The target audience is State and local health agency senior officials, health educators, epidemiologists, environmental health specialists, school health officials and nurses, respiratory therapists, insurance company and managed care personnel, pharmacists, public health students, staff from non-profit asthma organizations and coalitions, and primary care providers who deal with asthma. These recommendations will be part of the conference proceedings. This conference is intended for anyone interested in effectively communicating risks associated with chemically-contaminated fish. Speakers include experienced risk communicators from academia, Native American tribes, state government, and community-based organizations. The conference is co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Department of Health, and the Society for Risk Analysis.
States have an important role in protecting the health of their own populations.
But we know from the West Nile Virus outbreak, food safety crises, and the recent Ebola scare at Kennedy airport, that disease does not stop at the state border, particularly in a growing global economy. Therefore, state health departments have an important role in protecting the health of the nation's population. Public health epidemiologists at the state level, by conducting disease surveillance, disease investigation, and formulating response to health threats, are essential components of a strong, nationwide public health infrastructure. Strengthening state epidemiological capacity in the areas of infectious disease, chronic disease, environmental health and injury is the central theme and overarching funding priority for CSTE and its members. The material contained in this packet reflects this theme and identifies specific CSTE funding priorities for FY 2002.