Tracking Program History

2001: The Need

In January 2001, the Pew Environmental Health Commission issued a report. It was called America's Environmental Health Gap: Why the Country Needs a Nationwide Health Tracking Network. It included the recommendation to create a "Nationwide Health Tracking Network for disease and exposures."

At this time, no systems existed to track many of the exposures and health effects possibly related to environmental hazards. And in most cases, existing tracking systems were not linked together. Because of this, it was difficult to study and monitor relationships among hazards, exposures, and health effects.

The Tracking Network is CDC's answer to these issues.

2002-2005: Development

In fiscal year 2002, Congress provided CDC with initial funding.

First, CDC conducted pilot projects. We worked with state and local health departments, federal partners, professional partners, and community groups. Together, we laid the foundation for a system to track environmental hazards and the health problems they may cause.

CDC's goal was to create a tracking system. They wanted it to integrate data about environmental hazards and exposures with data about diseases with possible links to the environment. This system allows federal, state, and local agencies, and others to:

• monitor and share environmental hazard and disease trend information
• add to research on environmental hazards and disease links
• take actions to prevent or control environment-related diseases
• evaluate environmental public health actions

We also started to develop capacity in environmental health within state and local health departments.

CDC assembled four workgroups to develop recommendations for the Environmental Public Health Tracking Program. The workgroups included representatives from 30 organizations. These included federal agencies, state/local public health and environment agencies, non-governmental agencies, and academic institutions.

2006-2010: Implementation

In this timeframe, the Tracking Program focused on launching national and state networks. They did this through building national infrastructure, workforce, and collaborations on data linkage.

The actual online Environmental Public Health Tracking Network launched in 2009. This dynamic, web-based system of data and information helps draw a clear picture of the intricate relationships between environment and health.

Read Keeping Track, Promoting Health, which highlights the successes and challenges of the first four years of the Tracking Program.

2011-2015: Growth and Enhancement

This period focused on expanding the Tracking Network. This included adding new data, functionality, states, and data-use activities. Additionally, we incorporated changes as a result of evaluation.

2016-2021: Better Information for Better Health

In this time, we lived our tagline: "Better information for better health." We created tools and resources. And we shared expertise across many data topics.

Data tools developed included:

• topic-specific dashboards
• application program interface (API)
• data visualization embedding (DVE)

We also worked to become leaders in data modernization for environmental health and the agency.

2022: Twenty Years of Tracking

As we look back on the milestones and accomplishments of the Tracking Program, we also look toward the future. We established a new strategic plan and updated our mission and vision. However, our aim remains to provide better information for better health.

Since 2002, Tracking data and activities have informed over 500 public health actions in communities across the country. And, as we move forward, the Tracking Network has the potential to empower more organizations to save lives and protect health.

We look forward to our vision for a world where data-informed decisions create healthy communities.