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NEHA is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for  Environmental Health (CDC/NCEH), as one of numerous national partner organizations, on the development and implementation of the Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) Network. The EPHT Program, facilitated by CDC, is building a national public and environmental health information system that supports national efforts to exchange electronic information. The health tracking network aims to better protect communities from adverse health effects through collection, analysis, integration, and interpretation of data about environmental hazards, exposure to environmental hazards, and human health effects potentially related to exposures. 

In recognition of the importance of this program, a position paper on Environmental Public Health Tracking was submitted which was recently adopted by the NEHA Board during the Spring Board Meeting. 

NEHA’s current EPHT project objectives include:

• Assessing environmental health professionals' current level of knowledge and understanding of EPHT.
• Increasing knowledge of the nationwide health tracking initiative by disseminating relevant information.

EPHT Program Resources

• Environmental Health Public Tracking Fact Sheet (includes summary of NEHA membership EPHT survey results)
• CDC/NCEH EPHT Program
• CDC – One Stop Shop for Environmental Health Data
• CDC – GIS and Public Health
• Conferences/Workshops
• CDC – National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program:  "Keeping Track, Promoting Health"
• NACCHO PACE EH Online Module

National Partner Organizations

• Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)
• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
• Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)
• Environmental Council of the States (ECOS)
• National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
• Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)

Continuing Education

Tracking 101 – CDC Sponsored Course
CDC, in cooperation with NEHA CERT is pleased to provide a free course entitled, Tracking 101 as an introduction and overview of the major components involved in Environmental Public Health Tracking in 12 interactive modules. The course is available online on an ongoing basis and may be taken in all or in part at any time by anyone within the public health field, or by whomever is personally interested in this topic.

The goal of Tracking is to provide information that can be used to plan, apply, and evaluate actions to prevent and control environmentally related diseases. CDC is currently leading the initiative to build a National Environmental Public Health Network (EPHT), to integrate these three types of data into a standardized electronic network.

For free access to this CDC sponsored course, including free CE credits, visit NEHA-CERT and click on the CDC Sponsored Programs link.