essential services of environmental health

Northwest Center for Public Health PracticeNorthwest Center for Public Health PracticeUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community MedicineUniversity of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine

http://nwcphp.orghttp://nwcphp.org

Essential Services of Essential Services of Environmental HealthEnvironmental Health

Department of Environmental & OccupationalDepartment of Environmental & Occupational Health and NW Center for Public Health Practice Health and NW Center for Public Health Practice

SPHCM, University of Washington, SPHCM, University of Washington, Seattle, WASeattle, WA

Carl Osaki, RS, MSPHCarl Osaki, RS, MSPH



The Bottom LineThe Bottom Line

To be an optimally functioning PH unit, it must To be an optimally functioning PH unit, it must be able to effectively:be able to effectively: Monitor Monitor environmental & health statusenvironmental & health status Diagnose & investigateDiagnose & investigate health problems health problems Inform, educate & empowerInform, educate & empower people people MobilizeMobilize community partnerships community partnerships DevelopDevelop policies and plans policies and plans EnforceEnforce laws and regulations laws and regulations LinkLink people to health services people to health services AssureAssure a competent workforce a competent workforce EvaluateEvaluate effectiveness & quality effectiveness & quality ResearchResearch for new insights for new insights



Training Objectives Training Objectives

Learn about Learn about • The Essential Services of EHThe Essential Services of EH• The value of the Essential Services to The value of the Essential Services to

you and your organizationyou and your organization• How to write performance indicatorsHow to write performance indicators• The barriers and opportunities for The barriers and opportunities for

integrating the Essential Services into integrating the Essential Services into your organization.your organization.



Workforce QuestionnaireWorkforce Questionnaire

Knowledge and Practice of the Knowledge and Practice of the Essential ServicesEssential Services



Why the Essential Services?Why the Essential Services? Helps to clarify your role in PHHelps to clarify your role in PH Plans your activities to achieve Plans your activities to achieve

maximum public benefitsmaximum public benefits Helps you explain what you do & why Helps you explain what you do & why

you do it you do it Helps you evaluate your performanceHelps you evaluate your performance Aligns your activities to match Aligns your activities to match

national strategies and prioritiesnational strategies and priorities



Long-Term Goals*Long-Term Goals*

Build capacityBuild capacity Support researchSupport research Foster leadershipFoster leadership Communicate and marketCommunicate and market Develop the workforceDevelop the workforce Create strategic partnershipsCreate strategic partnerships

*CDC’s Strategy for Enhancing *CDC’s Strategy for Enhancing EH Practice in the 21st Century EH Practice in the 21st Century (2002)(2002)



BackgroundBackground

1988: The IOM Report: 1988: The IOM Report: The Future of The Future of Public HealthPublic Health



IOM report findingIOM report finding

Public health system in “disarray”Public health system in “disarray”

Chronic under fundingChronic under funding Fragmented effortsFragmented efforts Lack of trained resourcesLack of trained resources Outdated technologyOutdated technology Confusing legal authorityConfusing legal authority



IOM report finding regarding IOM report finding regarding Environmental HealthEnvironmental Health

Disjointed policy developmentDisjointed policy development Fragmented service deliveryFragmented service delivery Lack of accountabilityLack of accountability A weakened public health effortA weakened public health effort



The “Core Functions” of Public The “Core Functions” of Public HealthHealth

AssessmentAssessment Policy developmentPolicy development AssuranceAssurance



Responding to the IOM ReportResponding to the IOM Report

State and local efforts – PHIP, State and local efforts – PHIP, APEXPH, Turning PointAPEXPH, Turning Point

Say What?Say What?

Lack of consensus on the purpose Lack of consensus on the purpose and practice of public healthand practice of public health



BackgroundBackground

1988: The IOM Report: 1988: The IOM Report: The Future of The Future of Public HealthPublic Health

1994: The Public Health Functions 1994: The Public Health Functions Steering CommitteeSteering Committee• The Vision of Public Health The Vision of Public Health • The Purpose of Public HealthThe Purpose of Public Health• The Essential Services of Public HealthThe Essential Services of Public Health



The The VISION VISION of Public Healthof Public Health

““HEALTHY PEOPLE IN HEALTHY HEALTHY PEOPLE IN HEALTHY COMMUNITIES”COMMUNITIES”



The The PURPOSEPURPOSE of Public Health of Public Health To To preventprevent epidemics and the spread of epidemics and the spread of

diseasedisease To To protectprotect against environmental health against environmental health

hazardshazards To To preventprevent injuriesinjuries To To promote and encouragepromote and encourage health health

behaviors and mental healthbehaviors and mental health To To respondrespond to disasters and to disasters and assistassist

communities in recoverycommunities in recovery AssureAssure the quality and accessibility of the quality and accessibility of

health serviceshealth services



The Ten Essential Environmental The Ten Essential Environmental Health ServicesHealth Services

1.1. MonitorMonitor environmental and health environmental and health status to identify community status to identify community environmental health problems.environmental health problems.

2.2. Diagnose and investigateDiagnose and investigate environmental health problems and environmental health problems and health hazards in the community.health hazards in the community.

3.3. Inform, educate, and empowerInform, educate, and empower people people about environmental health issues. about environmental health issues.




4.4. MobilizeMobilize community partnerships to community partnerships to identify and solve environmental health identify and solve environmental health problemsproblems

5.5. DevelopDevelop policies and plans that support policies and plans that support individual and community environmental individual and community environmental health effortshealth efforts

6.6. EnforceEnforce laws and regulations that laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safetyprotect health and ensure safety




7.7. LinkLink people to needed environmental people to needed environmental health services and health services and assureassure the provision the provision of environmental health services when of environmental health services when otherwise unavailableotherwise unavailable

8.8. AssureAssure a competent environmental a competent environmental health workforcehealth workforce

9.9. EvaluateEvaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population and quality of personal and population based environmental health servicesbased environmental health services

10.10.ConductConduct research for new insights and research for new insights and innovative solutions to environmental innovative solutions to environmental health problems and issueshealth problems and issues



The linkage of Essential Services to The linkage of Essential Services to Core FunctionsCore Functions



Making a differenceMaking a difference

What will be the result of integrating the What will be the result of integrating the Essential Services?Essential Services?• Your services are appropriate and relevant Your services are appropriate and relevant • People aren’t confused about who you are and People aren’t confused about who you are and

what you do what you do • You are demonstrating leadershipYou are demonstrating leadership• You are organized around the purpose and You are organized around the purpose and

practice of public healthpractice of public health• You understand your organizational You understand your organizational

shortcomings and know how to address themshortcomings and know how to address them



Next StepsNext Steps Assess your organization’s capacity to integrate Assess your organization’s capacity to integrate

the Essential Servicesthe Essential Services-Challenges, Barriers, Obstacles-Challenges, Barriers, Obstacles-Opportunities, Assets, Strengths-Opportunities, Assets, Strengths

Identify the gaps in your organization’s system of Identify the gaps in your organization’s system of performanceperformance

Determine how you will address those gaps and Determine how you will address those gaps and measure improvementmeasure improvement

Discuss the additional resources or training you Discuss the additional resources or training you will requirewill require

Discuss the next steps for your organizationDiscuss the next steps for your organization



QUESTIONS & DISCUSSIONQUESTIONS & DISCUSSION

essential services of environmental health

Documents

environmental health

environmental health

environmental health

health servicesassure

health problemsinform

health behaviors

public health practice

essential serviceswhy