Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice

Glass globe in nature concept for environment and conservation

Division mission: Prevent exposures to environmental health hazards to improve the health of people in all communities through applied environmental public health science and practice

About DEHSP

The Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice focuses on applying innovative data to detect environmental public health hazards, building the environmental public health evidence base, and developing and implementing environmental public health best practices. The division is part of CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health.

How the Environment Affects Our Health

The air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, and the places where we live, work, and play all have an impact on our health.

More about DEHSP

DEHSP’s mission is supported by surveillance, epidemiology, technical assistance, training, and preparedness activities conducted by four branches. These branches and their programs provide critical environmental health support and funding for state, tribal, local, and territorial environmental health departments and other partners with similar missions.

DEHSP was created in 2018 as part of a strategic realignment within NCEH. It includes the former Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services and Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects.

CDC’s Environmental Health Nexus (EH Nexus) is a communication network committed to communicating about environmental health to everyone who might use this information, including interested members of the public, people in a position to affect the environmental health of communities, and environmental public health professionals.

Page last reviewed: May 24, 2022