Engaging Young People in Children’s Environmental Health Protection Through CARE

By Coopwood, Ted

Editor’s note: As part of our effort to highlight innovative approaches to improving the environment and the health of communities, the Journal is featuring a bimonthly column from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA’s) new Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program. Since the CARE program is designed to work with and support community-based efforts to understand and address local environmental health concerns, we think this column will be of interest to a broad range of environmental health projessionals. The CARE program will report here on the activities and lessons learned from CARE communities across the nation and describe the broad range of U.S. EPA resources and programs available to support local environmental health initiatives. The purpose of this column is to keep readers up to date on CARE’s progress in building a partnership that spans federal, state, and local environmental and environmental health agencies to improve support for communities. We believe that the column is an indication of U.S. EPAs commitment to joining with environmental health projessionals to better meet the needs of communities, and we are pleased to make it available to our readers. Ted Coopwood, the author of this month’s installment, works in U.S. EPAs Office of Children’s Health Protection and Environmental Education, where he is responsible for developing and implementing environmental health activities and programs to protect children and older adults from environmental exposures. In the past 19 years, he has worked with a number oj U.S. EPA programs, including the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference, the Toxicity Testing Program in the Ojfice of Water, and has served as environmental justice coordinator in the Ojfice of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Ted also founded the U.S. EPA Environmental Cycling Team and was named A Point of Light by President George Bush in recognition of his contributions to the community.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) places a high priority on protecting children from environmental risks because children’s developing physiology and unique exposures may put them at a higher risk from environmental pollution than adults. U.S. EPAs Community Action for a Renewed Environment Program (CARE) and Office of Children’s Health Protection and Environmental Education (OCHPEE) are working together to help CARE communities address children’s environmental health issues. U.S. EPAs OCHPEE supports and facilitates the agency’s response to Presidential Executive Order 13045 that requires all federal agencies to address environmental health and safety risks to children.

OCHPEE believes young people can play an important role in promoting children’s environmental health and should have an opportunity to participate in protecting their health and the environment. Similarly, the CARE program recognizes the value of youth participation and encourages CARE communities to solicit youth for their projects.

For example, the “Healthy Air for Northeast Denver” (HAND) project illustrates the role and contribution young people have made in some CARE communities. Through Ground- Work Denver, a non-profit grantee of CARE, and assistance from Americorps, over 100 at-risk Denver youth 14-17 years old participated in a variety of projects that contributed to protecting children and the environment. They helped design and work on a citywide environmental education pro- gram addressing children’s environmental health issues. They also collaborated with students from the Community College of Denver to translate into Spanish outreach materials on mercury hazards in the home and then distributed these materials in Span- ish speaking communities. Another group of students conducted home visits in low- income communities to encourage parents not to smoke around their children. U.S. EPAs publications “Tips to Protect Children from Environmental Health Risks” and the “Smoke Free Home Pledge” were among the materials distributed. Students participated in promoting U.S. EPAs Indoor Air Qual- ity (IAQ) Tools for Schools Program in area schools by conducting classroom visits to educate peers about the program and encourage their support. A school-based initiative to develop a “Young Persons” guide to climate change is being proposed to engage youth in reducing Denver’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Denver HAND is only one of many CARE projects that engage youth. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Penn State University’s Philadelphia School & Community IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Partnership (PSCIP) is partnering with local child care centers and schools to educate students, teachers, and maintenance staff about the benefits of reducing pesticide use and misuse through IPM practices. In Montana, Rocky Mountain College (RMC) and partners are working to improve the health of Native American children through chemical removal and disposal in schools and Boys and Girls Clubs and by conducting outreach to K-12 schools on lead exposure, asthma triggers, and general environmental health topics. Some CARE projects are helping to bridge the gap and exchange knowledge between youth and older adults, e.g., through collaborative community gardens at Nuestras Raices in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and cultural fairs at International District Housing Alliance in Seattle.

These sorts of activities will be strengthened through CARE’s collaboration with OCHPEE. CARE leaders are able to utilize OCHPEE’s networks, tools, and resources that have been developed over the past 10 years to protect children and older adults from environmental health threats. U.S. EPAs Regional Children’s Environmental Health Coordinators, the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs), and the Healthy School Environments programs are three important resources available to CARE communities.

U.S. EPAs Regional Children’s Health Environmental Coordinators have experience working with communities to tackle children’s environmental health issues. Their expertise and involvement will help ensure that children are considered in CARE community proposals and projects. The PEHSUs are a network of over fOO physicians and other health professionals that provide education and consultation to healthcare providers, parents, and public health officials about environmental exposures and the potential effects on children’s health. One PEHSU is in each U.S. EPA region. Visit www.aoec.org/ pehsu for a list of all the PEHSUs. Finally, CARE leaders can use any of U.S. EPAs Healthy School Environments programs, such as IAQ Tools for Schools, the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT) , and the Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign to create healthier environments for learning. These programs offer guidance and support to school administrators and staff interested in environmental quality in the school environment. See www.epa.gov/ schools to learn more.

CARE and OCHPEE are currently working together to increase the number of projects involving youth by identifying and soliciting youth-based organizations interested in getting their young people involved in CARE community projects that address children’s health.

To learn how OCHPEE protects children from environmental exposures visit www.epa. gov/children. The CARE program welcomes any public health professionals interested in partnering with CARE communities to visit www.epa.gov/care.

Ted Coopwood, M.S.

Copyright National Environmental Health Association Jul/Aug 2008

(c) 2008 Journal of Environmental Health. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.