Adopted by Section Leadership - March 9, 1999
Please Note: This Strategic Plan reflects a process of discussion,
development, and review by members of the Environment Section. The Plan was
adopted by Section Leadership on March 9, 1999. The Plan reflects the
Environment Section's Objectives as stated in Section By-Laws. In addition,
we will ensure that this plan dovetails with the new APHA-wide Strategic Plan
currently being circulated within the APHA membership. If you have any
questions about the Plan, or would like to be involved in implementation, please
contact Polly Hoppin, Section Past Chair (hoppin_thomas@email.msn.com) or
Chair Susan West, (west@neetf.org).
Section Policy Priorities:
After soliciting input from Section
members, Section Leadership agreed to work on four priority policy issues in
1999-2000. The issue areas were chosen for their timeliness and significance
in
current national and international discussions. Details of implementation can
be found in Goal #2.
1. healthy schools;
2. public health protections for drinking
water and pesticides; 3. persistent organic pollutants and the precautionary
principle; and
4. reduce children's exposure to mercury.
I. Vision and Mission
The Environment Section at APHA serves as a multi-disciplinary "home" for
professionals, leaders and students involved in environmental health.
The Section's mission is to:
Influence policy and other changes that create and sustain healthy
environments and enhance research, public awareness, prevention and treatment
of
disease caused or exacerbated by environmental factors;
Develop alliances and professional support with others who work in a variety
of public and private settings;
Keep up to date with relevant science and policy.
II. Principles
- We recognize and support different interests, viewpoints and backgrounds
of Section Members. However, we will not be paralyzed by our diversity; we
will
adopt Section positions even if there is dissenting minority opinion.
- Members should have access to information about Section activities, and
have the opportunity to participate.
- Our advocacy should be proactive and well-planned. While we will decline
some last minute requests in order to preserve time to pursue the goals
below, we will have a mechanism for and remain open to reacting quickly in
certain
situations.
- We will seek opportunities to work closely with other APHA Sections, and
maintain formal liaisons with other environment and health activities at
APHA
(e.g., the National Environmental Health Coalition, the Environmental Health
Partnership and the Environment and Health Task Force).
- We will be mindful that we are a volunteer organization. The objectives
and work plans we agree on for any given year should not be overly ambitious,
but
should reflect time commitments by members. Out of respect for ourselves
individually and collectively, we should expect that the work we
undertake -- though less ambitious than if it were our day job -- will
be timely and of high quality.
III. Goals
GOAL 1 Improve environment and health practice such that public health and
environmental protection are integrated into practice level decision-making.
GOAL 2 Strengthen APHA's role as a respected national and international force
to improve environmental, health and other policies so the policies recognize
environmental components of disease and promote prevention.
GOAL 3 Mobilize Section members to collaborate with APHA staff and leaders
in
work on environmental health policy and practice. Serve as the primary source
for APHA staff and leadership of expertise and guidance on environmental health
issues.
GOAL 4 Build and sustain a strong and active membership base through
strategic recruitment, opportunities for participation, effective communication
and member recognition.
GOAL 5 Ensure that the APHA Annual Meeting is a dynamic and current forum for
environmental health issues, thereby meeting the needs and interest of Section
members, building the awareness of all APHA members about environmental health,
and increasing the Section's membership.
IV.Ý Strategies and 1999-2000 Actions
GOAL 1 -- Improve environment and health practice such
that public health and environmental protection are integrated into practice
level decision-making.
Strategy 1.Ý Develop guidelines for the core
competencies needed to practice environmental health at the local level by
involving key stakeholders and building upon the expertise and guidance of local
professionals.
Action 1.1.Ý Identify section members willing to
serve on an action group to initiate developing the guidelines. (Quarter 1
(Q1)) Action 1.2Ý Identify stakeholders, provide
information on issues and plan a meeting date. (Q2)
Action 1.3.Ý Conduct two day meeting to develop draft guidelines.
(Q3) Action 1.4.Ý Submit to stakeholders for
review and comment and complete final draft. (Q4)
Action 1.5.Ý Obtain APHA endorsement and make available to the
public health community. (Q4)
Strategy 2.Ý Link Environment Section with two
national efforts that are addressing specific ways to improve state and local
environmental health practice.
Action 2.1.Ý In cooperation with NEHA, HUD and
CDC, update reference material on housing (this includes the CDC Basic Housing
Inspection Manual and the APHA/CDC Model Housing Code).
2.1.a.Ý Prepare a scope of work for the activity (Q1)
2.1.b.Ý Identify an expert panel to review progress.
(Q2) 2.1.c.Ý Establish contract for preparation
of the documents (pending availability of funds) (Q3)
2.1.d.Ý Complete the document preparation and prepare for
publication and placement on the Internet. (Q3, 2000)
Action 2.2.Ý Convene a group of stakeholders to review
and reach consensus on the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)
initiative to create a National Environmental Health Service Corps (NEHSC). This
initiative is directed at supporting environmental health activities at the
state and local levels through improved communication, education, training, and
consultation. It also will work to address public health in environmental
science and protection decisions. 2.2.a.Ý
Identify section members to work on the issue (Q1)
2.2.b.Ý Identify stakeholders, plan and conduct meeting to reach
consensus on the NEHSC proposal. (Q3) 2.2.c.Ý
Seek APHA support/endorsement of the initiative. (Q4)
Please Note:Ý The Section proposes to address two
initial strategies to address this goal. In the development process of this
goal, Section members have also recommended other strategies and activities.
These recommendations may warrant further discussion by the Section to determine
if there are other activities that Section members want to pursue at this time.
Please see Attachment A for the additional recommendations for how the Section
might want to proceed on addressing this Goal in future years. Ý
GOAL 2 -- Strengthen APHA's role as a respected
national and international force to improve environmental, health and other
policies so the policies recognize environmentalÝÝÝÝ components of disease and
promote prevention.
Strategy 1.ÝÝÝ Convene highly visible debates,
meetings or workshops and otherwise pursue policy activities related to the Section's
four priority issue areas in 1999.
Please Note:Ý The four issue areas chosen for emphasis in
1999 are: (1) healthy schools; (2) public health protections for drinking water
and pesticides; and (3) persistent organic pollutants and the precautionary
principle, and (1) reduce children's exposure to mercury.Ý Each priority area
will be headed up by a point person in the Section.Ý Activities will vary
between issue areas.Ý Ý
Action 1.1.Ý Promotion of Healthy Schools (For
more information contact Claire
Barnett, healthyschools@aol.com)
1.1.a.Ý Decide on issue's priority by Section vote.
(Q1) 1.1.b.Ý Identify Section champion/contact
person for the issue (Q1) 1.1.c.Ý Broaden
constituency for action within APHA, for instance, by scheduling a panel session
on healthy schools at the national meeting. (Q1-4)
1.1.d.Ý Draft an APHA resolution on healthy schools, better
defining and refining issue, and submit it as a late breaker, tying the issue to
new school construction identified by President Clinton in his State of the
Union address. (Q1-2)Ý 1.1.e.Ý Work with EPA
staff to put healthy schools on the agenda of NEHC meeting; identify other
groups to work with as allies, including PTA, Learning Disabilities Association
etc. (Q2) 1.1.f.Ý Identify section members
willing to put similar resolutions before state professional societies; monitor
success of existing resolution in California. (Q2-4)
1.1.g.Ý Sponsor a brownbag lunch with policy makers from HUD, HHS
and other relevant agencies, along with APHA senior staff.(Q3-4)
1.1.h.Ý Work with APHA staff to identify a healthy
schools champion onÝ Capitol Hill, and work to craft legislation that addresses
APHA concerns including the precautionary principle. (Q1-3)
Action 1.2 Realizing public health protections for
drinking water and pesticides. (For more information, contact Sharon Newsome, snewsome@psr.org , on
drinking water, and David Wallinga, M.D., dwallinga@nrdc.org on pesticides)
[Background -- Within the last two years, significant
public health protections were written into two laws, the Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA) and the Food Quality Protection Act(FQPA).Ý APHA and its Environment
Section can, and should, play a major role in making sure that the promise of
public health protection in these laws is realized through their proper
implementation.]
1.2.a.Ý Decide on issue's priority for the Section.
(Q1) 1.2.b.Ý Identify a Section champion/lead
person for this issue. (Q1) 1.2.c.Ý Educate the
public and the health profession about health hazards of contaminated drinking
water and/or food quality issues, beginning with Section sponsorship of sessions
on these topics at the national meeting. (Q1-4)
1.2.d.Ý Work with NEHC to have periodic updates on implementation
of public health provisions of the drinking water and pesticides laws through
the National Environmental Health Coalition. (Q1-2)
1.2.e.Ý Work with APHA and Section leadership and members in
signing letters to Congress, to EPA or the White House on implementation of
these public health laws.(Q2-4) 1.2.f.Ý Identify
Hill champion and consider APHA sponsorship of Congressional briefings or
hearings on these issues, making use of Section members as expert
witnesses.(Q2-4)Ý
Action 1.3.Ý Persistent Organic Pollutants and the
Precautionary Principle.Ý
[Recognizing the site of the next national meeting on the
Great Lakes, the Section could fashion work designed to highlight the public
health steps which ought to be taken on substances known to bioaccumulate and to
be in persons at levels approaching those which cause health effects, and yet
for which the full range of health effects are not completely known nor is the
dose level at which those effects occur.]
1.3.aÝ Decide on issue's priority for the Section.
(Q1) 1.3.b.Ý Specify Section member as champion
or lead. 1.3.c.Ý Craft a resolution or statement
that reflects APHA's viewpoint on regulation of POPs, incorporating the
precautionary principle.Ý 1.3.d.Ý Decide and
carry out the best means of turning this viewpoint into action, either by
sending a member to participate in the international POPs conferences, designing
educational materials around POPs, letters to Carol Browner supporting lower
reporting levels for POPs etc.Ý 1.3.e.Ý Focus
Environment Section panels at national meetings around a POPs theme.Ý
Action 1.4.ÝÝÝ Reduce Children's Exposure to MercuryÝ
(For more information, contact Felice
Stadler, fstadler@nrdc.org)Ý
1.4.a.Ý Section to vote on issue's priority (Q1)
1.4.bÝ Broaden constituency for action within APHA, by
scheduling a panel session on mercury reduction at national meeting.
(Q1-4) 1.4.cÝ Discuss with APHA staff (Don
Hoppert) putting the mercury resolution on the agenda of NEHC meetings, seeking
to identify allies within the larger environment and public health communities,
perhaps linking with the Health Care Without Harm campaign. (Q1-2)
1.5.dÝÝ Submit mercury resolution for consideration at
national meeting in Chicago (this resolution was handed out for review by the
section at the D.C. meeting). (Q1-4) 1.6.e.ÝÝÝ
Identify section members willing to put similar resolutions before state
professional societies, helping to build a groundswell of activity on mercury
reduction at local level. (Q1-4) 1.7.fÝÝ Work
with APHA staff to identify a champion onÝ Capitol Hill, seeking to introduce
legislation reflective of concerns in
resolution.(Q1-4) GOAL 3 --
Mobilize Section members to collaborate with APHA staff and leaders in work on
environmental health policy and practice.Ý Serve as the primary source for APHA
staff and leadership of expertise and guidance on environmental health
issues.
Strategy 1.Ý Meet regularly with and involve APHA
staff and leadership in Section decision-making while at the same time involving
Section leadership in APHA decision-making on environmental health issues and
activities. Ý
Action 1.1Ý Section Leadership will meet with
members of the APHA staff and members in leadership positions on APHA's environmental health projects to (1) discuss the
Section's Strategic and Action
Plan, (2) identify the linkages between Section activities and APHA staff-driven
activities, and (3) formalize the process for seeking Section involvement in
both environmental health policy and practice activities coordinated by APHA
staff. (Q1)
Action 1.2.Ý Meet with APHA staff and leadership
once/quarter for review and discussion of joint activities, and to plan brown
bag lunches, establish Section database, and discuss possible policy
resolutions. (every Q)
Strategy 2.Ý
Convene occasional brown bag lunches for APHA staff and leadership on
contentious current environmental health issues. Ý
Action 2.1.Ý Set yearly schedule for brown bag
lunches to be held at the APHA offices in downtown DC (once/quarter) and
coordinate with appropriate APHA staff member. (Q1)
Action 2.2.Ý Informally survey all members as to their
topics of interest.Ý Another option is to choose the areas of focus in
environmental health policy for the Section (i.e. healthy schools, children's exposure to mercury, and drinking water/pesticides - see proposed areas of focus
in Goal #2).Ý Identify "brown bag planner" who can arrange the session and
invite the speakers.Ý APHA staff will be asked to send invitations.(Q1)
Action 2.3.Ý Invite APHA staff and leadership as well as
all Section members, and members of APHA's National Environmental Health
Coalition and Environment and Health Task Force.
Strategy 3.Ý Build the Section's capacity to
respond to requests for expert testimony, peer review of documents, collection
of public comments, and other activities coordinated by APHA staff and
leadership. Ý
Action 3.1.Ý Assess current system of involving
Section members in APHA responses and requests and determine short-term ways to
fine tune the system. (Q1)
Action 3.2.Ý Choose the main activities that should
involve Section participation.Ý Such activities might include:Ý expert testimony
in Congressional hearings and panels; appointment representing APHA on federal
advisory committees, scientific boards and committees (i.e. US EPA, National
Academy of Sciences); peer review/public comments on federal documents, reports,
and recommended changes in standards; synthesis of Section comments on public
documents; interviews with the media on environmental health issues or APHA
press events and briefings; review of Action Alerts or letters to Congressional
members and/or Executive Branch. (Q1)
Action 3.3.Ý In coordination with APHA staff, develop a
mechanism for requesting Section member's involvement in the above mentioned
activities.Ý Develop mechanisms for both the anticipated activities (public
comments, committee appointments) and unforseen and reactive activities.
(Q2)
Action 3.4. Develop a data base of members and other
public health professionals and leaders with expertise on particular
issues: 3.4.a.Ý Set up database system in
coordination with APHA staff that is "housed" at APHA and staffed by APHA staff.
(Q2)
3.4.b.Ý Survey all interested Section members with a
brief questionnaire asking for Contact Information (name, title, organization,
address, phone, fax, email), Short Professional Biosketch (work history,
credentials, publications, current appointments, other experiences testifying
(if applicable)), Issue Areas (include description of their perspective the
given issue), Type of Involvement (testimony, peer review, committee
appointment), Conflict of Interest Disclosure (including funding sources),
Response Time (can respond quickly or prefers advance lead time), Ability to
Travel (to DC or other locations). (Q2)
3.4.c.Ý Store all information in a database capable of
sorting by all fields (including issue areas, type of involvement, response
time, and geography) (Q3)
3.4.d.Ý Utilize the database system in the latter part of
1999 to determine its effectiveness and discuss the findings at the Section
Business Meeting in November 1999 in Chicago. (Q4)
Strategy 4. Streamline and systematize the Section's review and development of environment-related resolutions.
Ý
Action 4.1. Improve/Enhance Content of
Resolutions ? scheduled for 2000
4.1.a.Ý Identify current environmental-health related
policy resolutions held by APHA.Ý
4.1.b.Ý Identify gaps in the resolutions, with specific
attention to current and expected policies and practice issues in environmental
health.Ý
4.1.c.Ý Informally survey Section members and APHA staff
as to upcoming important issues for which APHA does not have a policy resolution
to guide APHA decision-making (this may also dovetail with the areas of focus
that the Section may adopt).Ý
4.1.d.Ý Proactively ask Section member(s) to draft 2-3
new resolutions for the 1999 or 2000 resolution review process in response to
the identified gaps or prospective policy issues.Ý
Action 4.2. Develop a system to ensure earlier review and
input by Section members on upcoming policy resolutions and position
papers.
4.2.a.Ý Section Chair reviews proposed 1999 Resolutions
with relevance to Environment Section. (Q1)
4.2.b.Ý Section leadership receives copies of all
environmental health-related resolutions for their review and comment in time
for May 1999 Joint Policy Committee (JPC) Meeting (week of March 22)
4.2.c.Ý Section designee will collect Section Leadership
comments and prepare draft Section memo for JPC for approval by Section
Leadership in time for May 4-5 JPC Meeting.Ý (Q2)
4.2.c.Ý Schedule time for resolution authors to brief
Section Members at Monday morning Section Business Meeting at APHA Annual
Meeting. (Q4) GOAL 4 -- Build and
sustain a strong and active membership base through strategic recruitment,
opportunities for participation, effective communication and member
recognition.
Strategy 1:Ý Establish a balanced membership
committee Ý
Action 1.1Ý Recruit two to three additional
members, including one student, to serve on the membership committee and hold a
kick-off meeting. (Q1)
Strategy 2:Ý Develop and implement a strategic
and successful recruiting drive; welcome and orient new members to the
Section; Ý
Action 2.1.Ý Obtain lists of persons who would
be potential candidates for membership, and work with APHA staffers to
distribute the flyer and recruitment letter to persons on these lists.
(Q3)
Action 2.2.Ý Obtain from APHA staff a complete list of
all Environment section members and create a database that can be used for
outreach. (Q3)
Action 2.3.Ý Prepare a flyer and letter to help recruit
prospective members. The letter and flyer should be suitable for distribution
via facsimile, e-mail and regular mail. (Q2&3)
Action 2.4.Ý Organize a session at each Annual Meeting
specifically for new and prospective members (see Goal 5).Ý This session could
discuss careers in environmental health and provide networking opportunities.
(Q3)
Action 2.5.Ý Establish links to schools of public health
and environmental health programs to encourage students to become involved in
the environment section.Ý Ý
Strategy 3:Ý Enhance communication within the Section,
including alerting members about opportunities to participate in specific
Section projects (e.g., list serve discussion group, regular e-mails to all
members, new member packet); Ý
Action 3.1.Ý Work with APHA staff to establish
an outreach program for new section members to engage them in section activities
and encourage them to attend the Annual Meeting. (Q3&4)
Action 3.2.Ý Work with the editor of the environment
section newsletter to send copies of the newsletter to potential members.
(Q2)
Strategy 4:Ý Strengthen the role of Section Committees
and ensure that leaders can commit the time to involve interested members and
achieve yearly objectives.
SEE Actions 2.4. and 8.1
Strategy 5.Ý Develop a Section Manual to
orient new Section leaders and inform all Section members about how the Section
operates. The Manual would include the strategic plan, role of Section
leadership positions and committees, policy resolution process, Annual Meeting
planning, relationship of the Section with APHA, and other activities.
Ý
Action 5.1.Ý Identify several Section members in
1999 who are willing to begin the process of developing a Section
Manual.
Strategy 6.Ý Publish a regular Section
newsletter that updates members on Section activities, opportunities to
participate, activities in the environmental health field, and other relevant
information. Ý
SEE Action 2.3. and Action
3.2.
Strategy 7.Ý Organize and hold an Awards
Ceremony at the Annual Meeting that recognizes members through the Distinguished
Service Award and national leaders through the Homer Calver Award (see Goal
5). Ý
Action 7.1.Ý Working with the Section Chair,
Awards Committee will choose candidates for the Distinguished Service Award and
the Homer Calver Award.
Action 7.2.Ý Coordinate with Section Chair and Annual
Meeting Program Planners to plan Awards session.
Strategy 8.Ý Build a strong continuing
education program for Environment Section members. Ý
Action 8.1.Ý Work with the environment section
program planners (see Goal 5) and the APHA staff to (1) identify the continuing
education needs of our membership and (2) obtain continuing education
certification for our program at the Annual Meeting.
(Q1,2,3)
GOAL 5 -- Ensure that the APHA Annual Meeting is a
dynamic and current forum for environmental health issues, thereby meeting the
needs and interest of Section members, building the awareness of all APHA
members about environmental health, and increasing the Section's
membership.
Strategy 1Ý Create High Quality and High Interest
Scientific Sessions Ý
Action 1.1.Ý Attract high quality abstracts for
individual and group presentation and actively solicit coherent and provocative
full-sessions (Q1&2)
Action 1.2.Ý Seek out other Sections with which to
jointly plan sessions and/or for joint sponsorship:
1.2.a.Ý Pursue joint sponsorship with the maternal and
child health section on our children's environmental health sessions (likely to
be 5 total)Ý 1.2.b.Ý Pursue joint sponsorship
with the occupational safety and health section and the medical care section on
environmental impacts of medical practice 1.2.c.Ý
Identify at least one session for joint sponsorship with the international
health section
Action 1.3.Ý Collaborate with APHA staff and leadership
on APHA-sponsored sessions relevant to environmental health (Q1)
1.3.a.Ý Work with Polly Hoppin, Section Chair, to
influence the selection of environment-related topics for the APHA-sponsored
sessions.Ý Potential ideas generated by program planners APHA-wide include: food
safety and globalization of food supply; food irradiation; environmental health
aspects of disasters; sanitation throughout the century and the
world; settlement housing; A day in the life of public health: turn of the
century, now, 2100. 1.3.b.Ý Select at least one
of the above topics that is rejected as an APHA-sponsored sessions to highlight
in the environment section programÝ
Action 1.4.Ý Respond to key areas of focus identified
through the strategic planning process (see Goal 2) by holding two panel
discussion slots for these topics (Q2)
1.4.a.Ý Work with section leadership to identify key
issues not addressed in programÝ 1.4.b.Ý Solicit
additional sessionsÝ 1.4.c.Ý Finalize sessions
for inclusion in the final programÝ
Action 1.5.Ý Increase attendance by identifying one or
two key environmental health issues in the Midwest and develop sessions on these
topics (Q1&2)
1.5.a.Ý Solicit panels on topics of Midwest concern: healthy schools, great lakes water quality; economic
development/brownfields 1.5.b.Ý Highlight these
sessions in any preliminary program, marketing and recruitment
materials
Strategy 2:Ý Increase/enhance Networking
Opportunities Ý
Action 2.1Ý Convene a host-city committee to
help organize local events (Q1)
Action 2.2.Ý Host a vibrant social event (Q4)Ý
Action 2.3.Ý Consider arranging a tour linked with
environmental health issues (e.g. environmental justice or sustainability
(brownfields) tour and meeting/summit for APHA members)
(Q1)
Strategy 3: Expand Continuing Education
Credits Ý
Action 3.1.Ý Work with Paul Locke, (see Goal 4)
membership coordinator, to increase continuing education credits
(Q2&3)
Strategy 4:Ý Use the Annual Meeting to Enhance
Membership Development Note: these actions are
intended to complement the activities in strategic goal #4 to increase
membership Ý
Action 4.1.Ý Identify environment section
membership, APHA affiliates and schools of public health/environmental policy
and management in the Midwest and send special promotional materials
(Q2&3)
4.1.a.Ý Investigate the possibility of including the
final program in a summer newsletterÝ 4.1.b.Ý
Send other promotional materials as possibleÝ
Action 4.2.Ý Recruit individuals who may be interested in
learning more about and joining the Environment Section at sessions
(Q3&4)
4.2.a.Ý Develop sign up recruitment sheets (in
collaboration with Paul Locke, membership coordinator)Ý
4.2.b.Ý Send recruitment sheets to session presiders and ask for
their assistance in distributing the sheets prior to the 1999 meeting.
Action 4.3.Ý Host a special session for students and
others interested in pursuing professional careers in environmental health
(Q4)
Action 4.4.Ý Send a special mailing which focuses on the
Annual Meeting to potential new members (Q3)
4.4.a.Ý Work with membership committee (Paul Locke) to
coordinate mailing information about the meeting.Ý
4.4.b.Ý Share final program with Paul Locke
4.4.c.Ý Develop and distribute marketing materials through section
newsletter, posters on-site, and fliers at business meetings and primary
environment section hotel.
Attachment A:Ý
Additional Recommended Activities
for Environmental Health Practice (Goal 1)
Environmental protection and environmental health issues
converge at the local level. It is precisely at the local level where the
front-line war is waged to prevent disease. While the resources for
environmental protection issues have expanded, the resources for more
traditional state and local environmental health activities have not or have
been reduces. This loss of support for environmental public health may have
contributed to many of the recent outbreaks of disease. Included is the
cryptosporidium outbreak inÝ Milwaukee, the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated
with beef and the hantavirus outbreak in the southwest in 1993. There is an
imbalance of funding and support between environmental protection and
environmental health at the local level. The ability of local health departments
to adequately address environmental health and protection issues has been
severely hampered. The environmental health professionals at the local level are
our front-line troops in preventing disease. The importance of this role in
preventing disease needs to be recognized and addressed within the public health
community.
Other activities affecting state and local environmental
health programs and which address some of the important issues of public health
and environmental protection follow. These activities also address the issue of
preparation of professionals entering the field.
Possible additional Environment Section activities for
future years include: Ý
- Advocate the need for local environmental health and
protection programs to adopt the IOM recommendations of assessment, policy
development and assurance in establishing their priorities.
- Strengthen the ability of local environmental health
programs to implement the Food Safety Initiative(FSI). Very little, if any,
federal funding reaches programs at the local level. Consequently, many of these
program are not prepared to implement the initiative.
- Along with other associations (NEHA, NALBOH, NACCHO) and
affiliates, advocate for a minimum credential to practice the field of
environmental health and protection at the local level. The Registered
Sanitarian/Registered Environmental Health Specialist are required in only 18
states.
- Work with other associations and federal, state and
local agencies to develop national guidelines on the minimum competencies
necessary to practice in the field of environmental health and protection. These
guidelines would be used to elevate the practice of environmental health and
protection at the local level to the highest possible level.
- Support of the APHA/NEHA/CDC effort to revise the Basic
Housing Inspection manual.
- Support and advocate the use of the National Association
of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) the Protocol for Assessing
Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE:EH). This document is to be
completed next fall and is an excellent tool for helping health departments to
learn and address the needs of the community in environmental health.
- Support the work of the CDC's Public Health Practice and
Policy Office (PHPPO) and others to develop public health performance standards
that include environmental health.
- Work with other associations to develop a common policy
on the issue of environment and public health.
- Work to expand the base of accredited schools of
environmental health that can provide well prepared environmental health
professionals. (The USPHS will now only appoint graduates from these programs
into the Commissioned Corps). Work with ASPH and accredited programs in
environmental health to develop leaders in environmental health who have a
strong background in public health.
- Work with EPA and the Environmental Council of States to
promote public health in decision-making.
- Advocate (especially with other sections) the importance
on addressing health when environmental protection decisions are made.
- Work with other sections to address the importance of
strong environmental health and protection programs at the local level in an
overall public health program.
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