Environmental public health (EPH) professionals play a crucial role in

safeguarding public health and ensuring the well-being and prosperity

of our communities. Local governmental EPH programs employ a significant

number of dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to protect

the food we consume, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and

the environments in which we live, work, and play. The importance of

local governmental EPH programs cannot be overstated, as they contribute

to the overall health of the public and serve a vital function in

national security.

Research has consistently demonstrated the positive impact of local

health department (LHD) activities and investments on reducing the incidence

of EPH-related diseases (Bekemeier et al., 2015; Fan et al., 2020).

Moreover, senior leadership at both state and local health departments

has recognized the essential nature of EPH services (Leider et al., 2015).

Despite the crucial role EPH professionals play in promoting and protecting

public health, national guidance on the optimal structure and organization

of local EPH departments is absent.

The absence of a standardized framework for local EPH departments

poses significant challenges for EPH officials seeking to secure the necessary

resources, including staff, funding, and equipment, to effectively

carry out their duties. Without clear benchmarks and guidelines, EPH

programs struggle to justify their needs, potentially compromising the

health, safety, and prosperity of the communities they serve. To address

this gap, this guide presents scalable program guidelines that can be

adapted to meet the diverse needs, resources, and organizational structures

of EPH departments across different jurisdictions, while maintaining

essential standards for protecting community health.

Link to Pillars of Governmental Environmental Public Health: 2025-Pillars-of-EH_SCREEN 2.pdf