Online Program

337446
Highlighting Environmental Health Best Practices in Pennsylvania's Tiered Quality Rating System for Early Learning Programs


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 11:30 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Maureen Murphy, Keystone Stars, PA Quality Rating Improvement System, Harrisburg, PA
The first years of a child’s life are critical to shaping his/her future health. Research links common chemicals to health concerns, ranging from asthma to learning disabilities.  Pennsylvania has structured their Tiered Quality Rating Improvement System (TQRIS), Keystone STARS, to ensure that child care professionals are supported in making their child care facilities environmentally healthy.  Over the past two years Pennsylvania has successfully incorporated the environmental health professional development into the continuous quality improvement aspect of theirTQRIS. Attendees will learn about Pennsylvania’s ECE Healthy and Green mini-grants program and consider possible opportunities for funding within their business and/or philanthropic communities. The multi-faceted approach that PA has taken has proven successful in promoting environmental health in early learning programs.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Environmental health sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the populations of infants and young children who are in child care and are most at risk of exposures to environmental hazards. Discuss cross-systems efforts to improve the environmental health in and around child care facilities.

Keyword(s): Child Health, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been involved in Pennsylvania's ECE Healthy and Green work since its inception in 2010, and have coordinated the delivery of train the trainer events and the ECE Healthy and Green mini-grants program. I have been the director of early learning programs and of regional and statewide leadership programs in Pennsylvania's Tiered Quality Rating System.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.