Oregon Climate and Health Program
Lead Organization: Oregon Health Authority
Program Name: Oregon Climate and Health Program
Summary:
The Oregon Climate and Health Program addresses the health effects of climate change by focusing on developing cross-sectoral partnerships and promoting systems and policy changes that build resilience across a broad range of climate impacts. These impacts include extreme heat, extreme cold, wildfire, air quality and respiratory illnesses, flooding, sea level rise, vector-borne diseases, water-borne disease, mental health, drought, harmful algal blooms, and extreme weather events, such and hurricanes and tornadoes. This work primarily serves local and tribal health departments, partner state agencies, community health workers, and other state public health programs, including emergency preparedness, chronic disease prevention, and acute and communicable disease. Some of the program’s activities include developing the public health workforce, informing statewide climate policy and planning, and supporting partners in building social resilience. The Oregon Public Health Division (OPHD) has trained public health practitioners, health care providers, emergency response personnel, community health workers, partner state agencies, and the general public through workshops, trainings, and materials development. The focus of these training and education efforts has been on the health impacts of climate change, health equity, and strategies for reducing health impacts and building resilience. The OPHD has provided funding, training, and technical assistance to five local health jurisdictions to understand and prioritize the health effects of a changing climate in their communities and to develop and implement strategies for building resilience.
Climate-Ready State funded since 2010
Relevant Links:
- 2018 Climate and Health Policy Paper https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HEALTHYENVIRONMENTS/CLIMATECHANGE/Documents/2018/2018-OHA-Climate-and-Health-Policy-Paper.pdfpdf iconexternal icon
- 2017 Resilience Plan https://apps.state.or.us/Forms/Served/le8267a.pdfpdf iconexternal icon
- Summary of Program Priorities https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HEALTHYENVIRONMENTS/CLIMATECHANGE/Documents/2018/Climate-Program-Priorities-2018.pdfpdf iconexternal icon
To learn more, please visit: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HealthyEnvironments/climatechange/Pages/index.aspxexternal icon