Environmental Health Program Specialist

The primary purpose of the Environmental Health Section is to protect and preserve the health of the public and the environment through a program of services involving education, evaluation, inspection, and management of county resources. The Environmental Health Unit consists of the following programs: Groundwater Protection, Wastewater Treatment and Disposal, Food and Lodging, Lead Abatement, Mobile Home Parks, Septage, and Swimming Pools.

The primary purpose of this position is to protect public health and the environment through a program of services involving education, monitoring, consultation, inspections and enforcement of State and County laws and regulations. This is accomplished by: plan review, opening and operating visits, consultative contacts, facility inspections and education of public and operators. Providing program evaluation for further development of disciplines involved, based on State statute changes and updates as needed. Providing for education of owners, managers, employees, event coordinators, parents, county commissioners, board of health members, and others through workshop programs, courses, and presentations; serving as a representative to other agencies and commissions (state and local), state organizations, advisory committees, universities, etc.; providing consistent enforcement and interpretation in the areas of food handling, public health protection, adult and child health and lead poisoning protection. Proposing and preparing revisions to local and state regulations, to be adopted by the Board of Health; taking advantage of specialized training, education and certification in order to stay abreast of an increasingly complex regulatory structure; being able to understand, interpret, and help necessary parties comply with the appropriate statutes and regulations, and taking disciplinary action when mandated. The Environmental Health Food, Institutions and Child Health Unit consists of the following programs: Restaurants, Food Stands and Catering Facilities, Mobile Food Units and Pushcarts, Limited Food Establishments, Temporary Food Establishments, School Cafeterias and Buildings, Meat Markets, Lodging Facilities, Hospitals, Jails, Nursing Homes, Child Day Care Facilities, Residential and other Adult Care Facilities, and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention.