Collaborative on Health and the Environment

1. Collaborative on Health and the Environment NAHMMA's 2005 Conference September 18-23, 2005 Tacoma, Washington Elise Miller, M.Ed. Institute for Children’s Environmental Health 1646 Dow Road Freeland, Washington 98249 www.iceh.org www.chenw.org; www.cheforhealth.org Collaborative on Health and the Environment

2. Overview of CHE • Nonpartisan national partnership established in 2002. • Seeks to raise public dialogue on the role of environment contaminants in chronic illness and disability. • Almost 2000 organizations and individuals have joined, including researchers, healthcare professionals, health-affected groups and environmental health and justice advocates. • Chaired by Phil Lee, MD, former U.S. assistant secretary of health and human services, under two presidential administrations. Collaborative on Health and the Environment

3. Consensus statement • The Problem: Chronic diseases and disabilities have reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting more than 100 million men, women and children - more than one-third of our population. • Consensus statement: -The State of the Science - The Need for a Heightened Public Health Response - The Importance of a Precautionary Approach - The Need for New Models of Collaboration in Environmental Health Collaborative on Health and the Environment

4. CHE Activities CHE's primary activities include: • Sharing scientific research on the links between environmental contaminants and human disease. • Fostering interdisciplinary and inclusive collaboration among diverse constituencies interested in those links. • Facilitating appropriate actions to reduce exposure to contaminants and to improve care of those affected. Collaborative on Health and the Environment

5. Research, Information and Resources • Monthly conference call with experts on specific topics. • White papers on various health endpoints. • Spreadsheet and database linking 200 health concerns with what is known in peer-reviewed scientific literature on environmental contaminants. • See www.protectingourhealth.org - the scientific arm of CHE - for more information Collaborative on Health and the Environment

6. National Working Groupsand Discussion Groups • Asthma and the Environment • Cancer • EMF (Electromagnetic Fields) • Fertility/Early Pregnancy Compromise • Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) • Parkinson's Disease • Science Working Group Collaborative on Health and the Environment

7. Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) • Educating state and national learning and developmental disabilities (LDD) groups about environmental health and brain development. • Translating emerging science into information and fact sheets to be used at workshops and on websites for lay audiences. • Holding meetings nationally and regionally to build collaborative partnerships between LDD groups, researchers, health professionals and environmental health advocates. • Cultivating opportunities for interested groups to educate policymakers on specific bills that would eliminate neurotoxicants. Collaborative on Health and the Environment

8. Regional Working Groups • CHE-Washington (2003) • CHE-Oregon (2005) • CHE-Pennsylvania (2005) • CHE-Alaska (to be launched Dec 2005) Collaborative on Health and the Environment

9. CHE-Washington (CHE-WA) • CHE-WA established in 2003 as CHE-NW (when CHE-OR was established in 2005 CHE-NW became CHE-WA) • Shares mission of CHE national • Currently has almost 300 individual and organizational members • Activities include quarterly meetings, working groups, lecture series, film series and information sharing via listserv • Searchable web site: www.chenw.org which links to both CHE-WA and CHE-OR Collaborative on Health and the Environment

10. How You Can Get Involved • Join CHE - www.cheforhealth.org • Contact CHE-NW/CHE-WA coordinator: Elise Miller, MEd, Executive Director Institute for Children’s Environmental Health Ph: 360-331-7904 emiller@iceh.org www.chenw.org www.iceh.org Collaborative on Health and the Environment

11. CHE – WA Working Groups • Research & Information • Precautionary Principle • Environmental Justice Collaborative on Health and the Environment

12. CHE – WA Research & Information Working Group • Membership (20): • CHE WA • Local and state health and environmental agencies • Academics • Non-profit organizations • Consultants • Meets 2-3 times a year • E-mail updates Collaborative on Health and the Environment

13. CHE – WA Research & Information Working Group Draft Goals: 1. To connect and integrate information on health and environmental quality. • To interpret, elucidate and disseminate information on health and environmental quality. 3. To identify information needs on health and environmental quality Collaborative on Health and the Environment

14. Target Audiences & Users of Information: • Non-profit health and environmental groups • Community-based organizations • The public • Policy-makers Collaborative on Health and the Environment

15. Activities 2004/05: Information on Health and Environmental Contaminants in WA: • Asthma, cardiovascular disease, 22 types of cancer, 24 reproductive, birth, developmental and neurobehavioral defects • Body burden • Environmental contaminants in air, water, food and soil • The built environment • Report card • Available at: http://washington.chenw.org/ Collaborative on Health and the Environment

16. Activities 2005/06: Economics Study (July): • Asthma, cardiovascular disease, lead exposure, cancer, birth defects, and neurobehavioral disorders • The cost of diseases and disabilities attributable to environmental contaminants in WA is $2-3 billion a year • Available at: http://washington.chenw.org/ Collaborative on Health and the Environment

17. Activities 2005/06 (cont’d): Web-based ‘clearinghouse’ of information on WA: • Builds on 2004 report • Sources of information on health • Sources of information on environmental quality, not just contaminants • Some interpretation and national comparisons • Going ‘live’ at http://washington.chenw.org/RIgroup.html in 2006 Collaborative on Health and the Environment

18. Contact Information: Kate Davies M.A., D.Phil. Antioch University Seattle 206.268.4811 kdavies@antiochsea.edu Elise Miller M.Ed. Institute for Children’s Environmental Health 360-331-7904 emiller@iceh.org www.chenw.org www.iceh.org Collaborative on Health and the Environment