Public Health Organizations

Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa)

Mission Statement:

alPHa is the collective voice of Ontario's public health units and boards of health. It provides leadership and expertise on the management and delivery of efficient and effective public health services.  alPHa also promotes the role of public health units and issues of community wellness.

Long-Term Objectives:

1. To assist local public health units in providing efficient and effective services that meet the needs of the people of Ontario.
2. To assist in establishing, through collaboration with other organizations, a unified and powerful voice for public health in Ontario which is consulted and respected.

Membership:

Active membership in alPHa is open to: board of health members of Ontario's 37 health units, medical and associate medical officers of health, and affiliate members which are duly-constituted associations or societies representative of (non-union) public health unit management, subject to the approval of the alPHa Board of Directors. Currently, the following organizations are affiliate members in alPHa:

• ANDSOOHA - Public Health Nursing Management
• Association of Ontario Public Health Business Administrators
• Association of Public Health Epidemiologists of Ontario
• Association of Supervisors of Public Health Inspectors of Ontario
• Health Promotion of Ontario Public Health
• Ontario Society Association of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health
• Ontario Society Association of Public Health Dentistry

Operations:

During its Annual Conference held in the spring of each year, alPHa elects a Board of Directors, composed of 7 members from the Board of Health Section and 7 members from the Medical Officers of Health Section. The balance of the alPHa Board is composed of the Affiliate organization representatives. The Board meets regularly throughout the year to consider matters of policy which emanate from the work of alPHa's standing and ad hoc committees.

Education and Information Services:

alPHa provides information in the following ways:

• holds seminars, workshops, and general meetings on issues such as labour relations, legislation, technology, and programs relative to public health
• surveys its membership and circulates findings on fringe benefits, insurance, board member remuneration, staff salaries, and other topical issues.

Opportunities:

alPHa members have the opportunity to represent their colleagues at the provincial level and to participate in discussions reflecting the concerns of public health units across Ontario. Members may also be appointed by alPHa to attend conferences and seminars and to sit on special advisory committees set up by the Province.
alPHa annually presents its Distinguished Service Awards which recognize the outstanding contributions made to public health by Board of Health members and health unit personnel.

Association of Local Public Health Agencies
425 University Avenue, Suite 502 Toronto, ON  M5G 1T6
Tel: (416) 595-0006, Fax: (416) 595-0030
Web site at http://www.alphaweb.org
Email at mail@alphaweb.org

Board of Health Section (alPHa)

Objectives

• To represent the views of boards of health as members of the Association of Local Official Health Agencies.
• To promote and maintain a high standard of public health service in Ontario.
• To work with other organizations which, from time to time, may exhibit similar objectives in the universal furtherance of a high standard of public health service in Ontario.
• To promote the mutual helpfulness and procure harmonious action among the Boards of Health in the Province.
• To encourage legislation for the betterment of public health and to be available to cooperate with the Ministry of Health as consultants in the development of provincial policies and programs.
• To endorse conferences and seminars to promote education and interaction amongst the membership.

Membership

Active membership in the Section shall be open to all active members of the boards of health, appointed or elected to serve a local, regional or municipal jurisdiction in Ontario. Active members shall have full voting privileges at Section general meetings and shall be eligible, under Article V of the constitution to vote at the annual meeting of the Association of Local Official Health Agencies.

Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health (alPHa)

The Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health is a section of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa).

Objectives

The objectives of the council are:

• To provide strong leadership in public health.
• To advocate for health protection and promotion policies and programs that maintain and improve the health of Ontarians.
• To promote and maintain the highest standards for Ontario's public health programs and services.
• To ensure that public health programs and services are planned, implemented and evaluated effectively and efficiently.
• To act as a forum for sharing information and resources and for addressing and discussing public health issues in partnership with other key stakeholders e.g., Ontario Medical Association, Ontario Public Health Association, etc.
• To provide public health and related policy advice to alPHa, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and other public health partners.
• To promote and protect the professional interests of its members.

Membership

Active membership in the Council is open to all full-time Medical Officers of Health and Associate Medical Officers of Health whose Boards of Health are members of alPHa.

Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA)

Founded in 1949, the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) is a voluntary, charitable, non-profit association. OPHA is an organization of individuals and Constituent Associations from various sectors and disciplines that have an interest in improving the health of the people of Ontario.

The association provides leadership on issues affecting the public's health by providing education opportunities and up-to-date information in community and public health, access to local, provincial and multi-disciplinary community health networks, mechanisms to seek and discuss issues and views of members, issue identification and advocacy with a province-wide perspective, and expertise and consultation in public and community health.

The Ten Constituent Societies of OPHA are:

• ANDSOOHA - Public Health Nursing Management
• Association of Public Health Business Administrators
• Association of Ontario Health Centres
• Association of Supervisors of Public Health Inspectors of Ontario
• Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (Ontario Branch)
• Community Health Nurses Interest Group (RNAO)
• Health Promotion Ontario: public health
• Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health
• Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry
• Public Health Research, Education and Development Program (PHRED)

OPHA Workgroups

The purpose of each work group is to provide a structure for individual members of OPHA to network, research and formulate policy positions or options and take action in collaboration with the Board of Directors.  Workgroups, ratified by the OPHA Board, reflect the interest and emerging issues of members.   OPHA Work Groups:

• Alcohol
• Breastfeeding Promotion
• Child Health
• Environmental Health
• Food Security
• Violence Prevention
• Food Biotechnology
• Public Health Alliance for LGBTQ Equity
• Urban Health

Website: www.opha.on.ca

Ontario Council on Community Health Accreditation (OCCHA)

Accreditation is an independent, voluntary, peer evaluation of the administrative and program aspects of local and regional health agencies against pre-set principles and standards. OCCHA’s conviction is that provision of quality community and health services requires sound administrative mechanisms. The Ontario Council on Community Health Accreditation is an independent body directed by a board whose members are appointed by professional associations involved in public health. 

OCCHA exists to promote excellence in community health programs and services by defining, reviewing and publicizing standards related to structure, process and outcome; enhancing

knowledge through consultation and shared experience; measuring agency performance against peer-set standards; developing and submitting comprehensive, constructive reports for the agency; and conferring graduated awards.

The Accreditation award symbolizes official recognition of excellence to the public, local official health agencies, other community agencies, professional associations, local, regional and provincial governments.

Website: www.opha.on.ca