Downeast - District 7

• On this page:
• Downeast Public Health Council
• Steering Committee
• District Committees
• Meetings & Events
• Publications

Maine’s eight geographic Public Health Districts work to improve public health in the state and are made up of one or more counties. In 2011, in collaboration with the five Maine Tribal jurisdictions, a Tribal Health District was established with boundaries determined by Tribal Health Center service areas and tribal jurisdictional boundaries.

At A Glance

• Downeast Public Health District – District 7 – covers Hancock and Washington counties
• Downeast district population: 86,574 people, 15.4 individuals per square mile (2020 Census)
• Hancock County: 55,478 people, 24.0 per square mile
• Washington County: 31,096 people, 9.5 per square mile
• 2 county governments: Hancock and Washington Counties
• 83 municipalities (incorporated local governments)
• Unorganized Townships: 16 in Hancock and 36 in Washington
• Over fifty island communities across both counties
• Tribal Nation: Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine (at Indian Township and at Pleasant Point)

Downeast District Public Health Unit

The Downeast District Public Health Unit is located at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office at 38 Prescott Drive in Machias; with additional unit offices at 17 Eastward Lane in Ellsworth and 338 North Street in Calais.                   

Maine CDC 24-hour reporting: To report an infectious disease, public health emergency consultation, or health inspection complaint, please email disease.reporting@maine.gov or call 1-800-821-5821.

Maine Health Care Coalition--Downeast Chapter

The Health Care Coalition of Maine focuses on readiness and resilience in collaboration with all health care entities required to meet CMS Emergency Preparedness Requirements. Maine CDC receives funding from the federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) and delivers services through the eight geographic public health districts. The program supports healthcare organizations with emergency planning and coordination, training for healthcare and response staff, access to medical equipment and supplies, and reliable communication systems and real-time information.. The Downeast Chapter supports healthcare organizations in Hancock and Washington Counties.

Member Organizations and Representatives 2026

2026 Meetings:  January 13, April 14, July 14, and October 13.

Next Meeting:  Tuesday, April 14, 2026: (1:00-3:00 pm) Unhealthy Air Quality Tabletop Exercise at Eagle Hill Institute, Steuben

Downeast Chapter Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Work Plan

• District Chapter Chair:  Danielle Day at danielle.day@mdihospital.org
• District Secretary/Coordinator: Kawther Mohamed at kawther.mohamed@maine.gov

Downeast Public Health Council (DEPHC)

The Downeast Public Health Council is a representative, district-wide body formed in partnership with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) to engage in collaborative planning and decision-making for the delivery of the ten Essential Public Health Services in the Downeast Public Health District. The Downeast Public Health District serves the people in Hancock and Washington Counties.

Vision

Downeast Maine communities are among the healthiest in the state.

Mission

Promote the health of all our communities by providing public health information, coordination, collaboration, and advocacy.

The Downeast Public Health Council mobilizes working partnerships to coordinate efforts and resources within the District to produce results that no one community, organization, or sector could achieve effectively or efficiently alone.

District Public Health Planning

Starting in 2009, the Downeast Public Health Council created a District Public Health Improvement Plan (DPHIP), which was a three-year plan that aligned with the Maine Shared Community Health Needs Assessment (Maine Shared CHNA) process.  The plan was created through a collaborative process to review county and district health data, identify key health indicators, and prioritize key disease and /or categorical health topics to create a multi-year plan of objectives, strategies, and outcomes for district action. The DPHIP also was established to inform and align with partner work as well as informing the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP).

Our last District Public Health Improvement Plan was for the years 2017 – 2019. In 2020, we planned to assess how the public health system was working in the district, using the Local Public Health System Assessment (LPHSA) process. This assessment was delayed due to the COVID-19  response, but was completed in all districts in 2022. 

District Public Health Infrastructure Improvement Plan (2024, 2025-2030)

      Priority Areas

• Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, dementia)
• Older Adult Health and Safety
• Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement

• Emergency Preparedness: Planning for Operations, Response, and Resiliency

  Functional Capabilities

• Health Literacy
• Building Personal and Community Resiliency

District Public Health Improvement Plan (2017-2019)

• Build better cardiovascular health (improved nutrition and physical activity)
• Improve mental health awareness focused on early childhood ages
• Prevent drug and alcohol use
• Build awareness for prevention of cancer

Executive Committee (2026)

Active council members are nominated and then elected annually to serve on the Council's Executive Committee. The Executive Committee guides and facilitates the Council's work, sets goals for the year, discusses strategic planning, and adopts council meeting agendas and logistics.

• Angela Fochesato – Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center (Chair)
• Helen Burlock – Maine Hospice Council
• Maria Donahue – Healthy Acadia (SCC Representative)
• Michael Farrell – Saint Croix Regional Family Health Center
• Andrew Sankey – Hancock County Emergency Management Agency

Staff

• Kawther Mohamed, Maine CDC Downeast District Public Health Educator
• Alfred May, Maine CDC Downeast District Public Health Liaison

District Committees

Formed from the review of pertinent county, district, and state data, and the development of infrastructure priorities that try to align with state priorities. 

Types of data sources include the Maine Shared Community Health Needs Assessment County Profiles, the Local Public Health System Assessment, the County Health Rankings, and other social and economic type sources. 

In 2020-2021, the council formed committees based on infrastructure needs in the areas of Palliative Care and Hospice, Healthy Aging, Cancer, Health Literacy, and Emergency Preparedness. 

In 2024, and for the 2025-2030 Plan, we formed committees in the areas of 

• Primary and Secondary Chronic Disease Prevention (cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, dementia).
• Older Adult Health and Safety (assessment, home care, palliative and hospice care).
• Mental Health  (system and infrastructure improvements).
• Emergency Preparedness (creating pertinent trainings and exercises that support CMS Emergency Management Requirements and align with Health Care Coalition and Medical Reserve Unit Plans).

Get Involved

The Downeast Public Health Council is one of nine (eight geographic and one Tribal) District Coordinating Councils for Public Health in Maine. 

The Council's responsibilities include:

• Identifying district public health issues and priorities using an assessment process.
• Coordinating and assuring public health services in our communities.
• Addressing health disparities in our district.
• Convening non-traditional public health partners.
• Advising on public health policy and allocation of funding.
• Preparing and maintaining the public health system for public health accreditation.

Downeast Annual Report

• 2024 Annual Report
• 2025 Annual Report

Members

Downeast Public Health Council is composed of member organizations representing public health sectors described in the Council's bylaws as well as in state statute. 

Please join us for a Council meeting to learn more about the work we do in Downeast.

Here is the current list of the Downeast Public Health Council Members: 2026 Council Members.

Resources

• Downeast Public Health Council Facebook
• Hancock County Emergency Management Agency
• Washington County Emergency Management Agency

Contact

Angela Fochesato
District Council Chair
207-664-0339
angela@bethwrightcancercenter.org 

Alfred May
District Liaison
207-255-2017
alfred.may@maine.gov

Meetings & Events

Downeast Public Health Council Meetings for 2026 : January 16, March 20, May 15, July 17, September 18, and November 20.

In Person meetings are planned for Eagle Hill Institute in Steuben.

Please contact District Liaison Alfred May alfred.may@maine.gov for more information.