VtPHA News..

Vermont is the 50th State to Form Health Association

After about three years of work, the state of Vermont has officially formed a public health association, losing its singular status as the only state in the nation without such an organization.

"It just took a small group of people to persevere and keep the ball rolling," said Bob Costantino, MPH, president of the newly formed Vermont Public Health Association, the creation of which means that every state in the nation now has a public health association.

According to Costantino, who is an APHA member, VtPHA began its initial formation in the spring of 1999 after APHA "was very helpful" in getting him a list of members living in Vermont. That first meeting of people interested in forming an association only attracted about six to eight people. Then, in September of 2000, a larger meeting was organized. Attendees at that meeting included members of APHA's staff and members of the New England Public Health Association from Rhode Island and Connecticut. That meeting attracted about 30 people.

"That's when we knew we really had the numbers to get it going," said Costantino, who is the director of Vermont state affairs at the Bi-State Primary Care Association, an organization that works toward 100 percent access to health care services.

The Vermont association, although not yet an APHA Affiliate, became official in April 2002, and a nine-member board of directors, many of whom are APHA members, has already been formed. VtPHA also used the Rhode Island Public Health Association as a blueprint when writing its own by-laws, as the Rhode Island association was the last state public health association prior to Vermont to organize in the interest of public health.

Barbara Fernandez, MPH, a member of the VtPHA board and a senior research manager at Opinion Research Company Macro International, got involved with the development of VtPHA about two years ago. Fernandez is also a member of APHA.

"I think it's important that there's a combined voice to look after the interests of public health for the state," she said. "It's important for APHA that there's a voice for Vermont."

The Vermont association's main focus is to begin building a membership base and raising funds to support the group's agenda as well as to form committees. More than 100 people have expressed an interest in becoming members during the past few years, Costantino said. The association is also planning to apply to the Internal Revenue Service to become a non-profit, or 501(c)3, organization.

Costantino said VtPHA has already reserved a Web address at , and a board member will be working to develop the site. VtPHA is also discussing becoming an APHA Affiliate. In addition, Costantino said, VtPHA plans to organize a public meeting to determine the kind of issues that are of concern to Vermont residents. The association also will be exploring funding sources.

"Our intention is to get some members and then talk about becoming an Affiliate," he said. "Our issues won't come until we get a broader base of membership."

A membership drive was slated to begin after the board's May 14th meeting. Pushing the committees forward with legislative and public policy issues and developing educational programs for public health officials and residents are a high priority, according to Costantino. Among the issues Costantino predicts VtPHA will be focusing on are tobacco use, environmental health issues and universal health care throughout the state.

"There's been no one organization in Vermont that has taken the broad scope of public health issues and examined them," said Costantino, who, along with some fellow board members, will be attending the upcoming APHA 130th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.

"It's sort of like our 'coming-out' meeting," he said.

Charon Goldwyn, a VtPHA board member and regional director of the American Cancer Society, said her organization is "thrilled [VtPHA] has finally arrived."

"A lot of hard work and a lot of passionate and dedicated people came together to make sure there would be an association right here in Vermont," she said.

Kim Krisberg
Reprinted with permission from The Nation's Health, APHA

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