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Thousands have been diagnosed with cyclosporiasis, which can cause explosive diarrhea and be tough to track. Learn the latest outbreak and investigation details.

Environmental health and public health preparedness staff work closely together to respond to natural disasters and climate change—learn how in this report.

Mejorando el Manejo de Desempeño en las Operaciones de Salud Ambiental del Condado de Licking, Ohio Colton Anderson El manejo de desempeño es crucial para garantizar la efectividad y eficiencia de las operaciones de un departamento de salud. En salud ambiental, donde las regulaciones, los estándares y las preocupaciones de salud pública son primordiales, un manejo de desempeño efectivo asegura que tareas como la supervisión de la calidad del aire y del agua, la inspección de instalaciones para el cumplimiento de normas y la respuesta a emergencias ambientales se realicen con precisión y puntualidad. Además, permite que un departamento de salud identifique áreas de mejora, asigne recursos de manera eficiente y se adapte a las condiciones ambientales cambiantes o a los requisitos regulatorios. El Departamento de Salud Ambiental del Condado de Licking, Ohio, no solo está implementando prácticas de manejo de desempeño, sino que también las está alineando con los Estándares y Medidas de Reacreditación de Salud Pública, mientras rastrea diligentemente los datos para facilitar la mejora continua, que compartieron durante un seminario web sobre el Manejo de Desempeño en Salud Ambiental para fortalecer la capacidad de los beneficiarios de la subvención para la Infraestructura de Salud Pública. Optimizando el seguimiento de desempeño Mejorar el seguimiento del desempeño puede variar desde utilizar una hoja de cálculo de Excel bien estructurada con gráficos de líneas claros hasta emplear un software sofisticado de manejo de desempeño. Al desarrollar y seguir consistentemente medidas que se adapten a las necesidades del departamento de salud ambiental, el proceso no solo se vuelve claro, sino también sostenible, fomentando la toma de decisiones informadas. El Departamento de Salud Ambiental del Condado de Licking ha implementado un enfoque exhaustivo para organizar su sistema de seguimiento, segmentándolo por área de programa y adaptando las medidas para satisfacer las necesidades y objetivos específicos de cada dominio. Se han logrado éxitos notables al integrar sin problemas las medidas de desempeño en el sistema general de manejo de desempeño del condado, un logro alcanzado tras exhaustivos esfuerzos de mejora de calidad en su programa de plomería y operaciones de servicios fiscales. Entre estas iniciativas, se lanzó un proyecto notable para abordar problemas relacionados con los permisos de plomería a punto de expirar y la falta de un mecanismo de seguimiento confiable para las fechas de vencimiento. A través de mejoras estratégicas en los procedimientos de almacenamiento y seguimiento de permisos, el condado ahora cuenta con la capacidad de evaluar con precisión la tasa de vencimiento mensual de los permisos de plomería. De manera similar, se inició otro proyecto para reducir la emisión excesiva de reembolsos dentro del departamento. Al investigar las causas raíz de las solicitudes de reembolso, esta iniciativa facilitó el establecimiento de una medida de desempeño destinada a monitorear los montos mensuales de reembolso, asegurando así la adhesión a la asignación presupuestaria anual para reembolsos. Comunicando las medidas de desempeño Comunicar de manera efectiva las medidas de desempeño es esencial para la transparencia, la responsabilidad y la alineación con los objetivos organizacionales. Comunicar claramente y de manera regular los datos de desempeño permiten a los interesados comprender el progreso del departamento, identificar áreas de mejora y celebrar los éxitos. Un aspecto crucial de la comunicación de las medidas de desempeño es el uso de formatos accesibles y comprensibles. El departamento utiliza diversos canales de comunicación (por ejemplo, reuniones de personal, boletines departamentales, portales de intranet) para difundir los datos de desempeño de manera efectiva. Los recursos visuales, incluidos gráficos, tablas y tableros, presentan información compleja en un formato comprensible, facilitando la comprensión y el compromiso del personal. Estrategias de Manejo de Desempeño Equitativas En la búsqueda de la equidad dentro del manejo de desempeño, el Departamento de Salud Ambiental del Condado de Licking ha establecido vínculos transparentes entre los objetivos de los empleados y las prioridades organizacionales, apoyando la flexibilidad para acomodar diversas necesidades. Reconociendo el papel fundamental de los gerentes, el departamento invierte en mejorar sus habilidades de coaching para garantizar una toma de decisiones justa en las operaciones diarias. Además, el departamento implementa un enfoque matizado para la evaluación del desempeño, recompensando efectivamente el desempeño sobresaliente en ciertos roles mientras aborda y mejora el desempeño en otros. Como parte de su compromiso con la salud pública y la equidad, el departamento también opera un Programa de Cumplimiento Mejorado, ofreciendo inspecciones adicionales de seguridad alimentaria a las instalaciones que no cumplen con el Código de Seguridad Alimentaria de Ohio. Las inspecciones mensuales proporcionan apoyo continuo a estas instalaciones en la implementación de procedimientos adecuados de seguridad alimentaria, complementadas con sesiones de capacitación gratuitas en el sitio para capacitar a los operadores de alimentos con el conocimiento y las habilidades esenciales. A través de estos esfuerzos concertados, el departamento se esfuerza por fomentar la equidad en las prácticas de salud ambiental dentro de la comunidad Lecciones aprendidas y direcciones futuras A partir de la experiencia del Condado de Licking, es fundamental establecer un ritmo adecuado para integrar el manejo de desempeño en las operaciones del departamento. Comenzar con pocas medidas nuevas y monitorearlas regularmente para establecer pequeñas victorias al principio es clave para una implementación sostenible a largo plazo. Por ejemplo, documentar las fuentes de datos o los informes utilizados para actualizar sus tableros hizo que mantener las medidas de desempeño actualizadas fuera mucho más sencillo, especialmente para el personal nuevo. El Condado de Licking cree que su departamento de salud local debe esforzarse por operar todos sus programas de manera óptima. Tienen un gran número de medidas de desempeño vinculadas a las operaciones para garantizar una entrega óptima de los programas. Si bien las tareas programáticas se ejecutan a un alto estándar, si no logran mejoras en los resultados de salud o equidad, esto sirve como un catalizador para discutir posibles ajustes en el modelo de entrega del programa. A medida que el Condado de Licking continúa refinando su enfoque, busca activamente mejorar su sistema de manejo de desempeño alineando más estrechamente las medidas con los resultados de salud, enfatizando el impacto y la equidad. En última instancia, como indicó el Subcomisionado de Salud del Condado de Licking, Greg Chumney, "el manejo de desempeño se ve diferente para todos". A través de la dedicación, la innovación y la colaboración, el manejo de desempeño continuará siendo un pilar fundamental para avanzar en la salud ambiental y el bienestar público. article yes

The need for food and nutritional assistance is growing. Based on Feeding America’s food insecurity projections released in March, it is anticipated that 42 million people may experience food insecurity this year—up from 35 million pre-pandemic. The job loss in communities as businesses had to shut down or reduce capacity has left many families across the country relying on food banks. In fact, food banks in the Feeding America network distributed 6.1 billion meals to individuals and families during this pandemic, an increase of 43% from 2019. Many of the people who have fallen into food insecurity are experiencing it for the first time in their lives, as our food pantry partners across the country report that 35% or more of the people they’re serving today had never received charitable food prior to the pandemic.

A training to help clinicians report and recognize the signs and symptoms of a cyanobacterial bloom-associated illnesses.

Licking County, Ohio uses performance management to advance environmental health, emphasizing impact and equity.

Do Cottage Foods Really Come from a Cottage? Beth Giambrone Even if you're not familiar with the term "cottage foods," chances are you have purchased them—think getting a loaf of bread from your weekend farmers market or cookies from a friend's home-based baking business. In some cases, they can also be sold online. So, what exactly are they? Cottage foods are home-based, home-made food products prepared outside a commercial kitchen and sold to the public. Cottage food producers operate at a small scale, often from a home kitchen, selling goods in the jurisdiction where they are created. Cottage foods are exempt from many state food and safety regulations, with supporters of expanding cottage food laws asserting that existing laws burden small business and restrict competition and consumer freedom. Those opposing the expansion of cottage foods argue the need to ensure food safety and to protect consumers from food borne illness. Here's a primer on cottage foods and how they're regulated. What's the difference between a cottage food kitchen and a commercial kitchen? Commercial kitchens (sometimes known as shared use kitchens) are large, industrial spaces where food can be produced in high volumes; they can also be rented out for shared use. While every state subjects commercial kitchens to food safety inspection and regulations, a few states require inspection of microenterprise or home kitchens producing cottage foods. Does the government have a role in regulating cottage foods? While several federal agencies regulate commercial food products—such as USDA for meat processing and FDA for produce—cottage foods are not subject to federal regulation because they are typically only sold within a state and not across state lines. At the state level, cottage food producers are subject to the health and safety laws and regulations of the state in which they are operating. Some states require cottage food producers to register their business or to have training and/or certification in safe food handling. Currently, all 50 states and Washington D.C. have some sort of cottage food law in place. Under most state laws, cottage food producers are exempt from food safety laws that apply to food establishments. These exempt rules are usually based on the type of food product produced, the point of sale, and the labeling requirements associated with the food. Although cottage food producers are exempt from certain requirements, all states allow the Department of Health to investigate complaints related to foodborne illness and fine producers if there are violations. Since the 2020 legislative sessions, at least 17 states (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming) considered bills related to cottage foods, often centering around product sales, food products, and labeling. An overview of the conditions and a snapshot of the laws passed in states are below. What are common cottage food products? Most state laws limit which food products can be produced and sold as cottage foods. And while specific allowable foods vary state to state, some common restrictions on the type of food sold include foods requiring temperature control (e.g., meat and dairy products) and fermented or pickled foods. Foods such as dairy-free baked goods (e.g., breads and biscuits), candies, and jams are popular cottage food products. Over the last few years, states have expanded the types of foods that qualify to be a cottage food. In 2021, Illinois enacted SB 2007, amending the types of foods permissible under the cottage food law from a delineated list of canned foods (e.g. jams and syrups) to a general standard that mirrors the FDA definition of "low-acid canned food." The New Jersey legislature passed A 3991 in 2022 to exempt raw, unprocessed honey from the state's cottage food regulations. The bill is currently awaiting action by the governor. Oklahoma enacted its "Homemade Food Freedom Act" (HB 1032) in 2021. This new law allows any packaged food or beverage (excluding alcoholic beverages, unpasteurized milk, or cannabis products) to be considered a cottage food rather than only baked goods made without meat or fresh fruits. Additionally, the law allows beekeepers who produce less than 500 gallons of honey per year to qualify for the state's food freedom exemptions if the honey is produced from hives located in the state and sold directly to the consumer. Similarly, the 2022 "Tennessee Food Freedom Act" (HB 813/SB 693) broadly expands the types of homemade foods eligible for sale under the cottage food law to include any non-time/temperature-controlled food item or non-alcoholic beverage. What limitations do states place on cottage food sales? Most states limit cottage food producers to direct-to-consumer sales, such as at a farmers market or roadside stand. More than half of states allow online and direct-to-consumer sales as long as they are to in-state consumers only. While the producer is usually required to deliver the products, at least five states allow delivery by a third party. Several states have considered allowing the sale of cottage food in retail settings. In 2020, Wyoming enacted HB 84, which increased the gross sales cap for producers and allowed producers of non-temperature controlled foods (e.g., jams, vegetables, dried soup mixes) to use third-party vendors like a retail shop rather than solely relying on gross sales. Furthermore, the Wyoming legislature expanded the use of third-party vendors to include the sale of eggs in 2021 by enacting HB 118. A 2021 Arkansas law (HB 248) also allows for the sale of cottage food products at retail stores. Additionally, many states define cottage foods based on the number of items sold or the annual gross sales. The gross sales cap limits vary greatly across states, ranging from $3,000 to $250,000. At least twenty states have no gross sales limit. At least one state (Ohio) places a limit on meals sold per week from home kitchens. What are common labeling requirements for cottage foods? Most states require cottage food producers label their goods. While specific labeling requirements vary state to state, producers generally must provide the name of the product, a list of ingredients, known allergens (e.g., nuts), contact information of the producer, and a statement declaring the product was made in a kitchen exempt from licensing and inspection regulations. In some states, cottage food producers are allowed to use an identification number in place of contact information on product labels. Maryland enacted HB 1017 in 2020, which allows cottage food producers to use a unique identification number issued by the Department of Health in lieu of the business name and address. Arkansas HB 248 (referenced above) also allows producers to use an identification number. What's next? State policy surrounding cottage foods is constantly evolving, with more foodstuffs exempt from state food and safety regulations increasing the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks necessitating a public health response. ASTHO will continue monitoring these changes and provide relevant updates. website yes

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to using a Health in All Policies (HiAP) strategy to address lead poisoning prevention. ASTHO held key informant interviews with staff from four state health agencies to learn more about their state childhood lead poisoning prevention programs and better understand how each agency employs a HiAP approach in its programmatic work. The key themes pulled from the discussions can be found in this report.