accept that misinformation will travel fur- ther, faster, and deeper than truth—in fact, 6 times faster (Vosoughi et al., 2018). It is important to recognize that people’s relation- ships to information are emotional and that legitimate concerns often exist. Actively lis- tening in and of itself often addresses some of the emotions of an issue. Here are some of the challenges faced in building and supporting strong local (regional or state) environmental public health programs: • Limited Funding: Many governments face budgetary constraints that can limit their ability to adequately fund and sta envi- ronmental health programs. Programs funded solely by fees are susceptible to fluctuations in funding as the regulated industry often fluctuates, which creates the need to grow or cut programs based on lags versus needs. • Technical Expertise: Maintaining a sta with the necessary expertise to address a wide range of environmental health issues can be challenging. Hiring sta with a range of skills and knowledge bases is also a chal- lenge. Further, retaining sta , especially with salaries that are not at an adequate level, impacts maintaining a skilled workforce. • Political Pressure: Environmental pub- lic health decisions can be controversial. Locally elected or appointed ocials might make political decisions that conflict with improving long-term health outcomes. • Data Availability: Comprehensive and timely data are needed to assess environ- mental health risks. The data can, how- ever, be hard to obtain or interpret at the local level. • Changing Environmental Threats: With climate change and other evolving chal-
lenges, local governments face unpredict- able and emerging threats that can be hard to anticipate and address. • Public Awareness and Engagement: There might be a lack of understanding or even skepticism about environmental health risks among the public. • Regulatory Challenges: At times, local reg- ulations might be insucient or outdated, and it can be hard to navigate overlapping state and federal laws. Here are a few ways in which we can over- come these challenges: • Diversify Funding Streams: Local govern- ments can look to a mix of fees and federal grants, state support, public–private partner- ships, and innovative funding mechanisms to bolster environmental health programs. • Capacity Building: Assure access to con- tinuous training and workshops for fed- eral, state, and local environmental health staff and industry to ensure they are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills. (Check out the educational o erings from NEHA at www.neha.org/education.) • Public Engagement and Education: Engage the community through workshops, public meetings, and educational campaigns to increase awareness, build trust, and garner support for environmental health initia- tives. Stories that are supported by data are very important to consider. • Collaboration: Partner with universities, nonprofits, and other agencies to bring in added expertise and resources. Collabora- tive e orts can also lead to shared solutions and stronger advocacy at higher govern- mental levels. • Data Collection and Technology: Invest in monitoring equipment, data analysis tools, and technological solutions to ensure accu-
rate, timely, and actionable environmental health data. • Clear Regulatory Frameworks: Streamline and update local regulations to provide clear guidelines for businesses and the commu- nity. Collaborate with state and federal enti- ties to ensure cohesive and comprehensive regulatory approaches. Regularly review and update environmental health plans and strategies to account for new information and emerging threats. • Advocacy: Engage in active advocacy at the state and federal levels to secure the necessary support, resources, and legisla- tive changes. • Feedback Mechanisms: Establish feed- back loops with the community and other partners to regularly review the e ective- ness of interventions and recalibrate strat- egies as needed. • Inclusive Decision Making: Ensure that decisions are made with the involvement of those groups most impacted, especially mar- ginalized communities that might bear a dis- proportionate environmental health burden. By adopting a proactive and collaborative approach, local governmental environmental health programs can address hyperlocal and global challenges and ensure the well-being of communities in the face of evolving envi- ronmental threats.
tbutts@neha.org
Reference Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). The spread of true and false news online. Sci- ence , 359 (6380), 1146–1151. https://doi. org/10.1126/science.aap9559
The National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP) is a 400-hr paid internship opportunity that links environmental health undergraduate and graduate students with funded internship placements at qualified environmental public health agencies. Dates for student applications for the summer 2024 session will be announced soon. Applications for environmental health agencies are always open and will be accepted on a rolling basis if positions are open and available. Learn more at www.neha.org/nephip.
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December 2023 • Journal of Environmental Health
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