the early 1920s until 1990. ATSDR is working
session of the National Workshop to Establish
closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection
an Environmental Safety Net for Children. The
Agency (EPA) and state health partners to
workshop was a joint venture between ATSDR and
determine whether a hazard to public health exists
the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee
at any of the sites.
on Environmental Health.
Standing Rock Indian Reservation--Two U.S.
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools and a
the Migrant Clinicians Network, ATSDR provides
BIA administration building on the Standing
assistance in the development, implementation,
Rock Indian Reservation in Sioux County
and evaluation of environmental health education
were remediated because of contamination
programs for health care providers working with
by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in oils
migrant and seasonal farm workers. The Migrant
Clinicians Network, the second-largest clinical
buildings were remediated, tribal members, tribal
network in the nation, brings together clinicians
government representatives, and BIA workers were
from various professions under one umbrella
concerned about the safety of school children,
to meet the needs of migrant and seasonal farm
workers. The Dakota Association of Community
school staff, and BIA personnel who were to
Health Centers in Bismarck and the Pembina
reoccupy the buildings. In 1998, ATSDR was
Clinic Association in Pembina are local members
asked to determine whether any remaining PCB or
of the Migrant Clinicians Network.
The North Dakota Environmental Health
ATSDR studied the sampling methods, locations,
Association, with more than 70 members
and results in the remediation reports on the
BIA administration building, elementary school,
from the private sector as well as city, county,
and high school. PCBs were not found in the
state, and tribal organizations, benefits from an
postremedial sampling. All of the PCB-containing
lights in these buildings were replaced, leaving no
the National Environmental Health Association.
possibility for future exposure.
evaluation, planning, design and implementation
Because of community concerns about dioxin
of an environmental health education program
that responds to the significant threat of chemical
were sampled. Any ceiling tiles that contained
terrorism. One of the agreement's goals is to
dioxins were replaced. Walls and ceilings had very
conduct regional or national training and education
small amounts of dioxins. Although these amounts
workshops.
were not enough to be of concern, the walls were
washed as a precautionary measure. ATSDR
Resource Materials
determined that schoolchildren, school staff, and
BIA personnel were not expected to experience
ATSDR develops materials for public health
any adverse health effects as a results of the PCB
professionals and medical care providers to use
and possible dioxin contamination--no PCB
to assess the public health impacts of chemical
remained and the small amounts of dioxins were
exposures. These resources are available in print, on
not of concern and were likely washed away.
the ATSDR Web site, and on CD-ROM. For example,
medical management guidelines are available for
Health Education and Community Activities
acute chemical exposures to more than 50 chemicals.
As part of its ongoing outreach activities in affected
These guidelines were designed to aid emergency
communities, ATSDR takes proactive steps to involve
department physicians and other emergency
communities in identifying their health concerns and
health care professionals, such as first responders,
developing actions to address them. Examples of this
who manage acute exposures resulting from
type of involvement in North Dakota follow.
chemical incidents. ATSDR's toxicological profiles
comprehensively describe health effects; pathways
In March 2001, physicians representing the North
of human exposure; and the behavior of more than
Dakota chapter of the American Academy of
250 hazardous substances in air, soil, and water at
Pediatricians participated in the groundbreaking
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