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OEHA E-Blast: April 18 is Oregon EHS Day, Food Waste Prevention Week, Scholarships to NEHA and more!


There's a lot going on with Environmental Health in Oregon! Read about news, conferences, scholarship opportunities and more in this edition of the OEHA E-Blast.


Oregon Environmental Health News:

  • Sarah Puls, President of the Oregon Environmental Health Association, has proclaimed Tuesday, April 18, 2023, to be Environmental Health Specialists Day in the state of Oregon. Read the full proclamation in the document below. Use April 18 to educate your community about the ongoing public health contributions of Environmental Health Professionals. Thank you for your service!

Environmental Health Specialist Day April 2023
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Download PDF • 209KB

  • The OEHA Annual Education Conference will be held Tuesday, October 24-Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the Best Western PLUS Agate Beach Inn in Newport. The theme this year will be "Digging Deeper". Look for our "Call for Presenters" and Registration information soon! Updates will be posted here.


  • It's Food Waste Prevention Week! The Oregon DEQ is one of the Sponsors of this national event to raise awareness of the interconnections between food waste, the environment and hunger. Food Waste Prevention Week runs April 10-16, 2023. Learn more here.


  • In collaboration with Deschutes County, OEHA is running a REHS Trainee Study Group to support REHS Trainees as they study to pass their REHS exam. The Study Group meets weekly on Zoom for one hour, is based on a study guide with five recommended texts, and features exam review questions and guest speakers who are subject matter experts in specific topics. The current group is meeting January-June and will repeat again July-December using a different curriculum. Trainees are welcome to join at any time during the sessions. If you have a REHS Trainee in your department, please send them our way to register! Contact | OEHA (oregoneha.org)


  • Renew your OEHA Membership or join for the first time! Visit www.oregoneha.org/membership now to apply for your 2023 Oregon Environmental Health Assocation (OEHA) Membership, and gain all of the benefits of supporting the professional organization for Environmental Health professionals in the state of Oregon.


Upcoming Webinars:


  • More Than Just Weather: How Climate Change is Impacting Multiple Areas of Environmental Health This webinar will cover issues that are caused or exacerbated by climate change, share what is being seen on the ground in communities, and discuss partnering with local, state, and regional officials to respond. We encourage attendees to begin to plan and take action on these issues. April 21, 2023, 2 pm ET | Learn more and register at: www.neha.org/climate-webinar


  • Addressing the Impact of Climate Change Using NEHA's CHAMP Program This webinar will describe our Climate Health and Adaptation Mitigation Partnership (CHAMP) Program. Our pilot jurisdictions Washington State Dept. of Health, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Dept., and Jefferson County Public Health will share their experience using this program. April 27, 2023, 3 pm ET | Learn more and register at: www.neha.org/champ-webinar


  • Integrating Climate Justice into Environmental Public Health Programs This webinar will provide the environmental public health workforce with leading practices for integrating Climate Justice into State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial (STLT) Environmental Public Health Programs. May 11, 2023, 1 pm ET| Learn more and register at: www.neha.org/climate-justice-webinar


  • Recreational Water Illnesses This webinar will cover what the latest national surveillance data tell us about the state of design, construction, operation, and management of U.S. public aquatic venues open to the public and underscore the need for the Model Aquatic Health Code. Thursday, April 27, 2 pm ET www.neha.org/water-webinar-series




  • Workshop on Addressing the Environmental Health Impacts of Climate Change on Private Drinking Water Systems and Private Wells This 4-hour virtual workshop will provide information and resources for local health departments and communities to address the impact of climate change on private drinking water system safety, security, and maintenance. Date TBD | Learn more at: www.neha.org/rcap-workshop


Scholarships and Opportunities:


  • This year there are a few ways that NEHA can help you join them at their Annual Educational Conference & Exhibition (AEC) for world-class education, training, and networking. NEHA is partnering with CDC to offer a limited number of scholarships to cover the cost of AEC registration to support state, tribal, local, or territorial governmental environmental health programs to be able to attend the conference in-person or virtually. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until 5 p.m. ET on Friday, April 21, 2023 or until all available scholarships have been awarded. Learn more and apply at: neha.org/aec-scholarships


  • The Accela Scholarship will cover the cost of four innovative thinkers' NEHA AEC registration and membership with NEHA for one year (travel costs are not included). The application requires a brief essay response to a prompt about environmental health and data. Applications are due by Friday, April 14, 2023. Selection will be made by Accela and announced in early May 2023. Learn more and apply at: accela.com/newsletter/NEHAAECscholarship2023


  • Reach out to your Environmental Health Students! Together with the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS), NEHA is offering academic scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students in environmental health. The scholarship program aims to encourage early commitment by students to pursue a career in environmental health. Two undergraduate applicants will be awarded $2,650 each. One graduate student applicant will be awarded for $3,750. Applications are due by April 15. Learn more at www.neha.org/scholarships

  • Wildfire Smoke Preparedness Grant Program Applications are open for a new federal grant program by U.S. EPA to support wildfire smoke preparedness in community buildings. Applications are due May 9.


  • Applications are open for entities to serve as grant-makers to community-based organizations addressing environmental harms in underserved communities. NEHA Applications are due May 31.


Employment Opportunities


Who said it?


"A healthy environment is essential to a livable Oregon and a strong economy."










Who said it from the previous E-Blast?


“While much attention is on the COVID-19 pandemic response, the local public health response to food-borne illness and outbreaks remains a critical and core function within communities."

- Lori Tremmel Freeman, Chief Executive Officer of NACCHO


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