Erie County Health Department Risk Factor Study and Continued Conformance with the FDA Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards

Project Summary/AbstractThe Erie County Health Department (ECHD) Eire County, Ohio is seeking a $70,000 award from the U.S.FDA?s Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards Grants Program to advanceconformance with Standards 2,3,7 8 and 9.Goals include: ? Standard 2: Trained Regulatory Staff- re-standardize a food inspection staff member as a food Safety Inspection Officer (FSIO) to then re-standardize other ECHD food safety personnel and train antipated new hires in accordance with stated protocols ? Standard 3: Inspection Program Based on HACCP Principles- develop required written policies including on-site corrective actions appropriate to the type of violations, long-term control of risk factors, follow-up activities to assure compliance, code variance requests related to risk factors and verification/validation of Hazard Analysis Critical control Points (HACCP) ? Standard 7: Industry and Community Relations- strengthen an Active Managerial Control (AMC) Program with an initial 20 local facilities, offering training and resources to food mangers. ? Standard 8: Program Support and Resources- provide staff with appropriate food inspection tools and equipment used for routine inspections, risk factor evaluations, and food safety trainings ? Standard 9: Program Assessment- conduct an initial phase of a required risk factor study with a focus on schools, grocery stores, hospitals, and healthcare facilities.Specifically, for standard 2, ECHD will seek renewed partnership with the Fairfax county Health Department,Virginia, a previous mentor, to bring their FSIO to ECHD to re-standardize an ECHD lead food inspector.Currently, in Ohio, there is no avenue for local health departments to complete this requirement through astate-based program.ECHD believes participation in these activities are the steps needed to reduce food violations most commonlyassociated with food borne illness at licensed operations within the jurisdiction. The risk factor study willprovide solid baseline data that will be trended over time in order to develop targeted strategies that addressthe five CDC risk factors known to contribute to food borne illness. The study will identify the neededinterventions proven to promote use of specific behaviors that improve and protect public health.