Partnership and Workforce Development Unit (PWDU)

The Partnership and Workforce Development Unit (PWDU) was created in 2006 to sustain and expand existing Food, Pools, and Lodging Services (FPLS) Section activities and collaborations. PWDU is funded in part by the Statewide Hospitality Fee approved by the Minnesota Legislature in 2005.

PWDU is responsible for:

• Developing and maintaining partnerships among Environmental Health agencies and those they serve.
• Conducting program evaluations.
• Providing training opportunities.
• Coordinating foodborne and waterborne outbreaks.
• Producing educational and informational materials for industry, public health partners, and the community.
• Developing and managing an emergency notification system (i.e., MIR 3 - automatic call-out system).

Minnesota state and local Food, Pools, and Lodging contacts

• Licensing Jurisdiction

The State and Local Environmental Health Contacts map contains contact information for MDH and all local delegated agencies within the state of Minnesota. Update your contact information by notifying PWDU at health.foodlodging@state.mn.us or 651-201-4500.

Delegation Agreement materials

• Delegation Agreement Materials

The current FPLS Delegation Agreement was written with the assistance of the Delegation Agreement Advisory Council. As part of this process, an Evaluation Workgroup developed the current Program Evaluation Protocol and Program Evaluation Tools. The Protocol and Tools are used to ensure that minimum program standards put forth in Minnesota Statutes, Rules, and Delegation Agreement are in place and maintained, in order to protect public health.

Best Practices manual

• Best Practices Manual
  • For Administering Consistent, Uniform, and Safe Food, Pools, and Lodging Programs in Minnesota

The Best Practices Manual is being developed to provide best practices, tools and resources for program managers, administrators, and staff to deliver consistent, uniform, and safe retail food and beverage, lodging [i.e., hotel, motel, manufactured home parks (MHP), recreational camping areas (RCA), and youth camps] and public swimming pool programs throughout the State of Minnesota.

Food Safety Partnership

• Food Safety Partnership (FSP)

FSP is a consortium of environmental health professionals, industry partners, and other stakeholders working together to protect the public health in the area of food safety. The goal of the FSP is to create a unified program for food safety in the State of Minnesota.

Quarterly newsletters

• Quarterly Newsletters
  • PWDU issues a quarterly update with environmental health information from MDH and our partners.

FPLS training for Environmental Health professionals

• FPLS Training for Environmental Health Professionals

PWDU and FSP Training Calendar provides information about upcoming training opportunities for environmental health professionals in Minnesota. The page also links to additional federal and state training resources, as well as professional organization websites.

Outbreak Response Protocol

• Outbreak Response Protocol

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Outbreak Response Protocol is intended to provide a model for rapid investigation of foodborne, waterborne, and zoonotic disease outbreaks with coordination among local and state epidemiologists, environmental health specialists, laboratorians, agriculture officials and other stakeholders. The purpose of this document is to: 1) create a standard protocol for outbreak response; 2) enable stakeholders to work together effectively during outbreak investigations; 3) define roles and responsibilities; and 4) foster effective communication and data sharing among investigation team members.