Planning and Capacity Building Activities
| Grantee: | District of Columbia Department of Health |
|---|---|
| Contact: | John Oliver Davies-Cole, PhD, MPH, CPM |
| Telephone: | 202-442-9138 |
| E-mail: | john.davies-cole@dc.gov |
| Address: | Bureau of Epidemiology and Health Risk Assessment District of Columbia Department of Health 825 N. Capitol Street, N.E., Room 3142 Washington, DC 20002 |
| Web site: | http://dchealth.dc.gov/index.asp [external link] |
| Funded Since: | September 30, 2002 |
| Funded Program: | National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, Part A |
Program Description:
The District of Columbia Department of Health (DOH) will develop information systems within DOH, specifically systems containing environmental data on human exposures and hazards; those capturing data on health effects will be used to build an environmental public health tracking system. Project goals include (1) further documenting the relation between environmental exposure and health effects; (2) gaining greater ability to undertake health assessment, policy development and assurance; and 3) generating information that guides policy development and decision making on prevention and treatment activities, as well as resource allocation. Minimal integration exists between DOH environmental and public health databases.
Activities to be completed include (1) developing data standards; (2) adopting and incorporating technology platforms that facilitate data integration and sharing; (3) creating synergy of effort in data collection and analysis; and (4) enhancing prevention, intervention and service programs. Internal linkages and partnerships include DOH Environmental Health Administration, the State Center for Health Statistics Administration, DOH Preventive Health Services Administration, the Maternal and Family Health Administration, the Public Health Laboratory, and the Medical Assistance Administration.
These stakeholders maintain surveillance and database systems covering asthma, birth defects, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. The DOH Environmental Health Administration is responsible for meeting all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements for measurement of environmental hazards in the air, water, and soil, while the State Center for Health Statistics Administration oversees vital records and information technology infrastructure development in the DOH.
