Cultivating an environment free from threats and hazards
About
ASTHO’s Environmental Health Program helps state and territorial public health agencies build their capacity to respond to environmental public health challenges. ASTHO provides resources for these agencies on emerging environmental health issues and influences discussions and policymaking around environmental health to ensure the inclusion of state and territorial health perspectives in developing policy.
FrameWorks Institute Communications Project for Environmental Health
ASTHO, along with the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), has partnered with the FrameWorks Institute on a research project to help agencies working in environmental health policy, practice, research, and advocacy speak with a more consistent and strategic voice.
The FrameWorks Institute has developed a Map the Gaps report, which describes how experts and the general public understand the topics of environmental health in different ways, and identifies specific areas where communications can bridge those gaps by cultivating new ways of understanding. A complimentary flash presentation has also been developed to complement the report. Visit the FrameWorks Institute’s new Environmental Health page to learn more.
Built and Synthetic Environment
Strengthening environmental health capacity includes addressing land use and community design, harmful chemical exposure, and environmental threats in built-up areas.
Food Safety
Ensuring a safe food supply is fundamental to public health. Each year 48 million people are sickened by consuming contaminated food, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die.
Natural Environment
ASTHO helps states combat public health threats in the natural environment that include vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, as well as environmental health threats arising from natural disasters and other emergencies.
State Environmental Health Directors
The State Environmental Health Directors (SEHD) are an informal peer group supported by ASTHO with the goal of strengthening ties among states and partners and sharing best practices.
Tracking Environmental Health Hazards
This program supports environmental health programs within state and territorial health agencies, including data and surveillance, connectivity, workforce, performance and marketing.
Water Safety
ASTHO supports state and territorial health agencies as they confront with water-related issues caused by chemical and biological contaminants, new and emerging contaminants resistant to current treatment methods, deteriorating infrastructures, the threat of intentional contamination, and the effects of climate change.
Staff
Jim Blumenstock, MA, Chief, Public Health Practice
Kerry Williams, MEM, Senior Director, Environmental Health
Abraham Kulungara, MPH, Director, Environmental Health
Nancy Goff, MPH, Director, Environmental Health
Ify Mordi, MPH, Senior Analyst, Environmental Health
Kathleen Dolan, MHS, Analyst, Environmental Health