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Environmental Health Ten Essential Services – Incorporating Cortland County Environmental Health Program Activities 1. Monitor environmental and health status to identify community environmental health problems. • Monitor communicable disease reports that may be linked to environmental factors • Develop useful environmental health indicators 2. Diagnose and investigate environmental health problems and health hazards in the community. • Investigate and act upon all complaints. • Investigate and evaluate environmental exposures within the community 3. Inform, educate, and empower people about environmental health issues. • Provide educational presentations on environmental topics and issues. 4. Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve environmental health problems • Collaborate with the Cortland County Soil and Water, Planning Department, municipalities and the Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC) to ensure aquifer protection. • Collaborate with the Community Action Program to provide radon testing, remediation, and outreach education. • Collaborate with local planning agencies and town boards to develop aquifer protection districts and radon reduction initiatives. • Collaborate with the NYS Conference of Directors of Environmental Services to influence statewide regulations, policy, procedures, and issues impacting the County. • Work with the Cortland County Department of Social Services, local code enforcement agencies, and various housing assistance agencies to better assure safe and healthy housing within the community. • Cooperate with local code enforcement agencies to enhance code enforcement efforts and reduce redundant services. • Collaborate with the Cortland County Emergency Management Office, the Cortland County Local Emergency Preparedness Committee and other emergency management agencies to facilitate emergency planning and response. • Collaborate with the Regional Epi-Alliance for emergency preparedness. • Cooperate and encourage continued communication with State agencies (DEC, A&M, DOH) to enhance our local environmental programs and efforts. • Cooperate with the Syracuse Water Department with the enforcement of the Skaneateles Watershed Rules and Regulations. ---PAGE BREAK--- • Partner with the Syracuse Water Department in investigating the feasibility of alternate sewage system within the Skaneateles Watershed. 5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and community environmental health efforts • Develop revisions to the local sanitary code when needs are identified. • Evaluate and update current policies as needed. • Implement workplans that increase aquifer protection. • Implement workplans that reduce radon exposures. • Implement workplans that control and monitor vector-borne diseases. • Implement policies that may help reduce asthma hospitalization rates. 6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety • Enforce the NYS Public Health Laws, NYS Sanitary Code and the Cortland County Sanitary Code. • Prevent waterborne disease outbreaks/ assure safe drinking water through the enforcement of Part 5 of the • Prevent foodborne disease through enforcement of Part 14 of the • Reduce tobacco exposure through the enforcement of the Clean Indoor Air Act. • Reduce the prevalence of elevated blood leads exceeding 15ug/dL by enforcement of Part 67 of the and by participation in local lead poisoning prevention initiatives. 7. Link people to needed environmental health services and assure the provision of environmental health services when otherwise unavailable • Refer people to the appropriate agency to resolve their environmental issues, such as: NYS DEC, NYS DOH, NYS DOL, NYS A&M, NIOSH, OSHA, PESH, Local Code Enforcement Offices, Syracuse Water Department/ Skaneateles Watershed, Cortland County Soil and Water, Cortland County DSS, Medical Providers, and Legal Services. • Link people to needed services such as sewage system contractors, radon remediation contractors, certified lead paint abatement contractors, and veterinarian services. • Explore funding options for currently cost prohibitive services such as lead abatement, new wells, and replacement of sewage systems. • Provide services that are otherwise unavailable such as inspection of well installations, annual petroleum bulk storage tank inspections, inspection of residential sewage system installations, complaint-generated rental housing inspections, mosquito surveillance and control, and rabies exposure response. • Respond and investigate interventions to public health nuisances. ---PAGE BREAK--- 8. Assure a competent environmental health workforce • Continue to provide training to staff when available. • Train multiple staff to be Food Standardized Inspection Officers and Certified Pool Inspectors. • Provide further training to staff in environmental risk and exposures. 9. Evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population based environmental health services • Participate in and cooperate with program reviews by the NYSDOH. • Evaluate effectiveness of environmental health policies, procedures, and regulations. 10. Conduct research for new insights and innovative solutions to environmental health problems and issues. • Encourage further research into Best Management Practices for the spreading of liquid manure and its effects on ground water. • Provide continual support for and direction to the USGS in researching County aquifer studies. • Continue participation in the Skaneateles Watershed Feasibility Study for alternate sewage systems for lots that lack adequate space or soils for a conventional sewage system.