12/14/09　

When community leaders in and around Bemidji and Beltrami County, Minnesota, identified an increasing shortage of dental providers serving low income children and families, they worked to develop a community access dental clinic. Limited resources in this rural and economically-depressed part of the state made it impossible for any single entity to take on such a large project, so collaboration across multiple community sectors was pursued.

The outcome has been a resounding success—a clinic now open and serving 20-40 patients per day—and the broad-based community organizing that made it happen has elicited statewide interest. Success is directly linked to early project development support from Beltrami County Commissioners and its Health and Human Services Departments. Our ability to raise more than a million dollars to open the Northern Dental Access Center can also be credited to a structured and disciplined planning process rooted in best practices. With this, the county galvanized the frustration among health and human service providers, educators, employers and elected officials, and energized each other with a common vision.

The Public Health Departments of Big Stone, Douglas, Grant, McLeod, Meeker, Pipestone, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Stevens, Traverse and Yellow Medicine Counties have joined together to implement the Supporting Hands Nurse-Family Partnership. Conceived by Dr. David Olds in the 1970’s, the Nurse-Family Partnership is an evidence-based program that has shown a 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect by improving the health and life-course of low-income, first-time mothers and their children. Combining their efforts into a single initiative, the twelve counties created a Joint Powers Board to administer and govern this collaborative effort. A Steering Committee comprised of all Public Health Directors, meets monthly to assure continued program integrity and support. McLeod County provides fiscal management, and provides an insurance and benefit package for NFP employees, and issues payroll. Redwood County does billing of health plans, houses the clinical information system and provides central intake for data. Project staff are currently housed in Douglas, Meeker, Redwood, Renville and Stevens Counties. Recently, the Joint Powers Board also organized a nonprofit corporation to aid in fund raising efforts. Over 90 families have been served since 2008 with promising outcomes. This program is changing the trajectory of the lives of women and children.

A group of citizen leaders from around McLeod County are leading an effort to develop a greater awareness of community, collaboration and shared vision for the county. It is:

• A grassroots effort committed to creating active citizen leaders who will help build a stronger county community.
• A program that engages groups of citizens and existing leaders for multi sessions focused on strengthening their capacity to lead well.

Sponsoring forums for elected officials throughout the county, workshops on civic issues for county residents, and an intensive nine session cohort leadership program, the group is achieving its mission of Empowering McLeod County communities to build a better tomorrow through communication, education and networking.

AMC is a voluntary statewide organization that assists the state’s 87 counties in providing effective county governance to the people of Minnesota. It is the mission of the Association to assist in the provision of effective county governance for the people of Minnesota. The association works closely with the legislative and administrative branches of government in seeing that legislation and policies favorable to counties are enacted. In addition, the Association provides educational programs, training, research and communications for county officials.