Letter to HHS & HRSA in Support of the Environmental Health Workforce

On February 8, NEHA President Dr. Gary Brown and Executive Director Dr. David Dyjack sent a letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Human Resources and Services Administrator Carole Johnson emphasizing that environmental health is part of the public health workforce and should be included in the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program.

Furthermore, the letter requests the President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024 should include at least $100 million for the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program. This program was authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 as part of the PREVENT Pandemics Act and is essential to ensuring the public health workforce needed for the future.

The environmental health workforce, the second largest public health workforce, should be included in the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program. HRSA has the authority and ability to include these professionals.

Read the Letter