Cumberland County Environmental Health Food and Lodging section enrolled in the FDA Voluntary Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards on September 8, 2014. Upon enrollment, a Program Standards team was assembled at the Cumberland County Department of Public Health Environmental Health Division and consists of the Environmental Health Division Director and two Environmental Health Food & Lodging Program Specialists. The initial Self-Assessment process will be completed August 2015. The funding will be used to support our efforts and to fund an Administrative Assistant I position who will serve as the Program Standards Coordinator. This role is very important as it will provide the supportive foundation to lead the team in the direction of standardization as we identify current status, next steps, and time frames for completion of the 9 standards. In order to implement the Program Standards in the intended manner, the county must dedicate the extensive time, resources, and staff necessary to meet each standard?s requirements. Due to the overwhelming number of not only state mandated inspections, but also county specific inspection requirements, the feasibility of accomplishing advancement in the VNRFRPS is unobtainable. Cumberland County Environmental Health would require additional staff whose sole responsibility is to lead the overall project?s implementation to meet the following program needs: 1. Identify program areas where an agency can have the greatest impact on retail food safety. 2. Promote wider application of effective risk-factor intervention strategies. 3. Assist in identifying program areas most in need of additional attention. 4. Provide information needed to justify maintenance or increase in program budgets. 5. Lead to innovations in program implementation and administration. 6. Improve industry and consumer confidence in food protection programs by enhancing uniformity within and between regulatory agencies. In addition to utilizing grant funding to provide the necessary staff to achieve greater conformity with the Program Standards, the county will require funds for specialized training of EH staff, outreach activities, and deliverables to consumers and industry. Without this grant funding, the County is not able to dedicate staff and additional resources to continue participation with this Voluntary Program.
The VNRFRPS funding will be used to fund a new position, Program Standards Coordinator. This role is very important as it will provide the supportive foundation to lead the Cumberland County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) Environmental Health (EH) team in the direction of standardization as we identify current status, next steps, and time frames for completion of the 9 individual Retail Program Standards. These Standards will reduce or eliminate the occurrence of illness and deaths from foods produced at the retail level and will provide the foundation and system for the regulatory system at CCDPH EH.
