Maine § 1692. - Environmental Health Program

§ 1692.. Environmental Health Program

The department shall create an Environmental Health Program within the Division of Disease Control of the Bureau of Health, Department of Health and Human Services. This program shall be staffed by individuals with training and experience in environmental medicine, epidemiology, toxicology, statistics and related fields.   [PL 1981, c. 508, §1 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6 (REV).]

The Environmental Health Program shall:   [PL 1981, c. 508, §1 (NEW).]

1.  Develop and monitor health status.  Develop indicators of health problems in the State, monitor the health status of the people of the State and establish and maintain the necessary data banks for broad surveillance of human health and disease in Maine;

2.  Identify health problems.  Identify significant health problems in the State, including those which may be related to environmental factors;

3.  Investigate.  Conduct and contract for investigations as necessary to determine whether particular problems are related to environmental factors;

4.  Advise state agencies.  Advise the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, as well as other state agencies and boards, such as the Departments of Conservation, Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, regarding the potential health implications of their actions, the nature and extent of identified problems and the steps which can be taken to address them; and

5.  Public information.  Provide the public with information, and advise them as to preventive and corrective actions in the area of environmental health.