A new program takes flight. (Managing Editors Desk).

Over a year ago, I announced in this column that we were launching a new initiative--our Association Research Center, or ARC--whose aim was to solidify NEHA's position as the organization that represents and speaks for the interests of those who work in environmental health. Through the ARC program, we envisioned being able to conduct a program of primary research that would probe those issues of greatest concern to the environmental health workforce. Our plan was to develop this research and make it available both to NEHA members and (at a higher price) to non-NEHA members in such a way so that we could make this program economically self-sufficient.

Those were the basic elements of the plan.

Now, a year later--and on behalf of the association, its leadership, and its staff--I am gratified to be able to report that we are on course. In fact, through this Journal, we are proudly announcing the release of the first ARC product, the 2002 Nationwide Salary & Benefits Survey of Local/County Environmental Health Professionals, which covers those who work in environmental health at the local level. You will find a brief article describing some highlights of the survey in this issue.

What an absolutely fascinating report! We have looked at how environmental health professionals are compensated from a host of different angles. The report features table after table brimming with insights, information, and data.

One can't help but learn a great deal about our profession by examining this material. In fact, one of the objectives of the ARC program was to create a research vehicle that would enable us to better understand the issues and concerns confronting our professional community.

I was surprised and educated, for example, to learn through this material that the difference in salary between the average entry-level position ($27,889) and the average director position ($52,101) was so small. Before too much gets read into these numbers, it is important to note that salaries vary depending on years of experience, the population size of one's service area, degree and credentials held, etc.--factors that the report documents in considerable detail. Nonetheless, just this one tidbit speaks volumes about what is taking place (or, I should say, what is not taking place) to provide career ladders to people in this line of work and to retain those who are making it to the top. Can we be surprised, for example, that many capable people leave our profession to take jobs elsewhere because they can't achieve their salary objectives even after years of an otherwise successful career?

It is through these kinds of research projects that we seek to provide the practitioners in this profession with the information, knowledge, and facts that they desire and even need. It is also our aim to penetrate more deeply into our profession so that NEHA can more keenly understand the issues our profession faces, It is this kind of understanding that paves the way for the association to more precisely align what we do with our ultimate goal of contributing to a more satisfying career for those who have chosen environmental health as their field of professional endeavor.

We hope you both enjoy the salary survey and are able to put it to good use for your benefit.

In addition to the salary survey, two additional products have just become available through the ARC. They are The Best of Food (a compilation of the best food articles published in the Journal in recent years) and A Professional's Guide to Measuring and Raising Community Awareness of Environmental Health Services. This latter publication constitutes a how-to handbook that explains how a local environmental health program can measure the awareness its community has of the program. It also describes ways of raising that awareness to higher levels. This guidebook is based on an actual undertaking that was used to accomplish these very goals.

We are well aware that many local environmental health programs struggle because they can't generate the political support that would prompt local policy makers to commit the resources needed for environmental health activities. The purpose of this document is to give local programs like yours the tools you need to raise awareness of your efforts and, in so doing, gain heightened support for the services you are providing (or need to provide).

That we have made it to this point is tremendously exciting for us. Several years ago, while pouring through the market research that we conduct to keep our association aligned with the needs of this profession, we recognized how useful such a research program could be. From there, it was a matter of conceiving this new program. Then, of course, we had to make it operational with the appropriate staffing and budgetary support. The research projects I have just described needed to be organized and conducted. And now, we have real product to show for our efforts.

The intent of my column this month has been simply to share what is now available from the ARC. In addition, I have a twofold appeal to make.

First, if you have any specific ideas about research you think we should be conducting, please pass those suggestions along to us. In particular, I'd ask that you forward your ideas to Julie Munoz, who manages the ARC. She can be reached at the Denver office.

Second, though we are making every effort to make this program an economically self-sustaining one, as with many of our programs, we would stand to benefit from sponsorship support. Accordingly, if you are in a position, on behalf of your company or organization, that enables you to provide some measure of support for this unique program, we would welcome a discussion. Please contact me directly if you, your company, or your organization would like to be involved as an ARC sponsor.

In the meantime, stay tuned as our new program now takes flight! We maintain high expectations for the ARC and its ability to help the profession as a whole as well as each of its practitioners.