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1974. United States Congressmen who have been keynote speakers include Senators Gaylord Nelson, Ralph Yarborough, Hugh Scott, Peter Dominick, Lowell Weicker, Gordon Allott, Jennings Randolph and Birch Bayh. Leaders from the U.S. Depart ment of Health, Education and Welfare and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been heard, as have noted people in the environmental and public health arenas. While many milestones had been reached during the second 20 years of the National Association of Sanitarians / National Environmental Health Association, much still remained to be done when Niyholas Pohlit relinquished the Executive Director posi tion in 1977. Professional recognition for sanitarians outside the organization and workplace had eluded the sanitarians, and there was the ever-present need to strengthen the profession and organization as a force in environmental health. ..
ASSESSING THE PROFESSION
Recognizing the multitude of new environmental concerns and technologies and the fact that many of those in the workforce had not had adequate access to continuing education, the National Environmental Health Association believed that environmental health manpower should be assessed. In 1975, the Association sought and received funding from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare's Bureau of Health Professions to study the roles and functions of sanitarians and to assess their knowledges, skills and attributes in fulfill ing these roles and functions. Dr. Lawrence J. Krone, a professor at Oregon State University, was employed to manage the manpower assessment project in January 1976. The one year project was conducted using existing literature and it was believed the information should be verified by first hand identification. Another contract was procured to do the verification. After the roles were verified and a document, "The Sanitarian in Environmental Health," published, the Associa tion set about on a further project in which sanitarians nationwide would be asked to participate in a self-assessment to identify any areas in which continuing education was needed. The self-assessment identified a number of areas, and yet another contract was obtained to produce materials that would help persons practicing in environmental health to improve their knowledges and skills. The outcome of this project was the 14 Self Paced Learning Modules that were completed in 1982 and which have been obtained for use by local health and environmental agencies and many individuals.
1977 - 1987
When Nicholas Pohlit left the association in 1977, Dr. Lawrence Krone, who was project manager for the manpower evaluation project, was chosen to be the NEHA Executive Director. The continuity of a leader from the profession and one who was familiar with the operation was of great benefit at this time of change following the long tenure of the previous executive director. As Executive Director, Krone stressed the professional development of the environmental health practitioner through organiza tion involvement, continuing education and liaison with other organizations such as the National Water Well Association, American Medical Association and American Public Health Association.
In addition to the contract from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, NEHA earned a leading role in a project to develop fact sheets for developing
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