Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113855

Beth A. Resnick, MPH¹, Joanna Zablotsky, MPH², Keeve Nachman, MHS¹, and Thomas Burke, PhD, MPH³. (1) Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Room 484, Baltimore, MD 21205, 401-614-5454, bresnick@jhsph.edu, (2) Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Rm 511, Baltimore, MD 21205, (3) Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House Rm 484, Baltimore, MD 21205

In February 2005, the Johns Hopkins Center for Excellence in Community Environmental Health published the Profile of Maryland Environmental Health Practice; the first comprehensive needs assessment of environmental public health practice in the state of Maryland. The Maryland Profile findings revealed a fragile, neglected, fragmented, and under-funded environmental public health infrastructure. Yet, during a time on increasing pressure on the environment, a dedicated and enthusiastic workforce offered a window of opportunity to enhance Maryland environmental public health protection efforts. Based on these finding, the report offered recommendations on issues such as workforce development, funding, technology, and legal responsibility to protect the future health and well-being of all Marylanders. Given the success of the Profile report and the need throughout the nation for a more thorough assessment of local environmental health, Johns Hopkins expanded this assessment effort to examine local environmental public health capacity and needs throughout the northeast region. Results from a qualitative and quantitative assessment with environmental public health practitioners in the northeast will be compared and contrasted with the Maryland findings. . Based on these findings, recommendations will be offered to enhance local environmental public health practice.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, we expect participants to be able to

• describe capacities, needs, demands and emerging issues in EPH practice in our regional partners
• assess the relevancy of the Maryland results to local EPH practice throughout the Northeast region; and
• offer strategies to enhance the capacity of the local EPH workforce

Keywords: Environmental Health, Assessments

Related Web page: www.jhsph.edu/ECEHP/index.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation