ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
Open Access
DIRECT FROM CDC ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Engaging With the Model Aquatic Health Code at the Local Level: Tools and Resources for Users From the National Association of County and City Health Officials
Rebecca E. Rainey National Association of County and City Health Officials
Deise I. Galan, MPH, DrPH National Association of County and City Health Officials
CDR Joseph P. Laco, MSEH, REHS/RS, CPO Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
management. Although recognized as com- prehensive, its length and complexity can make the MAHC challenging to understand and implement at the local level (NACCHO, 2019). Representing over 3,300 local health departments across the nation, NACCHO has partnered with the National Center for Environmental Health within CDC to sup- port jurisdictions in learning more about the MAHC and how to use it by distributing resources, developing tools, providing tech- nical assistance, and sharing lessons learned and best practices. About the MAHC Network The MAHC Network at NACCHO is a com- munity of over 2,200 health department sta, subject matter experts, and interested part- ners who are dedicated to increasing aware- ness of the MAHC, as well as expanding its use through periodic webinars (NACCHO, 2024). Since 2016, the MAHC Network has held approximately 35 webinars featuring researchers, members of the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code, CDC, and local health departments. These webinars have been attended by more than 4,000 live attend- ees and have reached many more through its collection of recordings (NACCHO, 2024). Popular webinar topics covered recreational water-associated illness, indoor air quality in aquatic facilities, drowning prevention, and more (Table 1). MAHC Quick Guides In 2023, NACCHO, with support from CDC, published reference guides for local, state, ter-
Editor’s Note: The National Environmental Health Association strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature this column on environmental health services from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in every issue of the Journal . In these columns, authors from CDC’s Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, as well as guest authors, will share tools, resources, and guidance for environmental health practitioners. The conclusions in these columns are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of CDC. Rebecca Rainey is a program analyst in the Environmental Health Program at the National Association of County and City Health Ocials (NACCHO). Deise Galan is a lead program analyst across the Environmental Health and Preparedness Programs at NACCHO. CDR Joe Laco is an environmental health scientist at the National Center for Environmental Health within CDC.
A lthough swimming and other water- based activities are enjoyed by mil- lions of people in the U.S. each year, they come with some public health risks. Outbreaks, drownings, and other injuries as- sociated with recreational water occur every year and cause hospitalizations and deaths (Hlavsa et al., 2021). Countrywide, local jurisdictions report several challenges in keeping pool codes updated to help ensure public health. Some of these barriers identified in a study by the National Association of County and City Health Ocials (NACCHO, 2019) included complex legislative processes; prioritiza-
tion of other public health policies; compet- ing interests of dierent partners; and time, eort, and costs associated with pool code changes. To help jurisdictions save time and resources when developing and updating pool codes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023) developed a voluntary guidance document known as the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC). First published in 2014 and now in its fourth edition, the MAHC is regarded by local jurisdictions as a high-quality, evi- dence-based standard that covers all aspects of preventing illness and injury through aquatic design, construction, operation, and
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Volume 86 • Number 9
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