Which of the following services is considered part of the assurance function of public health agencies?

Public health systems are commonly defined as “all public, private, and voluntary entities that contribute to the delivery of essential public health services within a jurisdiction.” This concept ensures that all entities’ contributions to the health and well-being of the community or state are recognized in assessing the provision of public health services.

The three core functions of public health are:

1. Assessment:

• Monitor environmental and health status to identify and solve community environmental health problems
• Diagnose and investigate environmental health problems and health hazards in the community

2. Policy Development:

• Inform, educate, and empower people about environmental health issues
• Mobilize community partnerships and actions to identify and solve environmental health problems
• Develop policies and plans that support individual and community environmental health efforts

3. Assurance:

• Enforce laws and regulations that protect environmental health and ensure safety
• Link people to needed environmental health services and assure the provision of environmental health services when otherwise unavailable
• Assure a competent environmental health workforce
• Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based environmental health services
• Research for new insights and innovative solutions to environmental health problems