Help EPA in Recognizing Outstanding Efforts to Protect our Children in the US

About the Author: Ruth A. Etzel, M.D., Ph.D. is Director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Children’s Health Protection and a senior advisor to the Administrator.  Before joining EPA, Dr. Etzel was Professor of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.  .  She previously served as the Senior Officer for Environmental Health Research at the World Health Organization.  

Whether at parks and playgrounds or inside homes and schools, exposure to environmental pollutants is a constant concern in many communities. For children, such exposure poses a greater risk to their health than to adults because their bodies and immune systems are still developing. This makes them more susceptible to the negative health effects caused by environmental pollutants.

But not all children face equal risks to these pollutants. Racial and ethnic minority children and children in low-income familiesmay be disproportionally affected by exposure to pollution and climate change. For children of color from low-income households the likelihood is even greater.

Students in Montgomery County, Maryland enjoy cleaner air made possible by Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) installed on busses in the school district.

Due to the unique risks that these children face every day, EPA has taken action to address these public health concerns. The EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection supports and facilitates the Agency’s efforts to protect children’s health from environmental threats. EPA works to develop air quality standards, safe drinking water standards and chemical regulations that specifically address the fact that children are not little adults – and therefore may require a heightened level of protection.

Additionally, we strive to raise awareness by providing educational resources to communities on the unique threats faced by children and the ways that families can mitigate these risks. Although we continue to take steps necessary to uphold our mission of protecting children’s health, we know EPA does not work alone.

Parents rely on pediatricians, pediatric nurse practitioners, community health workers, and other professionals for information related to environmental pollutants and their impact upon children’s health. However, there are many health professionals who consistently go above and beyond to expand understanding of children’s environmental health issues.

In recognition of this invaluable work, we are now accepting applications and nominations for the 2016 EPA Children’s Environmental Health Excellence Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations within the United States who have made a significant impact on increasing the number of health professionals who can address children’s environmental health concerns.

Candidates will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Program/project increases the number of health professionals (e.g., nurses, doctors, social workers, professors, and healthcare providers) who are able to address children’s environmental health issues;
• Program/project assists health professionals to understand, diagnose, and develop prevention messages for children’s environmental health issues that they encounter; and
• Results and outcomes that support the effectiveness of the project/program.

Please submit your application or nomination on our website, on or before Wednesday, June 15^th, 2016.

For more information, please visit our website and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions concerning the award application.

from The EPA Blog http://ift.tt/1WOtqAa