The 10 Essential Public Health Services provide a framework for public health. They describe activities that are important to the health of all communities throughout the United States. Each of these services is important for all people to access and experience. If you’re in a community and are not aware of the 10 essential public health services, you’ll want to take a look at them. They may surprise you. Read on to learn more. Once you’ve read the article, you’ll be able to recognize them in your own community.

Among the Essential Public Health Services is surveillance. The process of monitoring health conditions throughout the community can help identify health problems and potential interventions. Public health surveillance involves systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. It is performed in collaboration with health benefit plans and private providers. Essential Public Health Services foster collaboration and innovation across sectors to improve community health. And it doesn’t stop there. It also supports research. These services are vital for identifying problems and developing solutions for them.

The ten Essential Public Health Services were first recognized in the early 1990s, along with the debate about healthcare reform. Public health leaders already recognized three “core functions” but wanted to give policymakers a more specific guide for the work they do. So the 10 Essential Public Health Services were created. Each of the 10 services described below is important, but they shouldn’t be separated into separate categories. Regardless of the overlapping functions, they all serve the public health mission.

In 2011, the movie “Contagion” followed an epidemic that spread across the globe and public health officials raced to prevent the epidemic from spreading. This scenario is not far from reality, as public health professionals follow epidemics around the world every day. But they’re not necessarily glamorous. As you can see, there are many jobs in public health that aren’t glamorous. These professionals are essential, but not always glamorous. And they’re also among the 10 Essential Public Health Services.

The 10 Essential Public Health Services framework emphasizes equitable resource allocation and organizational structures. Agency leaders should evaluate the people and initiatives they work with through the lens of equity. They must consider their own internal biases, as well as whether their actions promote an equitable culture. This is because systemic change in communities begins within agencies. The Futures Initiative was launched by the de Beaumont Foundation and the PHAB. It engages the public health community and is working to improve the framework.

The framework also emphasizes the importance of addressing social determinants of health. The national accrediting body PHAB has created standards for the accreditation of nearly 300 health departments nationwide. This framework is a cornerstone of the National Association of County and City Health Officials and is an important piece of the PHAB process. Many Idaho health departments have already adopted the framework, and it is an integral part of its program.