Environmental Health Continuous
Improvement Board
November 16, 2015 Meeting Take-Home Points and Action Items
Take-Home Points
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The Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) approved a proposal
for a new Food, Pools, and Lodging Services (FPLS) program evaluation model. The key
difference in the evaluation model is that all programs will be evaluated on one
standard at the same time; evaluations will be conducted standard-by-standard vs.
program-by-program. The Board made the following recommendations for
implementing the new model:
o Use the existing FDA Food Program Standards and incorporate Minnesota
specific (MDH or MDA) criteria and elements where valuable. The existing FDA
food program standards serve as a good foundation and using them will
promote MDH-MDA alignment. In addition, the Board would like to see MDH
and MDA use consistent program elements and evaluation processes.
o Initiate a workgroup to develop the new FPLS program evaluation process.
This will allow the new FPLS program evaluation process to roll-out efficiently
and in partnership. The Board will work with MDH EH staff to develop a charter
and recruit members; the workgroup will begin work in March 2016.
o Implement a new program rating method – “meets” or “does not meet.” Since
programs will be evaluated over time the Board recommends a status of
“meets” or “does not meet” be given to each program at the end of each
standard review and then an overall status after all standards have been
reviewed.
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One of the Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board’s (Board) goals for
2015 is to “establish a common understanding of a quality Food, Pools, and Lodging
Services (FPLS) program and develop corresponding metrics.” At its November meeting,
the Board worked towards this goal by conducting a performance measure exercise
where they answered the following questions from a FPLS program perspective: How
much do we do?; How well do we do it?; and, Is anyone better off?. The exercise
resulted in a list of potential FPLS program performance measures. Board members will
gather information about the availability of data for these measures prior to the next
Board meeting.
Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board
Minnesota Department of Health
Public Health Practice Section – Health Partnerships Division
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
(651) 201-3880

MDH has almost completed the Food, Pools, and Lodging Services (FPLS) program reevaluation process. The Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board)
will formally gather feedback from those involved about the FPLS program re-evaluation
process. The feedback will be used to improve the process in the future.

The Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) is in the process of
filling the following four (4) open Board member positions by March 2016:
o Metro, locally run environmental health (EH) program – currently held by Jeff
Travis, Washington Community Health Board
o Non-metro, locally run EH program – currently held by Karen Swenson, BrownNicollet Community Health Board
o City EH program – currently held by John Weinand, City of Minnetonka
o State Community Health Services Advisory Committee (SCHSAC) – currently held
by Bill Groskreutz, Faribault County
City EH programs will choose their new representative. SCHSAC will choose its new
representative. The Local Public Health Association (LPHA) is responsible for recruiting
and selecting representatives for the metro and non-metro locally run EH programs. If
you are interested in serving on the Board contact your Board representative for more
information.

The Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) welcomes and
appreciates feedback and participation from others. Everyone is welcome to attend and
participate in all Board meetings.

The 2016 Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) meeting
schedule is now available. All meetings will be held from 9am-1:30pm at the Minnesota
Counties Intergovernmental Trust building in St. Paul. Any changes will be announced on
the Board’s webpage.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Action Items

MDH EH staff and EHCIB members will develop the new FPLS program evaluation model
development workgroup charter, determine necessary resources, and begin recruitment
for the workgroup by the next EHCIB meeting in January 2016.
Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board
Minnesota Department of Health
Public Health Practice Section – Health Partnerships Division
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
(651) 201-3880
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EHCIB members will share their recommendations for the new FPLS program evaluation
model with constituents and gather feedback.
EHCIB members, MDH EH staff, and Health Partnerships Division staff will develop a plan
for pilot-testing the possible new FPLS program evaluation model.
EHCIB members will gather information from constituents regarding what performance
measure data is currently being collected.
MDH EH staff, Health Partnerships Division staff, and EHCIB members will gather
feedback from participants in the FPLS program re-evaluation process.
John Weinand, Lorna Schmidt, and Health Partnerships Division staff will begin the
recruitment process for new EHCIB members for their respected groups.
MDH EH staff and Health Partnerships Division staff will develop a draft map/inventory
of existing environmental health committees, networking groups, forums, etc. for the
EHCIB to review at a future meeting.
Health Partnerships Division staff will update the EHCIB’s work plan online.
Upcoming Meetings
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Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board
Minnesota Department of Health
Public Health Practice Section – Health Partnerships Division
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
(651) 201-3880