The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4253.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 5:42 PM

Abstract #50396

State approaches to integrating children’s health and the environment

Patricia I. Elliott, JD MPH, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), 1275 K St NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005, 202/371-9090 ext 1612, pelliott@astho.org and A. Christine Eppstein, LLB LLM, Environmental Council of the States, 444 N. Capitol Street, Suite 445, Washington, DC 20001.

The vast majority of states have separate health and environmental agencies. While each agency has the protection of the public’s health as its charge, the methods used to achieve that end have varied greatly. However, children’s environmental health issues are proving to be an area in which state environmental and health agencies are forging closer collaborations. The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) have engaged in both formal and informal efforts to better integrate state environmental and health activities relating to children’s health. ASTHO and ECOS have identified a variety of legislative, regulatory, and programmatic methods used by the states to coordinate environmental and health agency responses to children’s environmental health issues. The results will be useful to other states interested in adopting a coordinated children’s environmental health approach and are instructive for health and environment partnerships on other environmental health issues.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Children's Health, Environment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA