ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AT HHS

(2012 Environmental Justice Strategy and Implementation Plan)

Policy Development and Dissemination

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Education and Training Research and Data Collection, Analysis, and Utilization

Services

2012 National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program April 12, 2012
Sandra Howard Senior Environmental Health Advisor Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

HHS Mission
HHS is the U.S. governments principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

The HHS mission is to enhance the health and well-being of Americans by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services.

Relationship of Health and the Environment

Poor Air Quality Poor Water Quality Disproportionate exposure to hazards in the workplace Unhealthy housing conditions (e.g., mold, lead paint, and pest infestation) Lack of safe areas for physical activity

Housing and Neighborhood Quality

Prenatal and Childhood exposures to environmental toxicants

Asthma and other respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease and obesity

Increased psychological distress and depression

Developmental Disabilities

HHS 1995 EJ Strategy

HHS issued its first EJ Strategy in 1995 in response to Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations. The objectives of the Strategy addressed six elements: (1) Public Partnerships, (2) Public Education and Training, (3) Services, (4) Data Collection and Analysis, (5) Health Research and (6) Interagency Coordination. HHS Programs that supported the goals of the 1995 Strategy: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Minority Worker Training Programs Administration for Native Americans Environmental Mitigation Program Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Community Assistance Panels

New Opportunities to Advance Environmental Justice

Scientific Advances and New Information Tools New knowledge about effect of toxic substances Social media, GIS

New Goals and Priorities Focus of Administration on the environment and health disparities Healthy People 2012 Affordable Care Act, Americas Great Outdoors, Place based initiatives
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HHS EJ Vision Statement

A nation that equitably promotes healthy community environments and promotes the health of all people. HHS environmental justice actions are being implemented in its programs, policies, and activities with this vision in mind.

2012 HHS Environmental Justice Strategy and Implementation Plan Framework

Vision Statement
A nation that equitably promotes healthy community environments and protects the health of all people

Guiding Principles Create and implement meaningful public partnerships for programs and activities
Ensure interagency and intra-agency coordination of programs and activities Establish and implement accountability measures for programs and activities

Strategic Elements
Policy Development & Dissemination Education & Training Research & Data Collection, Analysis, and Utilization

Services

HHS EJ Stakeholder Engagement Activities

HHS participated in all Environmental Justice Interagency Working Group (EJ IWG) Stakeholder Meetings:
Engaged in dialogue about environmental justice concerns Helped inform Federal agency environmental justice initiatives

Meetings ranged in size from 40 to more than 300 attendees, with a total of more than 3,000 people participating in these stakeholder engagement activities.
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Policy Development and Dissemination EJ Action Highlights

Highlighted Actions Product or Outcome Target Date

Incorporate environmental justice in funding Compendium of Relevant October 2012 announcements/award criteria of HHS grants Programs and Guidance and other funding opportunities.

Conduct a vulnerability assessment of HHSs programs to climate change and develop an adaptation strategy to enable HHS to develop actions to build resilience of the Department to climate change risks and related impacts on vulnerable populations (minority, lowincome and tribes).

Updated preliminary March 2012 vulnerability assessment Climate Adaptation June 2012 Strategy

Policy Development and Dissemination

Education and Training EJ Action Highlights

Highlighted Actions Product or Outcome Target Date

Increase public awareness of and access to information by conducting an assessment of existing on-line environmental justice resources within the HHS web domain.
Develop and implement training program for HHS staff on principles and practice of environmental justice, including community engagement. Incorporate EJ and occupational safety and health education in training curricula of community health workers and Promotores de Salud.

Website to serve as a point of June 2012 entry for the public to learn about HHS activities and resources related to environmental justice. Training module and webinars August 2012 for HHS employees and contractors .
Training curricula and July 2012 associated materials for community health workers on environmental justice.

Education and Training

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Research and Data Collection, Analysis, and Utilization EJ Action Highlights

Highlighted Actions Product or Outcome Target Date

In collaboration with external stakeholders, More effective and useful partner with EPA and other federal agencies community mapping tools to improve the usefulness and usability of community mapping tools designed to identify minority and low-income populations and Indian Tribes with disproportionately high and adverse environmental exposures and health effects.
Research and Data Collection, Analysis, and Utilization

Ongoing

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Services EJ Action Highlights

Highlighted Actions Product or Outcome Target Date

Evaluate the use of health impact 1. Award six HIA pilot assessments (HIA) to achieve risk reduction projects and reduce health disparities. 2. Hold National HIA Meeting 3. Report characterizing HIA use in the US Develop toolkits designed to teach Community mobilization communities how to build coalitions toolkit, and basic around a health issue. environmental health literacy toolkit
Services

January 2012 April 2012 August 2014 September 2012

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Examples of HHS EJ Accomplishments (2010-2012 )

2011 HHS Workshop on Tribal Access to Grants Provided best practices for strengthening HHS and Tribal relationships, and suggested tools for supporting Tribes throughout the entire grants process National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Minority Worker Training Program Trained more than 7,800 workers in more than 30 communities with a job placement rate of about 70%

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), Exploratory Centers of Excellence Grants Implemented in partnership with EPA In 2011, ten research institutions were awarded grants to conduct environmental health disparities research Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Community Transformation Grants CDC gave 61 awards for about $103 million in 2011 to support communitybased efforts to help improve health, and reduce health disparities, especially among population groups experiencing the greatest burden of chronic diseases
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Next Steps
Implement environmental justice actions in EJ Strategy and Implementation Plan. Engage community partners and other stakeholders in implementation activities. Coordinate implementation activities with federal partners.

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http://www.hhs.gov/environmentaljustice/ Links to:

2012 HHS Environmental Justice Strategy and Implementation Plan

2012 HHS Environmental Justice Implementation Progress Report

Environmental Justice sites across HHS CDC/OMHD NIH/NIEHS NIH/NLM

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HHS Points of Contact

Sandra Howard
Senior Environmental Health Advisor Office of Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Sandra.Howard@hhs.gov

LT Ron Milam
Environmental Health Officer Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Ron.Milam@hhs.gov
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