Boards of Health Association Launches Online Certification Program

The NJ Local Boards of Health Association (NJLBHA) debuted their on-line Board of Health Member Certification Program at the joint meeting of the association and the NJ Association of County and City Health Officials (NJACCHO) at the PNC Bank Arts Center on April 19.  This program is the first accredited on-line course for members of boards of health in the United States.    
 
“The NJLBHA recognized the need to train board of health members to understand the roles and responsibility of a board of health.  The association maintains a manual with this information and has hosted classes, but we determined we were not reaching enough people.  So we decided to develop an on-line certification program,” said John Saccenti, President of the NJLBHA.  
                                                            
“From my experience as a mayor I know how important the board of health is to the health and safety of a community,” declared Senator Kip Bateman, who attended the event.  “I appreciate the work of the NJ Local Boards of Health Association in developing this course.”
 
Assemblywoman Donna Simon, who also attended the event said, “I don’t think the community is aware of the extent of the work of a local board of health.  This course is both cutting edge and time efficient.  I endorse it.”
 
“As a member of South Brunswick’s Board of Health, I recognize the need for this training.  On-line learning is the future of training for adults who often do not have the time to travel to classes.  This course makes it very convenient for board of health members to become certified,” said John O’Sullivan who as a councilman servers on the South Brunswick Board of Health.   
 
The course will be accessible through the NJLBHA’s web site.  It consists of a series of modules which address the core functions of a Board of Health, the relationships between the Board and its governing body and the health officers, legal regulations pertaining to a board of health and board members responsibilities.
 
Mr. Saccenti expressed the NJLBHA’s gratitude to the NJACCHO with provided a grant in cooperation with the NJ Department of Health to enable them to develop this program.
 
The NJ Local Boards of Health Association represents the over 400 local boards of health in the state, each of which is responsible for developing public health policy in their community. The Association assists Boards of Health to communicate with each other, and to obtain training to improve their ability to lead their communities toward improved health. 
 
The NJ Association of County and City Health Officials is an association of public health officers dedicated to the advancement of knowledge relating to public health, sanitary and environmental sciences, to the consideration of public health problems and to the improvement in public health administration in New Jersey. 

Editor's Note: John Saccenti, President of the NJLBHA, is the father of East Brunswick Patch Local editor John Saccenti.