State Community Health Services Advisory Committee
About the Disease Prevention and Control Common Activities Framework
Developed Nov. 1999; revised Nov. 2001, Feb. 2003, Oct. 2012; reapproved July 2015
Controlling communicable diseases is perhaps the oldest and most fundamental public health responsibility. For decades, it was the primary responsibility of local boards of health and, in fact, the main reason for their creation.
In Minnesota, it is a statutory mandate of local boards of health to control communicable diseases in their jurisdiction. Minn. Stat. § 145A.04, subd. 6, outlines those required responsibilities for local boards of health by stating, "A board of health shall make investigations and reports and obey instructions on the control of communicable diseases as the commissioner may direct under § 144.12, 145A.06, subd. 2, or 145A.07. Boards of health must cooperate so far as practicable to act together to prevent and control epidemic diseases."
The Disease Prevention and Control Common Activities Framework, first approved by SCHSAC in 1998, is the foundation for local public health providing disease surveillance, prevention and control resources and services as mandated by Minn. Stat. § 145A, the Local Public Health Act.
Its intent is to provide structure for the infectious disease prevention and control (DP&C) activities of detecting acute and communicable diseases, for developing and implementing prevention of disease transmission, and for implementing control measures during outbreaks. It sets out the minimum roles and expectations for both local public health agencies and the Minnesota Department of Health to meet this mandate.
Download: DP&C Common Activities Framework (PDF)
Related: Local Public Health Act