As part of The Futures Initiative: the 10 Essential Public Health Services, the de Beaumont Foundation, PHAB’s Center for Innovation, and a Task Force of public health experts revealed a revised version of the 10 Essential Public Health Services on September 9, 2020. As with the original version, the 10 EPHS was created by the field for the field.

The framework now centers equity and incorporates current and future public health practices. A recording of the launch event, including the Q&A, is available for viewing.

10 essential public health resources

Toolkit

Update your organization’s website materials and educational tools and communicate about the 10 EPHS with the resources found in the free toolkit.

The original 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) framework was developed in 1994 by a federal working group. It serves as the description of the activities that public health systems should undertake in all communities. Organized around the three core functions of public health – assessment, policy development, and assurance – the colorful, circular framework is a familiar graphic in the public health field. Health departments and community partners around the United States organize their work around the EPHS framework, schools and programs of public health teach it, and the framework informs descriptions and definitions of practice. The framework is also used as the basis of the Public Health Accreditation Board Domains.

The framework has provided a roadmap of goals for carrying out the mission of public health in communities around the nation. However, the public health landscape has shifted dramatically over the past 25 years, and many public health leaders agreed it was time to revisit the framework in 2020.

The Futures Initiative, a partnership between the de Beaumont Foundation, PHAB’s Center for Innovation, and a Task Force of public health experts [NR1], formed in Spring 2019 to bring the 10 Essential Public Health Services national framework in line with current and emerging public health practice needs. This effort engaged the public health field through a variety of input opportunities, including live crowdsourcing events, in-person and virtual townhalls, think tank discussions, and open questionnaires. All direct feedback on the EPHS and how they might be revised was considered, resulting in a revised version of the 10 EPHS that now centers equity and incorporates concepts relevant to current and future public health practice.

For 25 years, the 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) provided a definition and guidance, and the framework is widely recognized and respected as the authoritative description of public health’s role. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the EPHS and recognize their significance in public health, this environmental scan aims to describe the history of the development and use of the EPHS and to highlight the scope and breadth of their impact on public health and beyond.

DEFINING PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE: 25 YEARS OF THE 10 ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS

HOW DO THE FRAMEWORKS ALIGN: 10 EPHS VS FPHS

TASK FORCE MEETING SUMMARY (JANUARY 23, 2020)

TASK FORCE MEETING SUMMARY (APRIL 30, 2020)