Introduction
Environmental public health (EPH) professionals play a crucial role in safeguarding public health and ensuring the well-being and prosperity of our communities. Local governmental EPH programs employ a sig- nificant number of dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to pro - tect the food we consume, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the environments in which we live, work, and play. The importance of local governmental EPH programs cannot be overstated, as they con- tribute to the overall health of the public and serve a vital function in national security. Research has consistently demonstrated the positive impact of local health department (LHD) activities and investments on reducing the inci- dence of EPH-related diseases (Bekemeier et al., 2015; Fan et al., 2020). Moreover, senior leadership at both state and local health departments has recognized the essential nature of EPH services (Leider et al., 2015). Despite the crucial role EPH professionals play in promoting and protect- ing public health, national guidance on the optimal structure and organi- zation of local EPH departments is absent. The absence of a standardized framework for local EPH departments poses significant challenges for EPH officials seeking to secure the nec - essary resources, including staff, funding, and equipment, to effectively carry out their duties. Without clear benchmarks and guidelines, EPH programs struggle to justify their needs, potentially compromising the health, safety, and prosperity of the communities they serve. To address this gap, this guide presents scalable program guidelines that can be adapted to meet the diverse needs, resources, and organizational struc- tures of EPH departments across different jurisdictions, while maintain- ing essential standards for protecting community health.
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