|
In order to involve stakeholders,
incorporate needs and issues, and utilize their expertise in planning for an
Environmental Health Tracking Network, we have convened
a Planning Consortium composed of representatives from local agencies,
community-based and non-governmental organizations, environmental advocacy
groups, the University of California, and state and federal agencies such as
US EPA, California Department of Health Services, and Cal/EPA.
Over the course of five meetings, the Planning Consortium
has contributed significantly toward planning for an Environmental Health
Tracking Network in California; especially toward our understanding of
stakeholder perspectives and needs. The consortium is currently
facilitating the development of protocols and policies for an Environmental
Health Tracking System in California. Examples include:
accountability mechanisms, transparency policies, stakeholder
involvement/public participation guidelines, procedures for responding to
community concerns/requests, etc.
Click here for more information
and update regarding the Planning Consortium >> |
|
A key step in the planning process is to identify and prioritize needs,
issues, and concerns among key stakeholders including: non-governmental
organizations, local health departments, and local environmental health
departments. To that end, a Needs Assessment Workgroup was convened to assist in the development and
implementation of a needs assessment strategy.
Findings from the needs
assessment will be used to inform the strategic plan for Environmental
Health Tracking in California
as well as to inform outreach/education and training activities. Specific
objectives include determining:
 Stakeholders' priority
hazards, exposures, and health outcomes for Environmental Health Tracking
and related issues/concerns;
How to build stakeholder
capacity;
Specific training needs of
stakeholders; and
How to communicate
Environmental Health Tracking information.
Click here to learn more about
the Needs Assessment activities >> |
|
We are
conducting a technical assessment and developing a plan for designing a
standards-based electronic tracking network that would link environmental
and health data in California. A Technical Team has been convened
to assist in preparing a report, which will address the following issues
regarding the technical needs and requirements of the CEHTP:
Future
Assessment - assessment of individual surveillance systems to describe
purpose, scope, capabilities, and human, technological, and financial
resources of each system.
Prioritization
of tracking data partners - establish a set of criteria for prioritizing
staged inclusion of tracking data partners in the CEHTP.
Hardware
and software needs - assess network capacity, storage capacity, load and
access routing, server redundancy, web servers, application servers,
enterprise GIS solutions, data translation/messaging engines, and relational
database base management systems.
Click here to learn more about
the Technical Assessment activities >> |
|
The purpose of outreach and
training activities are to increase knowledge/ awareness of and
interest in environmental health tracking; identify and foster partnerships;
and build environmental health tracking capacity.
To that end, an Outreach and Training Workgroup has
been convened to assist in the
development and implementation of strategies for stakeholder outreach and
training related to environmental health tracking.
This workgroup will assist in educating key stakeholders on
the benefits, limitations, and uses of environmental health tracking;
building support/constituency for environmental health tracking; and
increasing local capacity.
The team will also assist in the development of long-term outreach and
training recommendations.
Click here to learn more about
outreach and training activities >> |
|
This pilot project focuses on health events and environmental data from
Alameda County in 2001. Data will be collected and analyzed regarding:
Traffic
patterns and the dispersal of traffic-related pollution;
Health
care usage (such as hospitalizations and the purchase of asthma medications)
by people with asthma;
The
birth of low birthweight and pre-term infants, which may also be associated
with pollution exposure.
This pilot project is also involving stakeholders in order to determine whether
environmental health tracking can be useful to communities. We will use
input to create and disseminate pilot project materials in ways that are
most accessible and useful to stakeholders. Lessons learned from this
process will also inform the planning of statewide and national tracking
networks. Without this participation, it will be difficult to create a
tracking network that fulfills its potential as a resource for all
organizations, particularly those that directly serve the community.
Click here to learn more about the
Alameda County Pilot Project >> |
|
This pilot project focuses on the Central Valley and South Coast air basins
of California. Using existing surveillance and monitoring systems, the
project will link data from these regions for:
Patterns
and dispersal of airborne hazards, such as pesticides, airborne toxic
substances, and criteria air pollutants
Blood
lead levels in infants and mothers
Low
birthweight and pre-term births
Occurrences
of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Children
diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Children
diagnosed with Mental Retardation
By serving as a "road test" of an environmental health tracking system, this
pilot project will allow us to explore the information needs of NGOs and
county agencies; investigate potential uses of environmental health data;
evaluate the feasibility of ongoing surveillance using routinely collected
data sources; and determine how lessons learned may be applied to tracking
other exposures and chronic diseases.
Click here to learn more about
the Central Valley/South Coast Pilot Project >> |
|
