The 10 Essential Public Health Service framework was developed in 1994 by a federal working group. It serves as the description of the activities that public health systems should undertake in all communities. The framework has provided a roadmap of goals for carrying out the mission of public health in communities around the nation. As a public health professional, we are trained to perform one or more of these ten essential services:
- Monitor the health status of a community to identify potential problems
- Diagnose and investigate health problems and hazards in the community
- Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues, particularly the underserved and those at risk
- Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems
- Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts
- Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety
- Link people to needed personal health services and ensure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable
- Ensure a competent public health and personal health care workforce
- Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services
- Research new insights and innovative solutions to health problems
For more information on the essential public health services framework: English / Español