Category Description & Vulnerability Overview
Description
The Public Health category refers to the risk and exposure of residents to potential toxins and/or hazards through acute or chronic conditions. Climate change will impact human health through numerous ways including: temperature-related death and illness, air quality impacts, extreme events, vector-borne diseases, water-related illness, food safety/nutrition/distribution, mental health and wellbeing. It refers to both individual and population-wide health.
Emergency management is an important component of public health; moreover, it continues to be imperative that emergency management officials and public health officials coordinate their preparation, response, and recovery plans for hazardous conditions.
Vulnerability Overview
- Limited shelters with capacity for special care residents.
- Limited shelters that allow family pets.
- Some habitual roadside maintenance activities may increase erosion and run-off, destabilizing road-side banks
- Longer growing season and increased moisture may expand opportunities for existing pests such as mosquitoes and ticks.
- Greater prevalence for pests can increase vector-borne diseases such as equine encephalitis, West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease, babeosis, etc.
- Possible increased range for southern pests and diseases like dengue and Zika.
- Elderly and low-income may have limited cooling and heating options.
- Changes to precipitation may limit groundwater recharge and reduce water for residential wells.
- Blue-green algae and milfoil may increase presence in waterbodies.
- Increased number of low air quality/high ozone days.
- Flooding, electricity outages, and cost impacts on private wells
- Lack of consistency among cartographic data such as critical facilities, flooding locations, private drinking water well location, drought clusters that threaten private wells, etc.
Potential Partners & Funding Streams
Please send any suggested partners, grants, or resources to info [at] joannaw1.sg-host.com.
Potential Partners
- CT Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
- CT Department of Public Health
- CT Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
- CT DEEP
- Regional Emergency Planning Team (REPT) DEHMS Region 5
- Local Health Departments
- Regional Health Districts
- Local Social Service Agents
- Visiting Nurses’ Associations
- Regional health providers (clinics, hospitals, etc.)
- Local sanitarians
Potential Funding Streams
- Connecticut Health Foundation
- DEHMS/FEMA Flood Mitigation, Pre-disaster Mitigation, and Hazard Mitigation Grants
- FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Preparedness (Non-Disaster) Grants
- EPA Local Governments Reimbursement Program
- US Department of Commerce
- US Department of Health and Human Services
- US Department of Housing and Urban Development
- US Department of Labor
General Tools
Connecticut Rural Health Report
Preparing for the Public Health Challenges of Climate Change
Connecticut Local EMD and Municipal Official Handbook – March 2018
EPA Climate Change Impacts on Human Health
The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment – A scientific overview of the impacts of climate change on human health from temperature-related death and illness, air quality impacts, extreme events, vector-borne diseases, water-related illness, food safety/nutrition/distribution, mental health and wellbeing or check out the Impacts of Climate on Human Health Executive Summary.
CDC Climate and Health Project– A resource by Centers for Disease Prevention and Control that outline health risks and health strategies related to climate change. Also is information on the CDC’s Climate – Ready Cities and States Initiative, in which NH and VT are participating.
CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index
American Public Health Association (APHA) – Climate Change
APHA “Adaptation in Action: Grantee Success Stories from CDC’s Climate and Health Program Communities across the nation are taking action to reduce the effects of climate change on health. Adaptation in Action: Grantee Success Stories from CDC’s Climate and Health Program (PDF) highlights successful ways communities have responded to the challenge of climate change.
Plan4Health Success Story: Disasters Toolkit for Texas Rural Communities
Vermont Department of Heath Environmental Public Health Tracking: Climate Change– As part of its Environmental Health Tracking Program, the department has recently begun tracking the incidences of heat stress and heat-related fatalities. While Vermont has not yet experienced the number of prolonged extreme heat events that many other states have, heat stress is expected to become a more significant risk in the lives of Vermont residents.
Rhode Island Climate Health Program
NHDES Strategic Plan to Address the Health Impacts of Climate Change in New Hampshire–The Environmental Health Program worked with the state public health system and conducted a needs assessment to better understand the capacity to address climate change. The results of the needs assessment were used to develop a strategic plan to assist the public health system in being better prepared for the impacts of climate change.
Massachusetts Environmental Public Health Tracking – Climate and Health Profiles
EPA Climate Change and Health Factsheets
FEMA Emergency Management in a Changing Climate
Case Study Town of Brookfield Tick Communication Campaign
Case Study Minnesota Climate and Health Program
“While all Americans are at risk, some populations are disproportionately vulnerable, including those with low income, some communities of color, immigrant groups (including those with limited English proficiency), Indigenous peoples, children and pregnant women, older adults, vulnerable occupational groups, persons with disabilities, and persons with preexisting or chronic medical conditions.”
Source: Crimmins, A., J. Balbus, J.L. Gamble, C.B. Beard, J.E. Bell, D. Dodgen, R.J. Eisen, N. Fann, M.D. Hawkins, S.C. Herring, L. Jantarasami, D.M. Mills, S. Saha, M.C. Sarofim, J. Trtanj, and L. Ziska, 2016: Executive Summary. The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, page 1–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.7930/J00P0WXS
Actions
The section is divided into the following major categories:
- Best management practices
- Research, monitoring, and education
- Policy, Legislation, Regulation & Funding
- Emergency Management
A tabular version of the actions is also available.
Best management practices
Tools: NACCHO Essential Actions for Resilience
NACCHO 12 Steps to Operationalize Climate Change in a Local Health Department
Minnesota Climate & Health Case Study
Tools: CDC Health Vulnerability
Appendix G: G. Mapping 101: Joining census data for beginning GIS users from Minnesota Extreme Heat Toolkit.
Antioch University New England Webinar Enhancing the Resilience of Seniors
Climate Change, Health, and Populations of Concern
Partners: CEOs, EMDs, CT DPH, CT DESPP, REPT, DEHMS
Tools: Coming soon.
Partners: Public Works, CEOs, School districts, health departments
Tools:: Potential Heat Island areas in NHCOG Region
EPA Heat Island Effect
Excessive Heat Events Guidebook
RI Heat Safety
Minnesota Extreme Heat Toolkit Appendices "Messages should include information on what to do (e.g., how to prevent illnesses from extreme heat) (see Appendix E for a tip sheet), symptoms of heat-related illnesses (see Table 2 on page 2-3), characteristics of persons more vulnerable to extreme heat (see Table 3 on page 2-5), and where to go for more information." and Appendix J for sample media release
Partners: DOT, Public Works, health districts, local health depts
Tools: Brookfield CT Health Department Tick Outreach
Vermont Tick Tracker
Tools:Health districts' Sanitarians perform water sampling and visual assessments for algal blooms and advise as necessary. Management of storm-water run-off through Low-Impact Development Practices reduce their occurrences.
Partners: health districts, local health depts, EMDs, CEOs, Parks & Rec, Public Works
Tools:Improving ADA access to cooling centers: Chapter 7 of the ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments
Minnesota Climate & Health case study
Partners: DESPP, DEHMS, health depts./districts
Tools: Coming soon.
Partners: CT DPH, CT Dept of Ag
Tools: USDA Food Security Assessment Toolkit
Partners: CEOs, social service agents, PURA
Tools: Coming soon.
Partners: EMDs, health departments, CEOs, Public Works
Tools: EPA EnviroFlash Air Quality Alert Program
Partners: NHCOG, health districts, CT DPH, CEOs, EMDs, Public Works, Building Department, local/regional schools
Tools:Litchfield Hills NHMP
RI Citizen Preparedness Flood Safety
RI Citizen Preparedness
FEMA Training
Ready.Gov
CT DPH Hurricane Prep
Red Cross thunderstorm prep
Red Cross Generator Use
FEMA Avoiding Hurricane Damage: A Checklist for Homeowners
Tools: TAHD is currently administering a DEMHS grant entitled SPF-Rx which is designed to help combat the opioid crisis and an ad campaign called “Change the Script”.
Tools: Vermont Tick Tracking Program
Brookfield CT Tick Communication Program
Partners: Dept of Consumer Protection, DPH Private well program, local health departments and districts, building departments
Tools: "Drinking Water Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Plan" by CT DPH & CIRCA
Fairfield CT GIS private well parcel database
CT DPH Well Casing Extension
Tools: RI Climate Health Storymap
Tools: CT Public Health Code
Research, monitoring, and education
Partners: NHCOG, health districts, CT DPH, CEOs, EMDs, Public Works, Building Department, local/regional schools
Tools:Litchfield Hills NHMP
RI Citizen Preparedness Flood Safety
RI Citizen Preparedness
FEMA Training
Ready.Gov
CT DPH Hurricane Prep
Red Cross thunderstorm prep
Red Cross Generator Use
FEMA Avoiding Hurricane Damage: A Checklist for Homeowners
Tools: TAHD is currently administering a DEMHS grant entitled SPF-Rx which is designed to help combat the opioid crisis and an ad campaign called “Change the Script”.
Tools: Vermont Tick Tracking Program
Brookfield CT Tick Communication Program
Partners: Dept of Consumer Protection, DPH Private well program, local health departments and districts, building departments
Tools: "Drinking Water Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Plan" by CT DPH & CIRCA
Fairfield CT GIS private well parcel database
CT DPH Well Casing Extension
Policy, Legislation, Regulation & Funding
Tools: CT Public Health Code
Emergency Management
Partners: CEOs, social service agents, local health departments, EMDs, volunteer emergency responders, senior centers
Tools: CA DOH Climate change & Health Equity Program
Kern County California -utility and county government to sponsor cooling centers.
Building Older Adults' Resilience
firstnet.gov
Tools: Coming soon
Partners: health districts, local health districts, pharmacies
Tools: TAHD's "Healthy Home" Program
Partners: CEO, EMDs, volunteer emergency responders, senior centers, REPT
Partners: CERT, REPT, senior centers
Partners: EMDs, CEOs, REPT
Tools: Coming soon.
Tools: Larimer Community Hub
Partners: CEOs, local fire departments, land use commissions
Partners: local Public Works
Partners: local fire departments