NEHA 2026 AEC Wrap-Up
tance. Through classroom instruction, collaborative exercises, and a hands- on field tour, attendees strengthened practical skills in identifying pest activ- ity, assessing environmental conditions, and applying evidence-based inte- grated pest management strategies. • Private Water Network’s Well Under Pressure: Advancing Competencies to Empower Private Well Professionals: This workshop consisted of three ses- sions that covered private well systems, assessment, and water quality testing. The workshop concluded with a 3-part tabletop exercise, in which teams of attendees worked through a fictional private well contamination scenario to develop initial response actions, a sam- pling plan, and homeowner-specific recommendations based on laboratory results that reflected different contami - nation profiles. Affiliate Workshop More than 30 affiliate presidents and rep - resentatives gathered for this preconfer- ence workshop focused on connection, collaboration, and shared learning. The session provided an opportunity for affili - ate leaders to engage directly with NEHA and one another, sharing challenges, suc- cesses, and practical tools to better sup- port environmental health professionals. Through discussions on NEHA and affiliate engagement, attendees explored opportunities to strengthen their part- nerships, make greater use of shared resources, and support environmental health education and training at the state and regional levels. The collaboration session, “Connecting Affiliates Through Shared Strengths,” encouraged attendees to learn from one another, identify com- mon goals, and build connections that can extend beyond the workshop. By sharing experiences and exploring new approaches to collaboration, affiliate lead - ers helped identify ways to strengthen the network of support for environmental health professionals.
Preconference Workshops Attendees could add to their 2026 AEC experience by attending one of seven pre- conference workshops. These workshops provided attendees with focused learn- ing opportunities that were led by sub- ject matter experts in specialized areas of environmental health practice, including climate health, food safety, recreational waters, water quality, workforce develop- ment, and vector control. • Aquatic Venue Public Health Inspector Course: This course provided attendees with an in-depth exploration of public pool inspection practices, emphasiz- ing the vital role environmental health professionals play in protecting pub- lic health and ensuring safe recre- ational water environments. Offered by the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code and based on the CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code, the train- ing equipped attendees with valuable knowledge and practical guidance for conducting thorough, effective inspec- tions of public aquatic facilities. Attend- ees gained a stronger understanding of aquatic health and safety standards, inspection procedures, and strategies for identifying and addressing potential public health risks. • Calm in the Chaos: Practical De-Esca- lation Skills for Environmental Health Professionals: In this engaging work- shop, Alicia Love and Dr. Lucy Hough- ton guided attendees through practi- cal strategies for navigating conflict, managing difficult conversations, and de-escalating tense situations. Through real-world scenarios, interactive exer- cises, group discussions, and personal reflection, attendees explored tech - niques for remaining calm under pres- sure, building trust, and fostering more productive interactions with different groups. The workshop provided attend- ees with valuable skills to approach challenging encounters with greater confidence, empathy, and effectiveness. • CDC BRACE Framework: Building Resilience Against Climate Effects: We collaborated with experts from ecoAmerica and the American Public Health Association to deliver this train- ing on CDC’s BRACE (Building Resil- ience Against Climate Effects) Frame- work. Topics covered included how climate change affects human health, what the key elements of the BRACE framework are, and strategies for apply-
ing the BRACE framework in practice. The workshop provided attendees with practical tools, real-world examples, and collaborative approaches for imple- menting BRACE. The workshop also included interactive activities in which attendees were able to start mapping out the first steps of applying BRACE in their programs. • Climate Ambassador Workshop: We partnered with experts from ecoAmer- ica to deliver this workshop that cov- ered topics such as the drivers of cli- mate change, climate change impacts on individual and community health, and strategies for climate change miti- gation and adaptation. Through interac- tive exercises, attendees practiced skills for communication and public engage- ment on climate change as a public health priority. • FDA Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards Self-Assessment and Veri- fication Audit Workshop: This work- shop provided attendees with a deeper understanding of the nine FDA Volun- tary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards and the processes used to assess and verify compliance. Through practical exercises, attendees explored approaches to meeting the standards, gained hands-on experience using worksheets and forms to conduct verification audits, and learned how to electronically compile and maintain assessment results. • Know the Signs, Stop the Spread: Practical Pests Control With Purpose: Through our collaboration with Gulf South VECTOR, this workshop brought together attendees from code enforce- ment, food safety, housing, community health, pest control, and related fields to address rodents, cockroaches, flies, and other pests of public health impor-
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Volume 89 • Number 4
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