Allison Davis, MS, RN, Environmental Health Education Center, University of Maryland, School of Nursing, 655 West Lombard Street, Room 665, Baltimore, MD 21201-1579, 410-706-1849, adavi004@umaryland.edu

Many of the nation’s developmentally disabled citizens live at or below the poverty level. Poverty is recognized as a significant contributor to a variety of health outcomes and it is also associated with greater risks from environmental exposures to health hazards. These risks include living in substandard housing; eating substandard diets; and living in closer proximity to locally unwanted land uses (LULUs), such as hazardous waste sites. A new collaboration of players, including the American Association for the Mentally Retarded (AAMR), the Arc USA (a membership organization dedicated to serving the developmentally disabled community and encouraging self advocacy, with both state and local affiliates around the country), and environmental health professionals are working together to: raise awareness regarding environmental health risks in everyday living situations; promoting environmentally healthy living, learning, and working places for the developmentally disabled; encouraging the research community to investigate the environmental contributors to developmental disabilities; and educating and empowering the developmentally disabled community, including those who are developmentally disabled, their families, and the professionals and support staffs who serve them to become vocal advocates for healthier environments. The former of these activities will be accomplished through education and health education efforts within the organizations and the latter activity will include harnessing the powerful, existing advocacy capabilities of AAMR and the Arc to create a new voice for public and environmental health in the state and federal policy arenas.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn about the specific environmental health riskindividuals with developmental disabilities are exposed to in theirhomes, schools, and places of work.
• Participants will have an increased understanding of the specialvulnerabilities of individuals with developmental disabilities fromenvironmental contaminants.
• Participants will gain insight as to how they can begin to empowerindividuals with developmental disabilities to advocate for healthierenvironments and changes that protect health.

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.