Local Environmental Health in Colorado Presentation to the Colorado State Board of Health July 22, 2008 Jim Rada, REHS President Colorado Directors of.

Local Environmental Health in Colorado

Presentation to the Colorado State Board of Health

July 22, 2008

Jim Rada, REHSPresident

Colorado Directors of Environmental Health

Colorado Directors of Colorado Directors of Environmental HealthEnvironmental Health

LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES

Gray: Organized Health Departments • White: Nursing Services

White with Spot: Nursing Service Counties with Local Environmental Services

Key Environmental Health Services Provided at the Local Level

• Retail Food Safety • Water Quality• Communicable and Zoonotic Disease• Air Quality• Emergency Preparedness• Integrating Land Use and EH

Enhanced Environmental Health Services at the Local Level

Oil and GasClimate Change AsthmaIndoor Air QualityOccupational Health Meth LabsTransportation PlanningPollution PreventionConfined Animal Feeding Water Pollution

Body ArtHazardous Waste Solid Waste Drinking WaterLeadHAZMAT Policy and Regulation

Advocacy

Food Safety

A safe food supply comes with many challenges

Food is big business in Colorado

Local food safety resources are stretched thin

More resources are needed

Water Quality• Water/Wastewater

• Aging infrastructure

• Oil and Gas impacts

•Impaired water bodies•Fish consumption advisories for mercury

Communicable and Zoonotic Disease

• Outbreak Investigation (foodborne illness, institutions, pools)

• Many diseases are sporadic or cyclical (Plague, West Nile Virus)

• Surveillance and response funding issues

Air Quality

• Locals often first point of contact

• Thousands of new emission sources

• Oil and gas impacts• Ozone issues• Greenhouse Gas

and Climate Change Initiatives

Emergency Preparedness

• Readiness for Community Public Health Emergencies

• Emergency planning money is diminishing

Land Use and EH

• Community growth and development has a PH component

• Helping to build Healthier Communities

Oil & Gas Wells in Colorado

Ongoing Environmental Health Challenges

• Strengthening cooperation/coordination between state/local environmental health and nursing programs

• Leveling environmental health services in all counties

• Funding environmental health programs adequately to address needs

• Establishing environmental public health leadership in our communities

Finding and retaining the best professional employees available

LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES

Gray: Organized Health Departments • White: Nursing Services

White with Spot: Nursing Service Counties with Local Environmental Services

NEW STRUCTURE IN COLORADO

Part 5

County & District

Health Departments

Part 6

Public Health

Nursing Services

Part 7

Regional Health

Departments

Local Public Health Agency

The new law creates one type of local public health agency that fits with the needs and resources of the community it

serves.

PUBLIC HEALTH REAUTHORIZATION ACT

CDEH looks forward to assisting the State Board of Health to establish public health services and standards for Colorado.

CDEH will gladly serve any local public health agency to develop a local public health plan based on the state plan.

CDEH will actively participate in the development of the statewide public health plan will be approved by the State Board of Health.

http://www.publichealthalliance.org

Colorado Directors of Colorado Directors of Environmental HealthEnvironmental Health