Local health departments (LHDs) play an important role in protecting their communities from infectious diseases. A local public health network that quickly and effectively responds to infections and helps implement prevention and control measures across settings is vital to the safety of communities. 

NACCHO’s Infectious Disease Prevention and Control program aims to strengthen the epidemiology and infectious disease capacity of LHD, including through strengthening awareness of existing resources, enhancing critical partnerships, and promoting peer learning.

See below for resources related to NACCHO’s work exploring strategies for strengthening state support to local health departments and coordination as part of the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) program.

NACCHO’s Flexible Local Epidemiology for X-Factor Emerging Diseases (FLEXED) Learning Community is designed to strengthen LHDs’ epidemiology capacity and enhance their ability to respond to emerging infectious diseases. The FLEXED Learning Community centers around a group on NACCHO’s Virtual Communities platform to share resources and promote peer engagement.

To get a snapshot of the first year of the program and catch up on any relevant topics, explore the December 2025 Learning Plan. 

See more valuable resources here: https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/flexed-resources