A Model Comprehensive Approach To Planning For Local Environmental Health Services In Massachusetts

The book provides an analysis of existing local planning processes and initiatives in the WHO European Region, identifies their common features and describes how they interrelate with and support national environmental health action plans (NEHAPs). Based on a two-year project carried out in the eastern half of the Region, this book also provides guidance and options for the development of local plans (LEHAPs) that give the levels of flexibility necessary to ensure that a bottom-up planning process can occur. It adresses both local and national policy-makers and professionals in the environmental, health and other sectors

How do communities protect and improve the health of their populations? Health care is part of the answer but so are environmental protections, social and educational services, adequate nutrition, and a host of other activities. With concern over funding constraints, making sure such activities are efficient and effective is becoming a high priority. Improving Health in the Community explains how population-based performance monitoring programs can help communities point their efforts in the right direction. Within a broad definition of community health, the committee addresses factors surrounding the implementation of performance monitoring and explores the "why" and "how to" of establishing mechanisms to monitor the performance of those who can influence community health. The book offers a policy framework, applies a multidimensional model of the determinants of health, and provides sets of prototype performance indicators for specific health issues. Improving Health in the Community presents an attainable vision of a process that can achieve community-wide health benefits.