EXCELLENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AWARD APPLICATION INFORMATION

PURPOSE

The Conference established an annual Excellence in Environmental Health Award to acknowledge outstanding programs which are innovative, creative, and effective in providing quality environmental health services. It is intended that the award give statewide and local recognition to local environmental health agency accomplishments and thereby enhance the visibility and public image of CCDEH and its membership.

APPLICATIONS

It is the responsibility of the Past President to solicit applications from members of the Conference. Applications must be submitted, in writing, to the Past President no later than June 30th so that the award can be presented at the Annual Meeting in September.

Applications must include a description of the program in which sustained improvements and excellence are demonstrated over time. These attributes shall be documented by specific examples of outcomes and achievements. The inclusion of quantitative data, which documents results, is encouraged.

Applications must not exceed 2,500 words in length, not including appendices. It is appropriate to append supporting materials such as examples of creative and innovative approaches, newsletters, press clippings/releases, and testimonial letters. At least six copies of the complete application must be submitted.

PROCEDURES

Each year, the Past President is responsible for convening a jury of five members, including the Past President who serves as ex-officio Chairperson. At least two jurors shall be active members of CCDEH. The remainder may be drawn from representatives of CEHA or appropriate federal and state agencies such as USEPA, FDA, Cal-EPA, and CDPH. Past award recipients and retired CCDEH members are also eligible to serve on the jury.

The jury meets in August to decide on a winner. This meeting may be conducted by conference call. The decision is made based on a simple majority vote of the jury. The jury has the option of deciding that no application merits an award.

The Past President will present the jury’s decision to the Executive Committee meeting which precedes the Annual Meeting. Upon ratification of the decision by the Executive Committee, the President will notify the winner by telephone and by mail. The other applicants are also notified of the winner. The Executive Director shall prepare and mail a press release announcing the award for distribution to the news media and to the recipient agency’s board of supervisors or city council as well as to a list of other officials or agencies provided by the winner.

OR

The Directors can be asked to vote on the applications at the Annual Conference. If this option is chosen the Past President shall see that the applications are posted on the CCDEH website at least a month before the conference. The Directors should review the posted applications before the conference.

The Directors will be given a “ballot” in the conference packet and vote for their choice during the presentations by the counties. The ballots will be collected immediately following the presentations. The Past President is responsible for tabulating the results to determine the winner.

CRITERIA

Criteria to be considered for the Excellence in Environmental Health Award include:

 Innovative and effective use of program methods and problem solving to enhance environmental health in the community.

 Improvements in productivity.

 Cost savings.

 Sustained improvements and excellence, as documented by specific outcomes

and achievements, over the preceding three to five years.

 Successful involvement of people (managers, staff, industry, the public) in reaching the goals of the program.

AWARDS

Presentation of the Excellence in Environmental Health Award is made at the Annual Meeting during the Thursday night Awards Dinner. The award itself consists of a suitable plaque and a resolution from the CCDEH Executive Committee.

POLICY

Each year’s CCDEH budget shall include a line item for the purchase of a plaque. If the award is not presented in any given year, the budgeted line item will automatically revert to the contingency fund. It is the responsibility of the President and Executive Director to routinely include the sum of $250 for the award in the budget each year unless changed by the Executive Committee.