TABLE 2—

The 10 Essential Services of Public Health, With Climate Change Examples

Service	Climate Change Example
1. Monitor health status to identify and solve community health problems.	Tracking of diseases and trends related to climate change
2. Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.	Investigation of infectious water-, food-, and vector-borne disease outbreaks
3. Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.	Informing the public and policymakers about health impacts of climate change
4. Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems.	Public health partnerships with industry, other professional groups, faith community, and others, to craft and implement solutions
5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.	Municipal heat-wave preparedness plans
6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.	(Little role for public health)
7. Link people to needed personal health services and ensure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.	Health care service provision following disasters
8. Ensure competent public and personal health care workforce.	Training of health care providers on health aspects of climate change
9. Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services.	Program assessment of preparedness efforts such as heat-wave plans
10. Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.	Research on health effects of climate change, including innovative techniques such as modeling, and research on optimal adaptation strategies

Source. Public Health Functions Steering Committee.71