The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60627

Charles E. Bishop¹, Tricia Tillman, MPH¹, and Stephanie Farquhar, PhD². (1) Multnomah County Health Department, 1120 SW Fifth Avenue; 14th Floor, Portland, OR 97211, 503.988.3400 ext. 22439, charles.e.bishop@co.multnomah.or.us, (2) School of Community Health, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751

The Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE-EH)is a tool for helping communities systematically conduct and act on an assessment of environmental health in their localities. The protocol rests on the foundations of the core functions of public health, assessment, assurance, and policy development, developing leadership among environmental health advocates, involving community in planning and decision making, and addressing issues of environmental justice. The protocol outlines thirteen tasks that must be accomplished to complete a PACE assessment and stresses the non-linear nature of the PACE process. In Multnomah County, we have spent the majority of our first year focused on evolving from an idea into a community-focused, health department driven process. The process continues to evolve into a community-driven, health department supported process. Doing this has involved an expanding number of community partners. It has also involved expanding the initial emphasis on the health department's need for a community assessment to include the need for a coalition that also addresses a much broader shared need among environmental health advocates and organizations for a network of support and advocacy. The community-driven approach will allow for more participatory and effective assessment and action phases, and will result in a stronger community base of environmental leadership. The presentation will explain the PACE process and provide real-time examples of the successes and challenges of putting PACE into practice.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will
• Explore the Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health
• Assess the experience in Portland, OR of a coalition approach to implementing the PACE - EH assessment - as it relates to diverse community participation and leadership development in assessment and advocacy
• Analyze the lessons, challenges, and opportunities that have accompanied Oregon's PACE process, to date.

Keywords: Environmental Health, Community Building

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Association of County and City Health Officials - PACE Guidebook
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.