Climate change jeopardizes public health. From extreme heat to flash flooding to increased spread of vector-borne diseases, the effects of climate change are some of the most pervasive threats local health departments are facing.
To mitigate the health effects of climate change, NACCHO, with the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offered a funding opportunity to supplement local health departments’ ongoing climate change and health adaptation initiatives. In January 2019, NACCHO awarded the Boston Public Health Commission and the Marquette County Health Department (MI) each with $15,000 grants to use in climate and health projects through July 31, 2019.
Here are brief descriptions of how the health departments are using the grants:
- Boston will use the grant to support the translation and printing of extreme temperature resource guides to reach all intended populations, particularly non-English speakers who may be the most vulnerable.
- Marquette County plans to develop a public health emergency response plan specifically addressing climate change-related localized flooding, which is predicted to increase in this rural locality.
Learn more about NACCHO’s climate change work here.