July/August 2020: Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services

Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services Column

July/August 2020 Journal of Environmental Health (Volume 83, Number 1)

Editor's Note: NEHA strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature a column on environmental health services from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in every issue of the Journal.

In these columns, authors from CDC's Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, as well as guest authors, will share insights and information about environmental health programs, trends, issues, and resources. The conclusions of these columns are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of CDC.

Uncovering Environmental Health Needs and Opportunities

Maggie K. Byrne, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

S. Kayleigh Hall, MPH, REHS, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Natasha DeJarnett, MPH, PhD, National Environmental Health Association

Reem Tariq, MSEH, National Environmental Health Association

Madelyn Gustafson, National Environmental Health Association

Description

Health departments represent the frontline of public health but how much do we really know about the professionals working there? Profiles of state and local health departments provide helpful information about health department services and programs. Detailed information about the environmental health profession, however, is beyond the scope of those assessments.

To better understand environmental health professionals and the programs they lead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health, the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), and Baylor University partnered to conduct a first of its kind assessment of this critical group within governmental health departments. The initiative became known as Understanding the Needs, Challenges, Opportunities, Vision, and Emerging Roles in Environmental Health (UNCOVER EH). Overall, the final results included responses from 1,700 environmental health professionals from governmental public health programs at state, tribal, local, and territorial levels.

This month's column provides key takeaways from the UNCOVER EH initiative and recommendations to strengthen environmental health programs and address challenges facing the profession.

Read the July/August 2020 JEH Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services Column in Full

UNCOVERING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES (PDF)