The Mandatory Health Programs and Services Guidelines (MHPSG) are standards that set out the minimum requirements for fundamental public health programs and services targeted at disease prevention, health promotion and health protection. These standards reflect broad aspirations for the health of all Ontarians and the important role of local boards of health in providing and/or ensuring relevant programs and services. The MHPSG, issued in 1997, consist of 17 standards – 3 general standards and 14 program standards.

Three ministries are impacted by the MHPSG :

• Health Promotion (MHP) – Chronic Disease Prevention, Injury Prevention including Substance Abuse Prevention, Child Health and Reproductive Health (transferred in Fall 2005);
• Children and Youth Services (MCYS) – Healthy Babies Healthy Children component of Child Health; and
• Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) – Control of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control, Rabies Control, STDs, TB Control, Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Food Safety, Safe Water, Sexual Health, Early Detection of Cancer and the three general standards.

The need to review and renew the MHPSG was clearly articulated in many key reports on the public health system including the report from the Ontario Expert Panel on SARS and Infectious Disease Control chaired by Dr. David Walker, the reports from the SARS Commission chaired by the Honourable Mr. Justice Archie Campbell and the final report from the Capacity Review Committee, Revitalizing Ontario’s Public Health Capacity.

In 2004, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), as part of Operation Health Protection: An Action Plan to Prevent Threats to our Health and to Promote a Healthy Ontario, committed to initiating a review of the mandatory guidelines. The review is a key component of the ministry’s overall strategy to rebuild public health capacity across the province.

The purpose of the Program Standards Technical Review Committee was to guide the overall development of renewed program standards for boards of health in Ontario.

The context for the development of the program standards occurred within a context of increased need for accountability, coordination and collaboration across the health system as well as financial sustainability.

The Program Standards Technical Review Committee focused on revising, renewing and updating the program standards in the 1997 MHPSG. The scope of the review included :

• A framework for local implementation within the provincial fiscal envelope;
• Structural changes to incorporate a greater focus on performance, accountability and sustainability;
• Technical updates to reflect current evidence and best practices in public health;
• The inclusion of additional public health functions such as emergency preparedness; and
• Consolidation of requirements and/or programs where appropriate.

The Program Standards Technical Review Committee was charged with the task of providing advice and guidance into the development of new program standards. Specifically, the Committee :

• Developed an operational framework to guide the development of the program standards;
• Provided technical advice and recommended types of standards as well as their respective components and accompanying performance measures;
• Oversaw and advised the technical writing team(s) that were be responsible for drafting the program standards;
• Advised and, where appropriate, participated on processes for consulting and validating the program standards with the public health community;
• Provided guidance and advice on a roll-out strategy for the program standards to support their implementation and uptake, including the development of accompanying tools; and
• Provided advice on a process and structure for ongoing review and refinement of the program standards.

The Technical Review Committee concluded its mandate in April 2007 with the submission of a draft of renewed program standards for government approval.

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