162690 Engaging community action, one state's perspective

Monday, November 5, 2007: 5:10 PM

Lisa Conti, DVM, MPH, DACVPM , Division of Environmental Health, Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL
For several years, the Florida Department of Health has supported county health departments to participate in community assessment using the National Association of City and County Health Officials' (NACCHO) Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE EH). All projects are designed to open the lines of communication between the department's county health departments and their affected communities. Community-based environmental public health assessment uncovers locally relevant issues and assists in the design of action plans to address those environmental health concerns. Adopting communities have realized a number of significant outcomes related to PACE EH including improved communication, collaboration and trust within the community toward improving local environmental health. This project has become a national model and provides evidence that communities identify built environment and urban planning issues as environmental health issues. In addition to describing the work in Florida, the presenter will discuss the potential for other states to expand on this work. States can use collaborative efforts to improve capacity for supporting community-based initiatives.

Learning Objectives:
Discuss lessons learned from extensive community EH projects. Name State Environmental Health Directors group activities. Identify positive practical approaches for a local call to action.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.