MEHA had its origins in the 1960s as the creation of a professional society for environmental health practitioners with the desire to establish a standard of excellence for the developing profession. This standard, the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) credential, confirms that one has mastered a body of knowledge and has acquired sufficient experience to perform professional environmental health activities. The pioneers of the association believed that such a credential was necessary if the environmental health field was to grow and take shape as a legitimate and widely respected profession.
Drawing on the original effort that led to the creation of MEHA, the association now has nearly 300 members. MEHA offers a variety of programs that are all in keeping with the association's mission which is as relevant today as it was when the organization was founded.
While a majority of MEHA members work in the public sector, we are constantly moving toward membership which is representative of the entire environmental health field. The only qualification to be a MEHA member is that the individual be employed in the environmental field.
It is the association's desire to foster more cooperation and understanding among environmental health professionals, to contribute to the resolution of environmental health issues, and to work with national professional societies to advance the image and professional standing of the environmental health profession. At the same time, MEHA remains solidly founded by its roots in efforts to improve the environment in order to create a more healthful environment and quality of life in Minnesota.