Foundational Public Health Responsibilities and Framework

Transforming the public health system in Minnesota

On this page
At a glance: What are foundational responsibilities?
Framework of foundational public health responsibilities
What's considered "foundational" in Minnesota? (resources)
Adopting the national framework

Where you live should not determine your level of public health protection.

This framework outlines the foundational responsibilities of the governmental public health system. It defines what needs to be in place everywhere for Minnesota's public health system to work anywhere, as we work toward a more seamless, responsive, and publicly-supported public health system.

• It can help us explain the vital role of governmental public health in a thriving community. 
• It helps us identify capacity gaps, ask for support, evaluate progress, and justify resource and funding needs. 
• It also acknowledges that, in addition to a statewide foundation, health departments will provide additional services and may require more capacity in different areas to best serve their communities.

View a larger version of this framework at: PHAB: Foundational public health services.

• Foundational responsibilities: Governmental public health must carry out the foundational public health responsibilities, and the foundational responsibilities must be present in every community across the state to efficiently and effectively promote and protect the health of all people in Minnesota.
• Foundational capabilities represent the foundation: Using the metaphor of a house, all houses need a strong foundation for the rest of the house to function properly. All of public health’s work is undergirded by a strong foundation, built of these capabilities, across all areas of work.
• Foundational areas represent the rooms of our "house": There are some parts of a house that are universal--we expect houses all have a kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, etc. In the same way, Minnesotans should see public health working in their jurisdictions in these five areas of work, no matter where they live. 
• Community-specific services represent the unique needs and decisions of each homeowner for their individual houses, like furniture, paint color, fixtures, etc. They are still very important, but are not the same in every house. Similarly, health departments will provide additional services and may require more capacity in different areas to best serve their communities. For examples of what this might look like, go to p. 3 of A new framework for governmental public health in Minnesota (PDF).

Visit the following resources to learn more about what the foundational framework looks like in Minnesota: 

• Overview Webinar: Foundational Public Health Responsibilities: This informational session can help you understand the framework of foundational public health responsibilities (capabilities and areas).
• National Headlines, Minnesota Activities: Foundational Public Health Responsibilities (PDF): This document organizes the previously developed Minnesota activities under the headlines of the national framework. 
• Community of Practice for Foundational Public Health Responsibilities: This community of practice provides a space for local public health departments to share and learn about activities related to foundational public health responsibilities

In mid-2023, the Joint Leadership Team for Public Health System Transformation in Minnesota chose to adopt the national framework, shifting away from a Minnesota-specific framework. The Joint Leadership Team represents, in partnership, the Local Public Health Association of Minnesota (LPHA), the State Community Health Services Advisory Committee (SCHSAC), and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). You can find a roster of members at: Joint Leadership Team and subgroups.

• Why? We adopted this framework to align with national efforts to transform the public health system, and to build on the work others are doing across the nation. It helps us to “speak the same language” as others doing this work, to better use national resources, and anticipate and respond to future national changes. 
• What changed? The newest national framework more closely reflects Minnesota’s own work in a way previous versions had not, and now embeds equity in all areas and capabilities. It also elevates maternal, child, and family health, and chronic disease and injury prevention, previously embedded in “prevention and population health improvement” in the Minnesota-specific framework.
• How does our work to date fit into the national framework? This shift does not negate our work to date. Our work continues to move forward with minimal changes, to assess what is and isn’t working well, testing new ways of doing business, and identifying change strategies. The Minnesota framework and national framework are arranged slightly differently, but the principles and elements remain the same.