Ledge Light Health District serves as the local health department for eight municipalities in southeastern Connecticut and has primary responsibility for regulation of retail food establishments in the jurisdiction. Ledge Light Health District in enrolled in the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards and completed a self-assessment in 2014. The project proposed in this application - improving conformance with the Retail Program Standards through technology, will enable Ledge Light Health District to achieve greater conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards #4, #5, and #9. Should a cooperative agreement be awarded, Ledge Light Health District will purchase a new information technology system called the Digital Health Department. Ledge Light Health District?s implementation of the Digital Health Department will enable the regulatory program to significantly increase its ability to track trends in risk factors associated with foodborne illness, to implement early interventions through certified food protection managers, to track trends in foodborne injury and illness and to share information and strategies with other regulatory programs. After the Digital Health Department is customized to meet Ledge Light Health District?s requirements and operationalized, the jurisdiction will be design and implement a Quality Assurance Plan, a baseline Program Assessment and data tracking and reporting regarding foodborne injury and illness.
By enhancing the ability to track and analyze real-time data regarding the occurrence of risk factors associated with foodborne illness and injury and about complaints regarding foodborne illness and injury, the proposed project will significantly improve Ledge Light Health District?s ability to design and implement appropriate and early interventions with retail food establishments. As conformance with the Program Standards increases, the occurrence of risk factors associated with foodborne illness should decrease, resulting in a reduction of foodborne illness in Ledge Light Health District?s jurisdiction.
