National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
NEHA’s Origin
The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) had its origins in the state of California where it was incorporated in 1937. The original impetus behind the creation of a national professional society for environmental health practitioners was the desire by professionals of that day to establish a standard of excellence for this developing profession. This standard, which has come to be known as the Registered Environmental Health Specialist or Registered Sanitarian credential, signifies that an environmental health professional has mastered a body of knowledge (which is verified through the passing of an examination), and has acquired sufficient experience, to satisfactorily perform work responsibilities in the environmental health field. The pioneers of the association believed that such a credential was necessary if the environmental health field was to grow and take shape as a legitimate and widely respected profession.
NEHA’s Mission
Drawing on the original effort that led to the creation of NEHA, the association today stands as a strong professional society with over 4,500 members across the nation. Clearly NEHA’s mission, “to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all” is as relevant today as it was when the organization was founded.
Advancement has been defined by NEHA in terms of both education and motivation. The basis for the association’s activities is the belief that the professional who is educated and motivated is the professional who will make the greatest contribution to the healthful environmental goals which we all seek. Accordingly, great emphasis is placed on providing, through each of NEHA’s programs, both an educational as well as a motivational opportunity. At NEHA’s conferences, for example, tremendous attention is paid to developing a quality educational program that not only imparts knowledge to the attendee but, also, through the very quality of the presentations, inspires the attendee to do more upon returning to his or her job.
NEHA’s Programs and Services
In pursuit of its mission, NEHA offers a variety of programs. Expanding beyond its original credential, today the association has seven national credential programs (see * list below). NEHA also produces the Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition, and a number of technical workshops each year. In addition, NEHA publishes the widely-respected and peer-reviewed Journal of Environmental Health, serves as a “one stop shop” for publications in virtually every area of the environmental health field through its online bookstore, posts job openings on its online JobCenter, provides networking and committee participation opportunities, develops positions on timely and serious environmental health concerns, and provides several other services, serving as a constant resource for the environmental health professional.
NEHA employs 26 paid professionals (21 full-time and five part-time or contract staff) dedicated to providing quality programs to the NEHA membership. The staff works in the following areas: Research and Development, Customer Service, Meetings and Technical Workshops, Credentialing, the Journal of Environmental Health, Governmental Affairs, and Sales and Marketing. NEHA also employs a full-time chief executive who serves as the association’s executive director.
NEHA’s Board of Directors, Committees & Technical Sections
The association is governed by a fifteen-member board of directors that is chaired by the association’s president. In all, NEHA has five national officers (second vice president, first vice president, president-elect, president and immediate past president) who serve on the association’s executive committee, and nine regional vice presidents
Serving under the association’s board of directors is an array of various administrative and functional committees. In addition, members may participate in the association through other committees that are organized within 13 distinct technical sections which, for NEHA’s purposes, essentially divide the environmental field. Those sections are: Air/Land, Children’s Environmental Health, Drinking Water Quality/Water Pollution, Emerging Pathogens/Vector Control and Zoonotic Diseases, Environmental Health Leadership Development, Environmental Health Research, Food Safety and Protection, General Environmental Health, Hazardous Materials and Toxic Substances, Injury Prevention/Occupational Health, Institutions and Schools Environmental Health, Onsite Wastewater Systems, and Terrorism and All-Hazards Preparedness.
(RVP’s) who each represents one region of the nation. A tenth RVP represents NEHA’s national affiliates (Industry Affiliate, Uniformed Services, National Association of Noise Control Officials, and National Conference of Local Environmental Health Administrators).
NEHA’s Membership
NEHA’s 4,500+ members practice their profession in the public and private sectors as well as in academia and the uniformed services, with a majority being employed by state and local county health departments. In addition, NEHA’s Journal of Environmental Health has subscribers in over 40 countries around the world. Because it encompasses the entire environmental health profession, this single organization effectively serves as the forum for discussion of, and can address the broad spectrum of, environmental health issues.
By working cooperatively with, and encouraging cooperation between, its diverse membership, other national professional societies, and various government agencies, NEHA continuously serves its mission. As it has from its inception, NEHA is working to advance the EH professional, and thereby improve the environment in cities, towns, and rural areas throughout the world, to create a more healthful environment and quality of life for us all.