaborate with our partners.
  • We are committed to contributing new knowledge and promoting evidence-informed policies and strategies for improving health.
  • We work to ensure that health-promoting policies are considered by policymakers and practitioners in all sectors, such as social, education, environment, business, economics and government.
staff member analyzing data on a laptop

Skills and Expertise

  • Population-Based Programming:  identifying, prioritizing, and selecting interventions
  • Education, Training, and Technical Assistance:  designing curricula, providing both formal and informal training, delivering targeted technical assistance, online education and training
  • Health Policy Development, Implementation, and Evaluation: reviewing, analyzing, crafting, and evaluating policy at the organizational, local, and state level
  • Research and Evaluation: selecting appropriate study designs, conducting research and evaluation projects, assisting with grant applications, preparing data visualization, and translating research into practice
  • Health Data Systems and Analysis: managing large health care datasets, conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis, interpreting findings, and disseminating results
  • Convening and Partnering: engaging stakeholders, facilitating meetings, establishing partnerships, and working in a participatory capacity
a woman washing her hands at the kitchen sink

Core Issue Areas

  • Public Health and Healthcare Quality and Safety
  • Workforce Development, Training, and Worker Safety
  • Substance Use
  • Disability and Aging
  • Childcare Quality and Training
  • Interpersonal Violence
  • Behavioral Health
  • Rural Health
  • Child Welfare
  • Justice Policy
  • School Health
  • Environmental Protection and Environmental Health
  • Climate Change
  • Health Surveillance and Analytics