From Information to Action:
Leadership Training Workshops on NLM Children's Environmental Health Resources and Related Materials

The Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN) will host a series of training workshops for leaders from different sectors (minority health care providers, environmental justice organizations, and faith-based organizations) to assist them in understanding and using a variety of consumer health resources, products, and services available through the National Library of Medicine and other quality resources.

In the past decade, children's environmental health has grown from a nearly unknown set of concerns to a field with extensive research programs and policy initiatives. Over the past few years in particular, information about children's environmental health on the Internet has increased greatly. Much of this information could help leaders in sectors ranging from health care professionals to community organizations to promote health and protect children from a variety of hazards. Without proper training and guidance, however, much key information is difficult to find, many sources are quite unreliable, and information may not be well-targeted to particular audiences.

CEHN, in consultation with NLM staff, will develop three versions of a workshop, specifically addressed to target each sector, to train leaders on the use of NLM databases and thematically related materials. The workshop will include the following content: basics of children's environmental health, understanding the current policy context, an overview of available resources, how to use the databases, how to apply information from the databases to make informed decisions, and how to communicate about such risks including evaluating whether or not a risk is "significant".

Six to ten workshops will be held and hosted in conjunction with one or more partner organizations. A wide variety of organizations have already expressed an eagerness to develop such workshops. These includes:

Health Care Professional Organizations

• Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neo-natal Nurses
• Ambulatory Pediatric Association
• National Medical Association

Environmental Justice Organizations

• Northeast Environmental Justice Network
• National Black Environmental Justice Network

Faith-based Organizations

• United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
• Interfaith Council of Washington
• United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Program
• Evangelical Environmental Network
• Women of Reform Judaism
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Children's Environmental Health Information Resources Satellite Broadcast

View a broadcast on locating and using information resources about child health and the environment. Partners in Information Access for Public Health Professionals sponsored the original satellite broadcast in 2002. The broadcast includes topics of enduring interest: asthma, lead poisoning, food safety, and exposure to toxic chemicals. An Internet guide accompanies the broadcast.