ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTITIONER
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
CDC Vessel Sanitation Program Receives HHS Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) has been recognized with a 2026 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service. The honor recognizes VSP’s envi- ronmental health professionals and their contributions to protect- ing the health of millions of cruise ship passengers and crew mem- bers each year. Each year, HHS recognizes individuals and teams for exceptional and meritorious achievements that contribute significantly to the department’s mission and goals. The Secretary’s Award for Distin- guished Service is the department’s highest honor and recognizes HHS employees for sustained excellence. VSP was selected for the 2026 honor from among thousands of programs across HHS. “We are truly honored to receive the HHS award and incredibly proud of the environmental health work we do,” said CDR Drew Kupper, MPH, REHS, an officer of the U.S. Public Health Service and acting chief of VSP. VSP works with the cruise ship industry to prevent and con- trol public health issues aboard cruise ships. Cruise travel brings large numbers of people together in shared environments, creat- ing opportunities for illness to spread. According to CDC, illness can result from contaminated food or water and, more commonly, through person-to-person contact. Gastrointestinal illnesses can spread through food and water and through contact with fre- quently touched surfaces, shared utensils, and other people. Public health concerns aboard ships can also include Legionella , pests and insects, and maintaining clean air and water. Under the Public Health Service Act, VSP has jurisdiction over cruise ships that carry 13 or more passengers and have a foreign itinerary with U.S. ports. The program conducts unannounced sanitation inspections to assess how well ships operate and main- tain public health standards. Those inspections examine eight major areas aboard cruise ships and help identify violations and needed corrective actions. Inspection is only one component of the program’s work. VSP monitors illness data and investigates and responds to outbreaks; reviews ship design and construction plans for compliance with public health standards; trains cruise ship leaders, staff, and designers on public health practices; and helps build the evidence base for environmental public health practices aboard cruise ships. The program also provides passengers with inspection scores and reports, information about outbreaks it investigates, and guidance for staying healthy while cruising.
The program’s responsibilities encompass a broad range of environmental health protections. Its work includes maintain- ing standards related to potable water protection, recreational water safety, food service sanitation, wastewater disposal, infec- tion control, and environmental sanitation. Through collabora- tion with ship owners and operators, VSP applies environmen- tal health principles in a setting where prevention, surveillance, rapid response, and sound operational practices are essential to protecting public health. That work also creates a direct connection between VSP and the traveling public. CDC makes cruise ship inspection scores and reports available to passengers, including information about violations and recommendations for addressing them. The pro- gram also shares information about outbreaks it investigates and provides practical guidance for healthy cruising, including what passengers can do if they become ill while onboard. By making this information publicly available, VSP gives travelers access to information about sanitation conditions and illness events while reinforcing the prevention practices that support health aboard cruise ships. The scale of that responsibility continues to grow as cruise travel expands. CDC reports that more than 20 million passen- gers embarked from North American ports for cruise vacations in 2025. With passengers and crew living, dining, and recreating in close proximity, cruise ships present distinctive environmental public health challenges that require coordination across multiple areas of practice. The shipboard environment brings together food service, drinking and recreational water systems, sanitation, infec- tion control, pest management, air quality, and other public health considerations within a single setting. VSP’s work therefore com- bines routine prevention with the ability to identify and respond to illness when it occurs. VSP addresses these challenges through inspection, surveil- lance, outbreak response, training, plan review, technical consul- tation, and collaboration with the cruise ship industry. Together, these activities support high public health standards aboard vessels and provide both the industry and traveling public with informa- tion and tools that can help prevent illness. The 2026 Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service recognizes VSP’s sustained contributions to the HHS mission and the envi- ronmental health professionals whose work supports the program. The honor also highlights the role environmental health plays in protecting travelers in an increasingly important and complex public health setting. Please join us in congratulating VSP on this honor.
People on the Move is designed to keep NEHA members informed about what their peers in environmental health are up to. If you or someone you know has received a promotion, changed careers, or earned a special recognition in the profession, please notify Kristen Ruby-Cisneros at kruby@neha.org. It is our pleasure to announce the achievements and new directions of our members. This feature will run when we have material to print—so be sure to send in your announcements!
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Volume 89 • Number 3
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