Body Art Needs Assessment Results
In 2021, we conducted a nationwide survey to assess the needs of the workforce related to body art facility inspections. This needs assessment examined attitudes, skills, and knowledge related to inspection standards, best practices, and resources. The information from this needs assessment can be utilized to identify priorities that guide training and resource development for environmental health professionals responsible for ensuring safe body art practices that protect public health are implemented and followed.
View the Needs Assessment Results Summary
Input on Body Art Model Code
We are updating our model code for body art and request review and comment from both the environmental health and body art communities. The NEHA Body Art Model Code serves as a resource for local and state organizations to update their own body art code to protect public health.
“Our goal is to provide the best, most useful guidance possible so that environmental health professionals at the local level can focus on the real work of partnering with body art facilities to keep communities safe and healthy,” said Dr. David Dyjack, NEHA executive director.
Body Art Policy Statement
Body art is regulated by state and local jurisdictions, and there is great variation in licensing and training requirements across jurisdictions. Body art safety is a critical element of environmental health. NEHA developed a policy statement to advocate to stakeholders the importance of uniform safety standards, licensing requirements, and training. NEHA recommends legislation requiring that body artists are licensed and work in licensed facilities, standardized body art-specific training requirements for body artists and environmental health professionals, and adequate enforcement mechanisms for such requirements. NEHA advocates for health departments to adopt the most recent version of the Body Art Model Code.
View the full policy statement here.
Body Art Model Code Annex
The NEHA Body Art Model Code Annex was recently published and can be found here. The NEHA Body Art Model Annex provides justification, rationale, and best practices to support the requirements outlined in the NEHA Body Art Model Code. The Annex is available for state and local agencies and other organizations as a resource for updating body art codes and protecting public health.