ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
TABLE 5
Percent Agreement of Recommended Educational Requirements by Program Area According to Staff and Manager Respondents
Program
% Agreement * Staff/Manager
High School Diploma or GED
Associate’s Degree
Bachelor’s Degree
Science
Any Field
Science
Any Field
50/58 23/27
Food safety/food protection
7/6
15/18
7/1
21/17 22/19
Emergency preparedness (includes on an as-needed basis) Swimming pools/recreational water safety
18/23
7/11
20/12
17/14 12/11 13/20
17/18 15/16 21/18 14/17 13/15 11/15 12/16
9/7 6/4 8/9 8/6
45/43 55/56 45/44 54/56 44/50 45/52 46/52 50/51
13/18 12/13
Potable water
Zoonoses, vectors, pests (vector control)
13/9
Onsite wastewater
8/7
15/14 22/19 20/18 10/18 17/12
School safety and inspection
9/10 8/13 10/8
13/5 10/3 22/6
Body art
Early childcare/daycare
Lead prevention
13/19
20/9
0/9
* Bolded numbers indicate that a majority of both staff and managers agreed with the education level.
Work Distribution and Flexibility of the Workforce More than 50% of respondents performed duties in at least five di erent EPH program areas. The range of activities required for food safety/food protection, onsite waste- water, swimming pools/recreational water safety, and potable water programs requires an understanding of microbiology and chem- istry as well as systems thinking. Education and training across these domains allow for workforce flexibility to meet diverse program needs. A flexible workforce is also needed to sta seasonally active programs and respond to natural or human-made disasters. Training investments should consider these cross-cut- ting topic areas and emerging needs to ensure adequate response to community needs. Moreover, responding to natural disasters is an important aspect that should be incorpo- rated across programs. Workload Standards Developing common expectations for work- load demands is a vital part of defining a shared sense of identity among EPH profes- sionals and their departments. Workload expectations for specific programs should
account for the duties they perform in other EPH programs. Comparisons between sta and manager responses showed only small di erences in reasonable workloads for most programs, with the strongest agreement for food safety/food protection. The high degree ofworkloadagreementbetweensta and managers for food safety/food protection is likely due to more data points (i.e., more food establishments and, therefore, more inspec- tions) for this program to inform the views ofbothsta andmanagers.Additionally, national guidance from FDA has been widely accepted (FDA, 2024).
Preference between state- or NEHA-adminis- tered REHS/RS might be due to state-specific registration requirements. Another added value to the credential is the requirement for continuing education attainment that ensures EPH professionals stay current on methods and practices. Therefore, prioritiz- ing EPH professionals who have an REHS/RS will aid in maximizing workforce flexibility and the utility of training dollars. The combination of a bachelor’s degree and REHS/RS credential is likely the most desir- able because the combination allows for flex- ibility in performing duties for multiple pro- grams and allows for transferability of skills between EPH departments. The combination might also enhance sta promotion potential and allow managers flexibility to adjust FTEs as budgets dictate, thereby facilitating work- force retention. In addition to education and credentials, most respondents emphasized the impor- tance of on-the-job training. The high level of agreement between sta and managers in this regard might be the result of a professional culture that prioritizes field experience. EPH professionals generally start in the field as sta and, as opportunities arise, they are promoted
Education and Certification Standards
To promote versatility and flexibility in sta , a minimum education requirement for an EPH professional is recommended as a bach- elor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree with some completion of science courses is required for some credentialing, such as the NEHA- administered REHS/RS, which was a highly valued credential across all programs. These credentials provide a foundational framework for credential holders to work across program areas, which adds value to the credential.
26
Volume 88 • Number 1
Powered by FlippingBook