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Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests Program

NEHA Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Initiatives

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an innovative method of controlling pest populations utilizing a variety of technologies (cultural, mechanical, biological, genetic, and chemical) and is based on biological information.

NEHA supports IPM principles as a committee member of the Colorado Coalition of School IPM and through its Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Environmental Health (CDC/NCEH)-funded IPM training program, Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests: The Importance of Integrated Pest Management.

Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests/IPM Menu:

• Training Program
• Workshops
  • Attend a Regional Workshop
  • Host a Workshop
  • Workshop Learning Objectives
  • Continuing Education Hours
• More Information
• Colorado Coalition of School IPM
  
   

Training Program

In collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health (CDC/NCEH), NEHA facilitates IPM training through the Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests workshops. The program was created in response to the desire of environmental health professionals to learn and understand the biology of insect and rodent pests in order to more effectively and efficiently address the growing number of vector-borne diseases in their jurisdictions and communities.

This three-day workshop features presentations from several of the top entomologists and IPM experts in the U.S., interactive group activities, and group discussion on a variety of important topics including:

• Integrated pest management
• Vector-borne diseases of public health importance
• Control methods for rodents, mosquitoes, and ticks
• Bed bug biology, control, and interactive inspection
• Vectors as bioterrorism agents
• Pesticides and "green" pest control
• Housing and lodging pests
• Food service pests
• Global climate change
• Identify vector-borne diseases as bioterror agents

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Attend a Regional Workshop

Flyer: Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests: the Importance of Integrated Pest Management (PDF)

Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests: The Importance of Integrated Pest Management trainings are hosted by local environmental and public health agencies, departments, or organizations for the benefit of their staff and partners. NEHA and CDC/NCEH do not select participants for the workshops; this is the responsibility of the host. If space is available, guests are often welcome. If you are interested in attending a workshop in your area, please contact Ginny Coyle at gcoyle@neha.org or 303-756-9090, ext. 346.

2013 Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests:
The Importance of Integrated Pest Management Training Schedule

This training is free; however participants are responsible for their own travel, per diem, lodging, parking, and/or other expenses.

This course is also available online at NEHA's e-Leaning site. For free access including free CE credits, please visit NEHA-CERT and click on the CDC Sponsored Programs link.

For resources on the topic of vector control, please visit the NEHA bookstore.

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Host a Workshop

CDC often with support from partners such as the Indian Health Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, provides funding for several IPM workshops each year. The three-day workshop features presentations, field exercises, and discussion led by nationally renowned entomologists, rodentologists, IPM experts, and environmental health professionals.

To be considered as a host for a Biology and Control of Vectors and Public Health Pests/IPM workshop, please send an introductory email to gcoyle@neha.org and include:

• brief explanation of the need for this training in your area,
• expected number of participants,
• desired location, and
• possible dates.

The workshop agenda is developed in collaboration with the host agency or organization to address local, state, and regional vector and pest issues such as biology and control of rodents, mosquitoes, ticks and other pests, vector-borne diseases, principles of IPM, health effects of pesticides, and other topics.

The course is intended for groups of approximately 50 attendees and is focused on training for the environmental public health workforce. However, limited seating is available for other public health disciplines along with housing officials, school leaders, pest control operators, and other professionals who are part of the IPM team.

Potential hosts should be prepared to recruit local and state environmental health professionals to participate in the workshop.
 

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Training Learning Objectives

Training Goal: To increase the competence and confidence of environmental health professionals in managing vectors and pests of public health importance to utilize a variety of control strategies, as well as identification and biology when addressing pest infestations.

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand the public health importance of vector-borne disease prevention
• Understand and apply basic principles of integrated pest management
• Identify bed bugs and determine control measures
• Understand the importance of IPM in schools
• Utilize knowledge of IPM strategies to reduce rodent populations
• Recognize and control pests and vectors in food and housing environments
• Apply IPM principles to reduce mosquito populations
• Compare the efficacy of tick control methods in various situations
• Give examples of health effects of pesticides
• Understand the impact of climate change to geographic movement of vectors
• Create messages for the public that appropriately indicate risks from vectors and public health pests

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Continuing Education Hours

This training has been approved for 14-18 NEHA Continuing Education Hours depending on the agenda for a specific location.
 

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More Information on Biology and Control of Vectors/IPM Program

Since the launch of the pilot workshop, NEHA has offered the IPM training as several pre-conference workshops to NEHA's Annual Educational Conference & Exhibition, as well as regional trainings in various states across the country. NEHA and CDC/NCEH has also partnered with the Indian Health Service in hosting IPM workshops.

Learn more about CDC/NCEH's Vector Control/Integrated Pest Management program. This site has links to information and resources for management of bed bugs, rodents, mosquitoes and other pests of public health importance.

For more information on the IPM Training workshops, please contact Ginny Coyle, Project Coordinator, at gcoyle@neha.org, 303-756-9090, ext. 346 or Elizabeth Landeen, R&D Assistant Manager, at elandeen@neha.org.

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Colorado Coalition of School Integrated Pest Management

As a member of the Colorado Coalition of School IPM, NEHA serves as an advisor to the School IPM Program at the Center for Sustainable Integrated Pest Management in Colorado at Colorado State University (CSU) with partners from Denver Public Schools, Thompson School District, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Education, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, CSU Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, CSU Extension at Adams County, CSU Extension at Douglas County, CSU Extension at Jefferson County, University of Colorado at Boulder—Facilities Management, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Colorado School IPM Program provides

• Educational materials and training on common pests
• Recommendations on low-risk methods of control
• Training on pesticide safety

Description of IPM principles from CSU, Healthy Colorado Schools (PDF):

IPM helps maintain a safe and healthy environment for students and staff and reduces exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. IPM emphasizes long-term prevention of pest problems through:

• Good sanitation in kitchens and garbage areas
• Physical barriers, such as screens and caulk to keep pests out of buildings
• Baits or traps to prevent or eliminate emerging problems
• Consideration of all pest management options

For more information on the Colorado Coalition of School IPM as well as newsletters on current topics of concern, please visit http://coloradoipmcenter.agsci.colostate.edu

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