69 - How Collaboration Across Vector Control Affects Local Health Departments’ Work

Collaboration is a critical component to ensure programs evolve and produce efficient work by implementing unique prospectives and building relationships with various partners which is what the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has done since 1965. The organization’s role is to advocate and support local health departments nationwide. NACCHO’s Vector Control and Surveillance workgroup is composed of subject matter experts in local vector control organizations and academia. The importance of collaboration matters because it can solve problems on topics by sharing ideas and experiences to create common goals that will benefit the long term.   

The purpose of the workgroup is to identify challenges in the field, discuss and share current best practices, and provide guidance that programs across the country can apply to improve their surveillance and control capacity. In addition, the workgroup provides input on policy statements, technical guidance, and supports collaboration with partner organizations and experts across the field. In 2021, NACCHO published a resource guide on building a local mosquito control program. This guide was created based on results from the 2017 National Vector Assessment where the workgroup has identified and contributed to ensure local health departments establish or improve their programs. As a result, the guide was a success since it was downloaded more than 300 times.   

With the ever-present risk of both existing and novel vector-borne diseases, it is critical to ensure local health departments are receiving sufficient resources to establish and improve their vector control programs. This presentation will discuss NACCHO’s Vector Control and Surveillance Workgroup.