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California Tracking No. 9 spring 2005The Newsletter of the California Environmental Health Tracking Program |
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In This Issue One of the main goals of CEHTP is to provide better and more complete information about the health of Californians and the environment. In addition, CEHTP is committed to facilitating the effective application and integration of this information in public health activities. This commitment includes assessing and increasing stakeholder capacity to translate information into actions and policies by connecting stakeholders to relevant tools and resources, as well as directly providing resources, training, and technical assistance. In this issue, we offer some thoughts, news, and resources related to facilitating the use of information to build community capacity and enhance public health functions.
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It takes a considerable and concerted effort on the part of a diverse group of stakeholders (including community leaders and advocates, state and local health and environmental agencies, health care providers, policy makers, non-governmental organizations, etc.) to work toward the goal of healthy people in healthy communities.
In addition to improving the quality and availability of environmental health information, CEHTP is working to facilitate the effective use of information among stakeholders for various reasons including: 1) Information is only as good as people's ability to utilize it. Information can be powerful; however, people need the skills, resources, relationships, and tools to integrate data, take action, and create change. 2) It cannot be expected or assumed that availability and dissemination of information (no matter how good the information is) will automatically lead to effective policies and actions. 3) Many stakeholders (especially communities that are overburdened by diseases and environmental risk factors) have limited resources/infrastructure and experience using data. When better equipped to understand and use environmental health information, they can become stronger partners in the pursuit of public health goals by translating information into actions and policies. 4) Many public agencies collect, analyze, interpret, and disseminate data; however, they are limited in their ability to take direct public health actions. Therefore, it is important not only to ensure that information collected by these agencies gets to the right stakeholders but also to ensure that stakeholders are better equipped to use that information. In order to begin closing the gap between public health information and practice, CEHTP is working to strengthen stakeholder capacity, expertise, and resources to find, understand, integrate, and utilize environmental health information in carrying out public health activities (such as interventions, advocacy, research, policy development, evaluation, etc.). This priority echoes the stakeholder feedback CEHTP has gathered as well as the recommendations of the Senate Bill 702 Expert Working Group. CEHTP has begun to address stakeholder capacity, first by listening to and learning from stakeholders via a series of needs assessments and various forums. Based on initial findings, CEHTP provided local capacity-building mini-grants (see winter 2004 newsletter), collaborated with the University of California Center for Environmental Public Health Tracking to conduct a pilot environmental health data workshop for community leaders and advocates (also winter 2004 issue), and informed stakeholders about existing health and environmental data sources (see winter 2003 issue). CEHTP is also developing various software applications and services that could help organizations to better analyze and utilize environmental health data. One of the CEHTP pilot projects is also working with an advisory group to determine how best to increase community capacity to apply project results and findings toward community actions and policies. Also, while CEHTP may be limited - by scope, funding, and expertise - in providing direct resources and trainings, we strive to link stakeholders to relevant resources whenever appropriate and possible (see next article). Finally, CEHTP continues to seek
input from stakeholders regarding these issues. We must
address these issues in appropriate and strategic ways that
are useful and parallel to stakeholder needs and that
empower communities. Please contact us if you would like to
share any ideas and suggestions. We welcome everyone's
feedback. |
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For this issue, CEHTP has compiled a list of resources and tools - organizations and publications - related to environmental health, data and information, organizational and community capacity, and public health practice. This compendium is not meant to be exhaustive - the list is just a snapshot of the myriad of existing resources. CEHTP is developing a searchable, online version of resources that will be more systematic and comprehensive. The resources below are fairly general rather than specific to an issue such as asthma advocacy (see Community Action to Fight Asthma) or location such as Oakland (see InfoOakland).
CEHTP encourages readers to let us know which resources in this issue are particularly useful and why. We also encourage readers to share other resources and success stories/models (especially related to effective application of information for action). This will help us to better shape and prioritize future capacity building endeavors. Please send us your feedback through our online feedback form form or email us. Understanding/Analyzing/Managing Data:
Using Data & Information to Improve the Public's Health:
Advocacy:
Community Assessment & Program Planning:
General Public Health Practice & Capacity
Environmental Health Information & Research:
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One of the best ways to increase personal knowledge and build organizational capacity is to connect with others who are working on similar issues and toward similar goals. A great forum in which to do this as well as learn about the role of environmental contaminants and other environmental factors in many of the common diseases, disorders and conditions is the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE). CHE is a nationwide network of 1400 organizational and individual Partners in 47 states and 18 countries. The purpose of CHE is to highlight emerging science in the environmental health field, share information on respective activities, incubate new ideas and opportunities, and invite Partners to present on particular environmental health themes. CHE offers a number of working and discussion groups, which convene via listserv and teleconference. Some of these groups include: Cancer Working Group, Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative Working Group, Fertility/Early Pregnancy Compromise Working Group, and EMF Discussion Group on Electromagnetic Fields. CHE invites researchers and
scientists, health care providers, health affected groups,
environmental health and justice advocates and anyone
concerned about and committed to addressing environmental
health issues and their link to chronic health problems. To
find out more and to join CHE, visit the website at:
www.cheforhealth.org or email Eleni Sotos, CHE National
Coordinator at
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For the 2005-2006 legislative
session, Senator Martha Escutia has introduced the
environmental health data tracking bill (SB 849). This bill
would require the establishment of an Interagency Office of
Environmental Health Tracking
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The US Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting grant applications from community-based organizations to support projects that address a community's exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. The focus for this year's funding is collaborative partnerships. Due date: April 4, 2005 Award amount: $25,000 - $75,000
Center for Civic Partnerships Annual Conference April 21-22, 2005 Doubletree Berkeley Marina, Berkeley, California
2005 Joint Annual Meeting of the California Public Health Association - North (CPHA-N) and the Southern California Public Health Association (SCPHA). April 4 & 5, 2005 Hilton Oakland Airport, Oakland, California The Second Annual National Environmental Public Health Tracking Conference - sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other governmental and non-governmental partners. April 20-22, 2005
Atlanta, Georgia |
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Disclaimer: Links to non-CEHTP resources are provided solely as a service. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these resources and none should be inferred. CEHTP is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages or documents found at these links. |
The
potential of an environmental health tracking system in the
pursuit of that goal is immense; however, achieving this
potential will ultimately depend on the ability of
stakeholders to use tracking information to carry out
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Joining CHE means they promise to send only two e-mails a
month from the CHE National listserv. CHE costs nothing to
join and the benefits are shared information and
opportunities for further engagement.
composed
of the California Department of Health Services, the
California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA), and
the University of California for the purpose of implementing
the California Health Tracking Program. Below are some key
points from the bill. More information about the bill
including the full text can be found at
Coordinate
the multiple tracking data collection activities across
various state agencies and work to promote access to
priority databases in order to integrate data into the
California Environmental Health Tracking System.
Collate
and analyze data to identify trends and geographic patterns
of disease and environmental hazards or exposures in
relation to socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity;
provide baseline data and present descriptive information
relevant to policy formation; develop a strategic plan, in
consultation with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard
Assessment, for obtaining missing information on chemicals
as necessary for analyzing significant environmental
exposures and potentially damaging health and environmental
effects.
