APHA session 3400.0, "Protecting Children's Environmental Health: Education and Social Justice" (Nov. 6, 2006, 4:45 p.m.).
Environmental health risks to children in out-of-home settings such as child care centers and schools continues to be inadequately addressed in our society, and their rights to a healthful 'workplace' where they spend more than 30 hours per week are lacking. A panel at the 2004 APHA Annual Meeting (Built Environment Institute session) identified gaps among federal agencies and programs, and a subsequent paper "Who's In Charge of Children's Environmental Health at School?" (2006, Healthy Schools Network) further reinforced the gaps with a series of recommendations for advocates, researchers, agencies (federal and state), and others. To date there is no significant forward motion to close the gaps. This panel of leading experts will discuss potential strategies and initiatives that could be undertaken to impact these public health problems and to improve the health of children overall. Panelists are Dr. Ruth Etzel, co-editor of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Green Book (1st and 2nd editions), Dr. Howard Frumkin, Director, CDC/NCEH, J. Cox-Gasner/CDC-NIOSH, and Dr. B. Gitterman, Co-Director, Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit at George Washington University.
This session’s learning objectives are:
1.) Recognize gaps in environmental health research and services for children in out of home settings;
2.) Understand multi-agency perspectives on how to address these gaps;
3)discuss and create potential strategies and potential initiatives for increasing interagency dialog on coordinated and effective actions.