In this assignment, you will submit a research plan for a public health department to investigate a possible crisis and recommend a public health response to this potential crisis.

Directions:

Read through the following Centervale scenario and investigate the linkages between the health and illness problems in Centervale and the water supplies and waste disposal services. You must consider the full public health impact of the landfill situation and the water supply policies.

Centervale’s Landfill Facility Centervale’s landfill facility has accepted, with the town’s approval, contaminated soil from the Middle Earth Energy Corporation. The landfill is located above ground and the operators plan on selling the soil to small farms in the county. The soil is known to be contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead that exceed the limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the past, the EPA has discovered several leaks in the landfill’s liner. The landfill is located above the town’s main aquifer, which supplies well water to 10,000 residents who live in either Simon or Diamond Townships. In Taylor Township, 750 residents use both well water and Metropolis water for small farms. The other residents only use well water.

Part 1: Research Plan

Design a detailed 4-page plan to research the impact of these services on the community’s health. Your plan must diagram or otherwise specify the steps from research to risk assessment and propose a plan for risk management. In your plan, include the following:

1. Identify the potential crisis and use that information to develop a clearly stated research objective.
2. Identify the data that must be collected and justify the purpose of collecting the data.
3. Identify possible collaborators in data collections.
4. Identify and justify the type of studies that need to be designed.
5. Predict any barriers to conducting research.

Use your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet to conduct research. Cite all the sources. Organize the information in a logical structure. Support your ideas with research information and reasons. Consider important alternatives and explain why you select a particular one. You may use your previous assignments for justification of your plan.

Part 2: Response Plan

Consider the full public health impact of the event and how your research will be applied. Design a 4-page detailed set of recommendations for action to remove or minimize risk to Centervale citizens, including the following:

1. Describe and justify the persons or agencies that must be contacted.
2. Identify possible collaborators in reducing risk, and explain what they can do to reduce the risk.
3. Justify the expense (i.e., time, labor, equipment, or money) each collaborator would incur by explaining how their action would result in benefits.
4. Describe and justify the type of monitoring that would be needed.
5. Predict any barriers to implementing your interventions.

Use your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet to conduct research. Cite all the sources. Organize the information in a logical structure. Support your recommendations with research information and reasons. Consider important alternatives and explain why you select a particular one.

Recommendations for this assignment:

To prepare the health plan, you may begin with an outline with two levels of headings. For each heading and subheading, describe the information you plan to include in 1–2 sentences. You may contact your facilitator with an outline of your plan before submitting the final paper before the final assignment is due.

You should utilize at least 5 scholarly sources beyond the course readings in your research. Your paper should be written in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Entire report should be 8 pages in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

Grading Criteria