The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the nearly 3,000 local health departments in the United States. NACCHO is committed to improving local public health. One way to accomplish this is to strengthen the public health workforce especially within environmental health. NACCHO is aware of the complex public health challenges facing local environmental health programs. These challenges require a workforce prepared effectively to anticipate, recognize and respond to these challenges. NACCHO participated on an expert panel to devlop guidelines for the core competencies to practice environmental health at the local level. These guidelines are an important tool for local health departments. The challenges facing local environmental health programs and how these guidelines can be used to meet the challenges will be discussed. The leadership role of NACCHO in implementing the guidlines will also be reviewed.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. recognize the current broad range of qualifications to practice local environmental health; 2. identify the gaps in those qualifications to perform effctive environmental health functions at the local level; and, 3. recognize the importance of applying broadly accepted core competencies to local environmental health programs
Keywords: Environmental Health, Health Departments
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.