For more information on this project, contact Brande Kempf, PACE EH Coordinator, or Bill Sirmans, Environmental Health Director at the Santa Rosa County Health Department.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
PACE EH PROJECT
Santa Rosa County Health Department seeks to complete an environmental
health assessment in one of our lower income neighborhoods. Although the
population of this county has increased by 21% in the past 5 years, less
than 15% of the population live in the three incorporated towns in the
county. Planning and zoning, sewer systems, and roadways have not kept
up with the booming population growth. In addition, as a result of
Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis, several thousand people in the county are
still living in FEMA trailer parks. Possible areas we would consider
include Patterson Town and Bagdad, areas that are subject to flooding
and are populated with minorities; Florida Town, which has a mixture of
wealthy residents on the waterfront and poorer residents in FEMA
trailers in the interior; or the Holley-Navarre area, a fast growing
area with a mix of low and high income residents.
We will utilize the PACE-EH protocol to enable community members to
identify and address local environmental health concerns. Funds from the
grant will be used to hire an OPS environmental health specialist or
health educator/community organizer who will build on existing community
relationships to establish a collaborative group of community members.
We would also like to utilize students in the new MPH program at the
University of West Florida. The collaborative group will follow the
steps of PACE-EH to produce an action plan based on priorities developed
from the assessment of local environmental health status, health outcome
indicators, and community issues and values. Community outreach and
educational activities in the neighborhood will inform residents of the
impact of environmental health and the neighborhood environment on
health outcomes and quality of life issues, and will strengthen the
community's capacity to address problems as they are identified.
The project timeline covers the time period beginning in March 2006
through June 2007. The Health Department is committed to sustaining this
project, if necessary, though general revenue and will supplement the
resources obtained through this grant with existing staff and supplies
during the community assessment. We will obtain involvement of the Board
of County Commissioners as well as affected town governmental officials.
Performance shall be documented with monthly progress and expenditure
reports, and data will be collected and shared with the Division of
Environmental Health. In addition to strengthening our ties to the
community, success will be measured by increased contact between the
targeted neighborhood and Santa Rosa County Health Department, county
planners, and other stakeholders who can facilitate improvements based
on the priorities identified.
This project is supported by Environmental Manager, William Sirmans RS;
Administrator, Kathleen DevoreJones MSPH; and Finance and Accounting
Director, Del Lewis. For additional information, contact William Sirmans
at 850-983-5275 or SC 689-5275.
None available
Media Coverage
June 1, 2006 -
Health Program
to tackle Coyote Landfill
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