Essential Services of Environmental Health

1. Essential Services of Environmental Health Department of Environmental & Occupational Health and NW Center for Public Health Practice SPHCM, University of Washington, Seattle, WA Carl Osaki, RS, MSPH Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

2. The Bottom Line To be an optimally functioning PH unit, it must be able to effectively: • Monitor environmental & health status • Diagnose & investigate health problems • Inform, educate & empower people • Mobilize community partnerships • Develop policies and plans • Enforce laws and regulations • Link people to health services • Assure a competent workforce • Evaluate effectiveness & quality • Research for new insights Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

3. Training Objectives • Learn about • The Essential Services of EH • The value of the Essential Services to you and your organization • How to write performance indicators • The barriers and opportunities for integrating the Essential Services into your organization. Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

4. Workforce Questionnaire Knowledge and Practice of the Essential Services Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

5. Why the Essential Services? • Helps to clarify your role in PH • Plans your activities to achieve maximum public benefits • Helps you explain what you do & why you do it • Helps you evaluate your performance • Aligns your activities to match national strategies and priorities Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

6. Long-Term Goals* • Build capacity • Support research • Foster leadership • Communicate and market • Develop the workforce • Create strategic partnerships *CDC’s Strategy for Enhancing EH Practice in the 21st Century (2002) Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

7. Background • 1988: The IOM Report: The Future of Public Health Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

8. IOM report finding Public health system in “disarray” • Chronic under funding • Fragmented efforts • Lack of trained resources • Outdated technology • Confusing legal authority Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

9. IOM report finding regarding Environmental Health • Disjointed policy development • Fragmented service delivery • Lack of accountability • A weakened public health effort Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

10. The “Core Functions” of Public Health • Assessment • Policy development • Assurance Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

11. Responding to the IOM Report • State and local efforts – PHIP, APEXPH, Turning Point • Say What? • Lack of consensus on the purpose and practice of public health Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

12. Background • 1988: The IOM Report: The Future of Public Health • 1994: The Public Health Functions Steering Committee • The Vision of Public Health • The Purpose of Public Health • The Essential Services of Public Health Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

13. The VISION of Public Health “HEALTHY PEOPLE IN HEALTHY COMMUNITIES” Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

14. The PURPOSE of Public Health • To preventepidemics and the spread of disease • To protectagainst environmental health hazards • To preventinjuries • To promote and encourage health behaviors and mental health • To respond to disasters andassist communities in recovery • Assure the quality and accessibility of health services Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

15. The Ten Essential Environmental Health Services 1.Monitor environmental and health status to identify community environmental health problems. 2.Diagnose and investigate environmental health problems and health hazards in the community. 3.Inform, educate, and empowerpeople about environmental health issues. Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

16. 4.Mobilizecommunity partnerships to identify and solve environmental health problems 5.Develop policies and plans that support individual and community environmental health efforts 6.Enforcelaws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety The Ten Essential Environmental Health Services Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

17. The Ten Essential Environmental Health Services 7.Linkpeople to needed environmental health services and assurethe provision of environmental health services when otherwise unavailable 8.Assure a competent environmental health workforce 9.Evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population based environmental health services 10.Conductresearch for new insights and innovative solutions to environmental health problems and issues Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

18. The linkage of Essential Services to Core Functions Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

19. Making a difference What will be the result of integrating the Essential Services? • Your services are appropriate and relevant • People aren’t confused about who you are and what you do • You are demonstrating leadership • You are organized around the purpose and practice of public health • You understand your organizational shortcomings and know how to address them Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

20. Next Steps • Assess your organization’s capacity to integrate the Essential Services -Challenges, Barriers, Obstacles -Opportunities, Assets, Strengths • Identify the gaps in your organization’s system of performance • Determine how you will address those gaps and measure improvement • Discuss the additional resources or training you will require • Discuss the next steps for your organization Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org

21. QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicinehttp://nwcphp.org