ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE
Open Access
Rebuilding Caribbean Environmental Health Post-Crisis Programs: A Preliminary Study for Virtual Mentorship
Roseann DeVito, MPH, PMP Elizabeth Landeen David Dyjack, DrPH, CIH Rebecca Labbo, MA Gagandeep Gill, DrPH National Environmental Health Association CAPT Justin Gerding, DHA Martin A. Kalis, MA LCDR Scott Daly, MPH, REHS Raymond Lopez Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chintan Somaiya, MBA, MS, APM Sukhdeep Chera National Environmental Health Association Christine Vanover, MPH, REHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Lindsay Fahnestock, DrPH Manjit Randhawa, MPH, MD National Environmental Health Association
Abstract After the hurricanes in 2017 in the U.S. Caribbean, it was essential to rebuild, strengthen, and sustain essential environmental health (EH) services and systems. The National Environmental Health Asso- ciation, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, developed an online mentorship program for newly hired and existing EH staff and health department leadership in Caribbean health departments. Participants were provided with both practical and didactic learning and were allowed to evaluate the program. Both mentors and mentees were high- ly satisfied with the knowledge and skills acquired, and mentees expressed it was relevant to their daily work. Based on the findings, we recommend both an online and a hybrid mentorship program for leadership- and inspec- tor-level workforces in EH and potentially in other fields. Keywords: environmental health, mentorship program, Caribbean, emer- gency preparedness, emergency response and recovery
258 U.S. weather disasters since 1980, hurri- canes have caused the most damage: $945.9 billion total, with an average cost of almost $21.5 billion per event. They are also respon- sible for the largest number of deaths: 6,593 between 1980 and 2020.” Climate change has a demonstrated impact on the frequency and intensity of hazardous events for coastal and island communities. Since 1979, the frequency of Category 3, 4, and 5 tropical cyclones has increased by 5% per decade (Kossin et al., 2020). With hurricanes pro- jected to increase in severity and frequency, a trained and prepared workforce will be essential for hurricane recovery efforts and to ensure preparedness for response to future emergencies (Ross, 2023). Puerto Rico and the USVI faced chal- lenges before the 2017 hurricanes, a reality that underscores the need for EH prepared- ness and recovery plans. These challenges included environmental hazards such as water and air quality, wastewater manage- ment, structural risks, vectorborne diseases, chronic illness, and healthcare access. EH plays a crucial role in safeguarding the health and safety of affected communities. Further- more, EH professionals are vital in aiding in the recovery from public health threats to
Introduction In 2017, two Category 5 hurricanes struck the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and Puerto Rico. Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated these U.S. territories, leaving many island residents without power, running water, or access to necessary resources. These hur- ricanes also devastated the governmental environmental health (EH) infrastructure. Vital EH services (e.g., retail food inspec- tions) were halted due to a lack of capacity within the health departments as priorities shifted to response and recovery. Many peo- ple migrated from the islands to seek safety or employment. This migration resulted in the USVI Department of Health and the Puerto
Rico Department of Health having depleted resources and fewer trained staff members to conduct EH inspections. Ironically, the 2017 hurricanes created conditions where a sufficiently resourced and skilled EH workforce would have greatly benefited the health, safety, and economic security of the affected commu- nities. Therefore, if health department EH programs had been maintained, then a suf- ficient and skilled workforce of EH profes- sionals would have been available in the most affected areas. According to the Office for Coastal Man- agement within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2023), “Of the
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Volume 86 • Number 6
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