The Winnipesaukee Public Health Council is a collaborative of organizations working to enhance and improve community health and public health-related services throughout the region. The Winnipesaukee Public Health Council is hosted by the Partnership for Public Health, located in Laconia.
The Winnipesaukee Public Health Council is one of 13 regional public health councils in New Hampshire. Each Regional Public Health Council includes a host agency that convenes, coordinates, and facilitates a broad partnership of organizations and individuals who contribute to or have a stake in the health of their region. Each host agency provides leadership through a regional Public Health Advisory Council and provides a variety of services including Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Substance Misuse Prevention.
The Winnipesaukee Public Health Council is comprised of community leaders and representatives from a diverse group of community sectors, health care, public health, business, faith, government, education, social services, mental health, and citizen representatives. The primary work of the Council is to set regional health priorities, provide guidance to regional public health activities, and ensure coordination of health improvement efforts. More information about each of New Hampshire’s Public Health Councils and Networks please visit nhphn.org/who-we-are/public-health-networks/.
Community Health Improvement Plan
Community Health Needs Assessment
Winnipesaukee Public Health Region
The Winnipesaukee Public Health Region consists of the following cities and towns. Alton, Barnstead, Belmont, Center Harbor, Danbury, Franklin, Gilford, Gilmanton, Hill, Laconia, Meredith, New Hampton, Northfield, Sanbornton and Tilton. The town of Moultonborough accesses the Winnipesaukee region for emergency preparedness support.
Council Members
The Council includes the following sectors: health care, public health, social services, government, faith, first responders, education, behavioral health, developmental disabilities, business as well as community members.
Community Health Improvement Plan
| First Name | Last Name | Organization |
| Kirk | Beattie | Laconia Fire Department |
| Elaine | Cartier | Franklin VNA and Hospice |
| * Rich | Crocker | Elder Rights Coalition |
| Lisa | Dupuis | Central NH VNA & Hospice |
| David | Emberley | Central NH VNA & Hospice |
| Linda | Ferruolo | Lakes Region Community College |
| Mckenzie | Harrington-Bacote | Laconia School District |
| *Margaret | LaBrecque | NH Veteran’s Home |
| Michelle | Lennon | Tilton Resource Center |
| * Alida | Millham | Retired, Citizen Representative |
| Carolyn | Muller | LRGHealthcare |
| Lori | Nash | Central NH VNA & Hospice |
| Erin | Pettengill | Lakes Region Community Services |
| Daisy | Pierce | Navigating Recovery of the Lakes Region |
| Kathy | Randazzo | Genesis Behavioral Health |
| Rachel | Saliba | Tilton School, Northfield/Tilton Rotary |
| * Rick | Silverberg | Health First Family Care Center and CCNTR |
| * Susan | Smith | Community Member (Franklin) |
| * Scoop | Welch | Granite United Way |
| Jim | Wells | Community Member (Franklin) |
| Tiffany | Pena | Granite United Way |
| * Susan | Wnuk | Community Action Program for Merrimack-Belknap Counties |
The Community Health Improvement Plan, commonly referred to as the CHIP, builds upon the work of many passionate individuals working collectively to improve the health of our region. Our collective vision is to build a healthy, resilient, and vibrant community for every person, and every family. In preparing this Plan, the Council and its work-groups have reviewed needs assessments, utilizing data from many different sources such as community focus groups, key stakeholder interviews, and surveys. Building on this information, needs have been prioritized and work plans have been developed. This Community Health Improvement Plan identifies needs, goals, measurable objectives, and strategies to help us as we work together on solutions to important issues facing our community
Public health is the practice of preventing disease and promoting good health within groups of people– from small communities to entire countries. Public Health is YOUR health. It embodies everything from clean air to safe food and water, access to healthcare and safer communities.
Through public health planning and prevention initiatives, the public gets sick less frequently, children grow to become healthy adults through adequate resources including health care, and our community reduces the impact of disasters by preparing people for the effects of catastrophes such as hurricanes, floods and terrorist attacks.
We are all responsible for the health of our citizens. The importance of healthy living and safety in our homes and communities are values that we all share. We look forward to working with the entire community to better understand the health problems confronting our citizens and to implement strategies to respond to the public health needs of our community.
We invite you to read through the report, study the objectives and strategies, and consider how you can become involved. The Winnipesaukee Public Health Council thanks the individuals, agencies, state and local governments who participated in this endeavor without whom it would not be possible.
Community Health Improvement Plan Entire Plan Download
Community Health Improvement Plan Flyer Download
Public Health Priorities:
- Improve Access to Health Insurance and Consumer Navigation of the Health Care System -Reduce financial barriers to health care access by increasing health insurance coverage.
- Improve Access to Behavioral Health Services -Increase access to mental health and substance abuse treatment services in the Winnipesaukee Public Health Region
- Reduce Substance Misuse and Addiction through Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery* -Prevent and reduce substance misuse among youth and young adults with emphasis on misuse of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, prescription drugs and heroin.
- Prevent Suicide* -Reduce suicide incidence in the Winnipesaukee Public Health Region.
- Improve the Health and Well Being of Older Adults and Their Caregivers* -Prevent older adult injury, disability and death due to falls. Support Aging in Place.
- Prevent Childhood Obesity: Through Healthy Eating and Active Living* -Promote healthy eating and active living at an early age to reduce the lifelong burden of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.
- Increase Public Health Emergency Preparedness* -Increase regional capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from public health emergencies.
- Improve Health through Increased Financial Stability of Individuals and Families -Improve community health by reducing the number of individuals and families experiencing poverty in Belknap County by 20% by 2020.
*Aligns with NH State
Health Improvement Plan Priorities 1/13/16
Workgroup Contacts:
Access to Healthcare Workgroup: Marge Kerns mkerns@lrgh.org
Access to Behavioral Health Services Workgroup: Audrey Goudie agoudie@pphnh.org
Partners in Community Wellness (Working to reduce the impact of substance misuse, suicide and other behavioral health concerns on individuals and families in the Winnipesaukee Region of New Hampshire.)Kelley Gaspakgaspa@pphnh.org
Aging and Disability Workgroup: Carissa Elphickcelphick@pphnh.org
Healthy Eating & Active Living Workgroup: Kate Bruchacovakbruchacova@pphnh.org
Emergency Preparedness Council: John Belandjbeland@pphnh.org
Financial Stability Partnership: Scoop Welchscoop.welch@graniteuw.org and Cary Gladstonecary.gladstone@graniteuw.org
By Telephone: (603)
528-2145
By Fax:
(603) 527-3790
By Mail:
Winnipesaukee
Public Health Council
c/o Partnership for Public Health
67 Water St, Suite 105
Laconia, NH 03246