to build the capacity of community based
Requests for Information
organizations to develop and implement
from the Public
culturally proficient environmental education
The ATSDR Information Center provides
programs for Hispanic families.
scientific and technical information to sup-
National Association of County and City
port ATSDR staff, agency constituents, and
Health Officials (NACCHO) provided risk
the public. The Information Center includes a
communication training to a group of local
research library, a clearinghouse, the ATSDR
health departments dealing with Superfund
toll-free telephone access system, mailing
issues and to all the attendees of its National
activities, and a records management pro-
Meeting in New Orleans in July 2002.
gram. During fiscal year 2002, the Information
National Environmental Health Association
Center responded to more than 34,600 requests
(NEHA) trained 1,400 public health profes-
and distributed more than 435,200 agency
sionals through its national conference and
products and publications. With the addi-
three terrorism preparedness workshops.
tion of a Web document design and produc-
tion activity, the Information Center assisted
Health Risk
with placing on the Internet many important
Communication Training
documents such as Toxicological Profiles,
Public Health Statements, ToxFAQs, HazMat
Several risk communication training activities
Emergency Preparedness Training and Tools
occurred during 2002.
for Responders, and the document Managing
ATSDR collaborated with the CDC Corpo-
Hazardous Materials Incidents.
rate University and the Society for Public
In addition to distributing information to the
Health Education to develop and present
public and placing information on the Internet,
a one-day introductory risk communication
the ATSDR Information Center participates in
course for CDC/ATSDR staff. The course
several projects each year. During fiscal year
was so successful that it had a waiting list of
2002, ATSDR's partners requested that the
applicants.
Information Center prepare a training class on
In May 2002, a risk communication work-
the best practices for searching the Internet
shop was provided at the Latin American
for information on hazardous substances. In
Child Lead Workshop in Trinidad-Tobago.
response to this request, the Information Center
This meeting was sponsored by the Pan
designed and conducted the Building Online
American Health Organization; it was
Searching Capacity training class. The class
attended by representatives of 21 countries.
Working groups were formed to discuss
Agreement Partners Meeting. It has also been
recommended approaches to address lead
offered to ATSDR staff throughout the year.
poisoning in Latin America and the Carib-
A shorter version of the class was especially
bean. An ATSDR staff member coordinated
developed for the Public Health Assessment
the working group on health risk communi-
Training Program and conducted several times
cation. In August 2002, ATSDR staff taught
during the fiscal year. In fiscal year 2002, the
a risk communication course at the National
Information Center also designed and devel-
Institute of Public Health in Mexico.
meetings such as the annual meeting of the
58 chapter 4
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