Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
Photo caption: Senior Program Manager Kat Whitney, left, and Clinical Program Manager Karen Garland-Kidder,right, accept award on behalf of the team during NERHA’s annual conference.
Farmington, Maine – Healthy Community Coalition (HCC), part of the MaineHealth Center for Health Improvement, has been named a 2025 Community Star Award recipient by the New England Rural Health Association (NERHA). The award honors organizations and individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to improving health and well-being in rural communities.
Senior Program Manager Kat Whitney and Clinical Program Manager Karen Garland-Kidder accepted the award on behalf of the team during NERHA’s annual conference.
“This recognition highlights the ongoing efforts of Healthy Community Coalition to advance local health initiatives,” said LeeAnna Lavoie, MPH, Director of Community Health, MaineHealth Center for Health Improvement. “It is an honor to receive this recognition, which truly reflects the power of partnership in Franklin County. Our success is the result of many hands, voices, and organizations working together to strengthen rural health. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve and for the trust our community places in us every day.”
Healthy Community Coalition provides prevention, education, and wellness services across Franklin County. Their work brings health resources directly to residents and supports community-based solutions that address local needs. Recent efforts include:
Healthy Community Coalition helped establish a peer-led Community Recovery Center to address a significant gap in local services for individuals and families affected by substance use disorder. The center has quickly become a vital community resource, receiving nearly 2,000 visits last year. With new funding, the center has secured a dedicated space and will expand hours of operation to 20 hours per week, with plans to transition to full-time service in 2026. More than 10 community partners collaborate in this work to ensure wraparound support for residents seeking recovery assistance.
In response to rising emergency department visits for needs related to food, housing, transportation, and access to primary care, HCC partnered with local healthcare and community organizations to launch an innovative Community Health Worker (CHW) program. The program created systems-level change, including a closed-loop communication process between healthcare providers and CHWs, and the development of a referral order embedded directly into the electronic health record. This approach has reduced unnecessary emergency department utilization, resulting in more than $200,000 in savings. Over two years, the program has managed more than 2,000 referrals, connecting residents with essential community resources.
Through its role in convening local stakeholders, the Healthy Community Coalition leads Franklin County’s Community Health Needs Assessment and the development of the Community Health Improvement Plan. These countywide efforts bring partners together to align priorities, strengthen community-based responses, and guide collaborative strategies for improving health outcomes across the region.
Community Health Franklin and HCC have built a longstanding partnership with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, supporting efforts that benefit residents across the region. Together, the organizations expanded harm-reduction services, including becoming a syringe service program, and secured federal grants to support school safety and shift the local correctional facility toward a restorative model. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to addressing the root causes of community health challenges and improving outcomes for individuals and families.
This recognition reflects MaineHealth’s mission of working together so our communities are the healthiest in America. Healthy Community Coalition will continue collaborating with local partners to expand prevention efforts, strengthen access to care, and support community-driven solutions that improve the health of residents throughout Franklin County.
