Maine health initiative adds new Web-based assessment tool

Maine Governor John Baldacci unveiled a Web-based tool yesterday designed to help residents of his state assess their level of health risk, based off a ten to fifteen question survey, and find affordable health care based on their location. The website is part of a larger wellness initiative, enacted last year by the Maine Legislature, meant to better connect community health resources and streamline grant applications for public health programs.

The campaign called Keep ME Well, located at KeepMeWell.org, gives individual the resources to better educate themselves on high-risk health conditions and preventable diseases, the governor said in launching the online tool.

“Free, voluntary and confidential, Keep ME Well will help Maine people be as healthy as they can be,” Gov. Baldacci said. “KeepMEWell.org is an important new tool that gives people information and resources so that they can gain more control over their lives and avoid those high and preventable costs that drive up premiums and fill our emergency departments.”

In addition to the survey, KeepMeWell.org provides links to free and low-cost health care providers based on their location.

In addition to Healthy Maine Partnerships and 2-1-1 Maine, the state has been working with local public health organizations to develop self-management programs such as exercise and healthy eating workshops. And at an administrative level, Gov. Baldacci has been working with top advisors and the legislature to streamline the grant application and contract requirements to create health-related partnerships.

“A statewide system of comprehensive community health coalitions now exists that maximizes resources and stretches critical funding to meet the benefit of all Mainers,” Gov. Baldacci said. “We’ve consolidated more than 100 grants and contracts that did not provide statewide coverage, to 28 statewide Healthy Maine Partnerships that does.”