Program Management

The Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative Addresses Wastewater Challenges in Rural America

wmclean — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:24:57 +0000

The Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative Addresses Wastewater Challenges in Rural America 

wmclean Wed, 06/14/2023 - 23:24

The Ask: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Agriculture sought to provide technical assistance to rural and underserved communities to assess and identify wastewater infrastructure needs and pursue federal funding for solution options. The initiative provides technical assistance to 11 communities across the American South and Southwest facing various water infrastructure and sanitation challenges.

The Solution: MDB decentralized wastewater experts, engineers, and analysts were engaged to conduct site visits, engage with communities, complete community wastewater assessments, and develop solutions plans for the 11 communities. MDB conducted assessments of physical and natural infrastructure and evaluated technical, regulatory, managerial, and financial capacity of local governments to implement sustainable wastewater treatment solutions. MDB facilitated and organized meetings with community members, routinely engaged stakeholders, and provided project management services to prioritize community goals.

Notable Outcomes: MDB successfully engaged community leaders, completed wastewater assessments, developed community outreach materials, and outlined innovative treatment solutions. Community and local government leaders have touted the benefits of the technical assistance teams’ work supporting their community and bringing infrastructure and funding solutions options that have long challenged their community.

< BACK TO PORTFOLIO

Measuring Watershed Partnership Impacts

ntomchin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 04:03:21 +0000

Measuring Watershed Partnership Impacts

Communication & Outreach

ntomchin Wed, 03/09/2022 - 11:03

The ask: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Urban Waters Program, which works in underserved watersheds across the country, needed a mechanism to highlight program achievements to date, community impacts, and environmental and public health successes.

The solution: To promote the achievements of the Urban Waters Program in connecting underserved communities with their watersheds, MDB led the development of the program’s first-ever Progress Report and supplemental overview fact sheet. We designed a process to curate and synthesize information on the program’s cumulative impacts and successes and engaged program stakeholders for report content and data. The report was effective in telling an engaging story of the program and highlighting environmental outcomes and funding leveraged, as well as providing a high-level snapshot of key projects and programmatic achievements of the Urban Waters locations.

Notable outcomes: The report was shared among all Urban Waters locations and was lauded by program leadership as an important step toward a more sustainable, accountable, impactful program.

< BACK TO PORTFOLIO

Supporting NIEHS Environmental Career Worker Training Program

ntomchin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 03:32:37 +0000

Supporting NIEHS Environmental Career Worker Training Program

Emergency Public Health

Occupational Safety & Health

Program Management

Training

ntomchin Wed, 03/09/2022 - 10:32

The ask: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Environmental Career Worker Training Program, funds organizations — called grantees — that train people from disadvantaged communities for jobs in Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER). Since its inception in 1995, the program has relied on MDB for help fulfilling its unique mission.

The solution: MDB has been integral to the Environmental Career Worker Training Program’s evolution, assisting grantees with training sessions, writing grantee success stories, and supporting special projects. Our history of supporting ECWTP and grantees, combined with our knowledge of health disparities and environmental issues, enables us to develop materials that capture the individual- and community-level impacts of the program.

As needed and appropriate, we take on special projects to support ECWTP. For example, in 2014, we collaborated with economists at Holy Cross University to conduct an economic impact review of the program. Together, we published the Environmental Career Worker Training Program Economic Impact Report, which summarizes the program’s many achievements, such as its positive influence on worker earnings and revenue, and its role in reducing costs related to workplace injury.

For the program’s 25th anniversary in 2020, we worked with NIEHS staff and grantees to develop a new webpage and logo to publicize the occasion and expand program outreach. We also created a new fact sheet and infographic describing key aspects of the program.

Notable outcomes: MDB continues to work with the program to promote training and sustainable careers, build stakeholder engagement, and advance environmental health.

< BACK TO PORTFOLIO

Developing Pilot Project Into a Full Scope Disaster Research Response Program

ntomchin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 03:18:31 +0000

Developing Pilot Project Into a Full Scope Disaster Research Response Program

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Public Health

Program Management

Strategic Planning

ntomchin Wed, 03/09/2022 - 10:18

The ask: In 2012, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services leadership published a call for action in the New England Journal of Medicine to improve the capabilities of the nation to conduct human health research in the aftermath of disasters. Up to that point, disaster research was uncoordinated, largely anecdotal, and lacked the scientific rigor that is the basis for all human health studies.

The solution: In response to this article, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) instituted a pilot project in disaster research called the Disaster Research Response project, with a focus on environmental health studies. MDB supported this project by providing strategic planning, expertise in disaster management and public health, and science writing. MDB supported monthly meetings of the National Institutes of Health disaster interest group, assisted with the development of disaster research workshops that occurred in four large cities across the country, provided expertise in the development of a Disaster Research Response program website, and co-authored several peer-reviewed articles about disaster research.

Notable outcomes: Through the efforts supported by MDB, the DR2 project is now a full-fledged program at NIEHS.

< BACK TO PORTFOLIO