CHAPTER FOUR
Preventing Health Effects Related
to Hazardous Substances
A
Pediatric Environmental Health
TSDR achieves its goal of preventing or
reducing the harmful health effects of
Specialty Units Program
exposure to hazardous substances by
drawing on its resources in health education,
The Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty
risk communication, environmental medicine,
Unit (PEHSU) Program was designed to
and health promotion to assist communities.
promote children's health by encouraging
The types of services provided include training
medical specialists with environmental expertise
local physicians about the health concerns
to work collaboratively with pediatricians to
associated with contaminants to which their
develop pediatric environmental medical
patients may be exposed, providing communi-
expertise and to improve the ability of parents
ties with information and education about the
and locally practicing health-care providers to
health effects of hazardous substances and
access this expertise. Starting in 1998, three
providing clinical evaluations and screenings
pilot units were established in Seattle, Boston,
such as testing for lead exposure. ATSDR also
and New York City. These units focused on
conducts health education and promotion
conducting activities in the areas of medical
activities that have a nationwide focus, such as
education and training, telephone clinical
its case study program for environmental health.
consultation and outreach, and clinical evalua-
tion of children who may have been exposed to
These activities are conducted with the assis-
hazardous substances in the environment.
tance of numerous partners with whom the
agency has cooperative agreements--states,
From this modest beginning, in fiscal year 2000
American Indian tribal nations or groups, and
the PEHSU Program has grown to include
national organizations. In fiscal year 2000
a national network of eight operating units,
ATSDR was in the first year of a new 5-year
including a University of California unit
agreement with 10 national organizations (up
operating in Irvine and San Francisco
from 5 under the previous agreement). ATSDR
(see Figure 1.)
also expanded its network of pediatric environ-
the addition of EPA as a partner in six of the units
mental health specialty units in fiscal year 2000
an increasing international interest in
(eight are now in operation). In fiscal year 2000,
ATSDR, in cooperation with its partners,
establishing similar units
performed health education and promotion
the continuing and increasing interest and
activities at approximately 300 sites.
demand for these services from governmental
agencies at all levels and from the public
opportunities to collaborate with additional
partners, such as NIEHS/EPA/CDC Centers
for Children's Environmental Health and
Disease Prevention Research
chapter 4 47
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