Mosquito 719613 1920

By Local Health, For Local Health: How NACCHO Supports Vector Control Programs in 2021

Jun 22, 2021 | Danielle Chatelain

This post was written by NACCHO’s Vector Control team to recognize National Mosquito Control Awareness Week 2021, and provides an overview of tools and resources available to our members. Follow @NACCHOalerts on Twitter and @NACCHOHQ on Facebook/Instagram for regular updates and consider signing up for NACCHO’s bi-weekly environmental health newsletter, the Greener Side of Local Public Health.

Mentorship Program

NACCHO’s vector control mentorship program, called the Vector Control Collaborative, focuses on capacity-building at the local level prior to mosquito season. This program provides the opportunity to maximize benefits of the mentorship program and build sustainable initiatives. Once a mentee program is matched with a mentor, participants are asked to develop an action plan that documents how the pair will work together over the course of the project. Together, they identify areas where the programs anticipate needing support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NACCHO. By creating this action plan, mentees are positioned to optimize their time by discussing priorities with their mentor at the beginning of the program, allowing the mentor to strategize how to best support the mentee in achieving these priorities early in the partnership. This peer-to-peer learning model encourages bi-directional knowledge building between mentors and mentees. Many of the participants have continued their partnerships past the conclusion of their mentorship program. Since December 2018, NACCHO has funded 28 programs across 11 states to participate as mentors or mentees in the collaborative.

Workgroup and Deliverables

The Vector Control Workgroup provides leadership, guidance, and direction to NACCHO’s Vector Control Program. This group reviews best practices in mosquito, tick, and rodent control to assist local organizations working to detect, prevent, and respond to zoonotic diseases. Workgroup members also guide the development and delivery of technical assistance.

How to Join: Membership in the workgroup is geared towards local health department staff who are working in vector control. Local health department staff members working in other areas of environmental health are also encouraged to apply, as well as vector control professionals with strong connections to local health department work in vector control. The application period for participation in our 2022-2023 Subject Matter Expert Advisory Workgroups is now closed and will re-open again in April 2022.

During this year, the Vector Control Workgroup created a Mosquito Surveillance and Control Guidance document that is aimed at assisting local vector programs in building their capacity. This guidance document is set to be shared through NACCHO’s networks during the summer of 2021.

Check back with our webpage to learn about the release of the Guidance.

Coming Soon! Results from NACCHO’s National Vector Assessment

The 2020 Vector Assessment was conducted from November 2020 to January 2021. This is the second iteration of the survey and the first time the survey has collected data on tick programs. This survey provides critical information on the state of vector control programs across the nation. The results of the 2017 survey were used to inform programmatic decisions both at NACCHO and at CDC.

Preliminary results from the 2020 survey suggest that there has been a marked improvement in mosquito control capacity at the local level since 2017 and indicates some tick surveillance activity at present, but very little tick control activity. These results are critical as the risk for vector-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, continues to increase in many parts of the country due to rising effects of climate change.

NACCHO plans to conduct another iteration of the Vector Assessment in 2023 as the organization continues to evaluate the state of vector control activity at the local level and identify changes in vector control capacity over time.

The 2020 Assessment results will be released on NACCHO’s vector control webpage.


About Danielle Chatelain

More posts by Danielle Chatelain

Related Posts

Scbclogo 0
  • Opportunity

Win $25,000 in cash prizes. Share your innovative...

The EPA’s Small Communities, Big Challenges Competition encourages local...

Nov 16, 2023 | Anu Varma

Win $25,000 in cash prizes. Share your innovative...

I Stock 1249864145
  • Community Health
  • Healthy Living & Prevention
  • Infectious Disease
  • Research & Reports

[NACCHO Webinar] Waterborne Infectious Disease Burden...

A webinar hosted by the Model Aquatic Health Code Network.

Nov 02, 2023 | Rebecca Rainey

[NACCHO Webinar] Waterborne Infectious Disease Burden...

JEH Nov2023 Cover Artwork sm
  • Food Safety & Inspection
  • Research & Reports

NACCHO Research Reveals Impact of FDA Funding on...

NEHA’s Journal of Environmental Health , Volume: 86 Number: 4. Published:...

Oct 31, 2023 | Nicholas Adams

NACCHO Research Reveals Impact of FDA Funding on...

CEH Day logo No Date
  • Community Engagement

It’s Children’s Environmental Health Day today!

Celebrate with us!

Oct 12, 2023 | Anu Varma

It’s Children’s Environmental Health Day today!

I Stock 1149466575
  • Funding Opportunity

Five Reasons to Apply for Retail Food Safety Mentorship!

This annual funding opportunity closes October 11.

Oct 02, 2023 | Anu Varma

Five Reasons to Apply for Retail Food Safety Mentorship!

Happy senior woman in swimming pool leaning on edge i Stock 1364551940
  • Tools & Resources
  • Community Health
  • Healthy Living & Prevention

Pueblo County’s Model Aquatic Health Code Adoption...

New NACCHO Toolbox in aquatic health and safety.

Sep 26, 2023 | Rebecca Rainey

Pueblo County’s Model Aquatic Health Code Adoption...

26256832 Meeting 2
  • Webinar
  • Community Engagement
  • Climate Change

Get to Know Your NACCHO Climate Ambassador Community

See webinar recording, slides, and resources from the October 3rd call.

Sep 20, 2023 | Anu Varma

Get to Know Your NACCHO Climate Ambassador Community

SFTF Town of Natick
  • Community Engagement
  • Community Resilience
  • Climate Change
  • Success Story

Who Ya Gonna Call... When You Don’t Speak English?

If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, you call the Ghostbusters....

Sep 18, 2023 | Jillian Wilson Martin, Town of Natick

Who Ya Gonna Call... When You Don’t Speak English?

Archuleta County CO
  • Community Health Assessment and Improvement Planning
  • Community Health
  • Climate Change
  • Success Story

Progressing on Climate Adaptation for Archuleta and La...

San Juan Basin Public Health’s conclusions demonstrate the importance of...

Sep 18, 2023 | Brian Devine, San Juan Basin Public Health

Progressing on Climate Adaptation for Archuleta and La...

Back to Top