engaged in activities that would expose them to
AOEC plays a key role in assisting local health care
the soil (gardening, lawn care, and recreational use
providers and community members respond effectively
of their properties). Overall, urine arsenic testing
to health concerns associated with hazardous waste sites
showed no significant arsenic exposure in the
and unplanned releases of hazardous materials. Through
population. Three individuals had slight elevations
work together to conduct site-specific health promotion
levels are not expected to cause health problems.
and medical education activities.
ATSDR recommended that individuals with mild
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty
Units (PEHSUs)
up urinalysis for arsenic. ATSDR recommended that
Since 1998, ATSDR has provided funds to AOEC to
all tested individuals discuss their results with their
support a project establishing PEHSUs as a national
personal health care providers.
resource for pediatricians, other health care provid-
ers, federal staff, and the public. The PEHSUs develop
Health Education and Community Activities
materials and present training to health professionals
As part of its ongoing outreach activities in affected
and public health officials on environmental health is-
communities, ATSDR proactively involves communities
sues and their impact on children's health. MACCHE
in identifying their health concerns and developing
provides services throughout EPA's Region 3. Estab-
actions to address those concerns. Educational
lished in October 2000, MACCHE's key focus is medi-
activities at the Spring Valley site have focused on
cal education and training, telephone consultation, and
local residents' concerns associated with exposure to
clinical specialty referral for children who may have
arsenic. A site-specific Web page (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/
www.atsdr.cdc.gov/
been exposed to environmental hazards. MACCHE is
sites/springvalley) has been developed to provide local
a project of GWUMC and the Children's National
residents with an in-depth repository of information. A
Medical Center, and includes collaboration between
brochure titled "Safe Gardening, Safe Play, Safe Home"
the GWUMC Division of Occupational Medicine
addressing residents' concerns about their homes and
and Toxicology and the Department of Pediatrics.
neighborhoods has been distributed to residents on the
MACCHE has also assembled a team that includes the
ATSDR mailing list.
Howard University College of Nursing and faculty
In September 2002, the First Annual Conference on
from the University of Maryland School of Medicine
Children's Health and the Environment was held
and the Medical College of Pennsylvania.
at George Washington University. The George
In winter 20032004, MACCHE played a key role
Washington University Medical Center (GWUMC),
in providing information to residents and health care
Children's National Medical Center, and MACCHE
jointly sponsored the conference. Participants learned
District's drinking water. MACCHE fielded calls from
how to recognize the clinical impact of environmental
concerned citizens, attended community meetings, and
toxicants on children's health, describe a variety of
met with DC DOH to help provide information to the
approaches to management and interventions regard-
approximately 23,000 residents whose homes received
ing environmental health problems in children, identify
water through lead pipes. A timely fact sheet targeted
resources available to investigate and manage envi-
to residents addressed safe water lead levels, identified
ronmental health problems in children, and recognize
groups at risk, and made recommendations about blood
the impact of particular settings and environments on
lead testing and possible behavioral changes to mini-
children's health. The second conference is planned for
mize risk. In addition, MACCHE's co-director twice
September 2004.
delivered testimony before the DC City Council about
lead poisoning.
Association of Occupational and
Environmental Clinics
The Association of Occupational and Environmental
For more information, contact ATSDR toll-free
Clinics (AOEC), with national headquarters in the
at 1-888-42ATSDR (1-888-422-8737) or visit
District of Columbia, is a network of 65 clinics and
the ATSDR Web site at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.
approximately 300 individual health professionals.
August 2004
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