House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North
Reading) has appointed Representative Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury) to serve as
his designee on the special commission on local and regional public health. The commission was created through
legislation signed into law recently by Governor Charlie Baker.
As a member of the special commission, Representative Kane
will help assess the effectiveness and efficiency of municipal and regional
public health systems in Massachusetts.
The commission will file a report by July 31, 2017 containing recommendations
for strengthening the delivery of public health services and preventive
measures at the local and regional level.
“Representative Kane has done a tremendous job as a member
of the Joint Committee on Public Health, and I am confident she will bring a wealth
of information and insight to the special commission as it works to develop
ways to improve the delivery of public health services in Massachusetts,” said
Representative Jones.
Representative Kane is one of four state legislators serving
on the 25-member commission, which is being chaired by Public Health
Commissioner Monica Bharel. The
commission also includes a representative of the Massachusetts Municipal
Association and several members representing public health sector organizations
from around the state.
“I am honored and excited to serve on this commission as I
have a keen interest and some local insight given the Town of Shrewsbury’s
experience and success in a regionalized public health model partnership with
the City of Worcester and neighboring towns,” stated Representative Kane.
In carrying out its research, the commission will examine the capacity of local and regional public health authorities in comparison to national public health standards and recommendations, while also evaluating existing regional collaboration and various service delivery models. The commission will also look at existing municipal and state resources for local health; educational standards, credentialing and training issues for both the current and future public health workforce; and ways to strengthen the reporting, gathering and analysis of public health data.
Representative Kane represents the 11th Worcester District, which is comprised of the town of Shrewsbury and Precincts 4 and 5 in Westborough. In addition to the Joint Committee on Public Health, Representative Kane also currently serves as a member of the Joint Committee on Transportation, the House Committee on Personnel & Administration and the House Committee on Redistricting.
