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| Introduction to Working With Public Health “Unlikely Partners - Essential Solution” By Michael J. Pompili RS.MSE, Clinical Assistant Professor, Program for Excellence in Environmental Health, The Ohio State University And Esther Mechler, Executive Director/SPAY USA Local health agencies have always been on the frontline of disease prevention activities. Within this role they have tried to utilize all available resources to address the health and safety threats that have impacted their communities. To this end one of the most successful methods of dealing with health issues has been the partnering with various community organizations, private and public school systems, other governmental agencies and the business and non-profit groups to address these threats. Today's environment on both the state and local levels of government are more challenging than ever, especially within the last thirty years. The resources from governmental budgets are shrinking, demands for services are expanding and the health and safety concerns from specific areas are escalating. Within this environment governmental elected officials still expect the local and state health departments to address the health and safety issues raised, with little, if any, financial resources. In this type of environment the need to be creative and resourceful is paramount. One needs to look for ways to build partnerships with organizations that have similar philosophies. Health agencies have utilized this process to great success in the past by partnering with such groups as the lung, heart and cancer associations on their related health issues, various business and nonprofit groups on environmental issues, and many other health issues such as AIDS prevention, sexually transmitted disease and immunizations just to name a few. Now is the time for local and state health agencies to expand this course of action to include groups that health agencies have not traditionally worked with. Some of these groups are animal health and safety governmental, private and non-profit groups and organizations. Across the country animal health and safety issues are expanding as health agencies are being asked to deal with an expansion of the West Nile Virus - where the main reservoir is birds; the spreading of raccoon rabies - within the mideast and northeast sections of the United States and now threatening the Midwest; and the dramatic increases in the number of domestic pet and stray animals throughout the country (not an all inclusive list). Part of the solution is to reach out and partner with the agencies that are dealing with these issues, much as health agencies have done in the past. While the role might be somewhat different, it is one step that could significantly benefit the local or state health agencies. Animal safety, protection and health organizations can bring much needed resources, both of the information and manpower types that are desperately needed. They also bring a different approach to the issue, that traditionally health agencies haven't recognized - namely looking at the issue from the animals' and petowners' perspective, as health agencies look at the issue from the community's health perspective. A meshing of these two approaches could actually benefit both parties. That is not to say that the health agencies should significantly change their perspective, but it does help to have different perspectives available as the program objectives are being developed. Furthermore, it is always best to learn about the differences of opinion in the relatively quiet surroundings of the committee meeting room instead of the public hearing format in front of the elected officials as the program parameters are proposed for implementation. By working together it is far more plausible to both meet the community's health and safety issues and also the animals' health and safety issues. Yes, these are challenging times, but they can also be productive times if we continue to utilize the tools that have proven to be beneficial in our past. If you have any questions or if you want to receive information as to the successful programs that have been implemented between local health agencies and animal welfare groups contact either of the authors: Michael J. Pompili or Esther Mechler. Working with Public Health |
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