Advancing Environmental Justice at HHS

image: serendip.brynmawr.edu

“A nation that equitably promotes healthy community environments and protects the health of all people” is the vision of the 2012 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Environmental Justice (EJ) Strategy and Implementation Plan. Recognizing that disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards with negative health effects persists in minority and low-income populations and Indian tribes, HHS developed the Strategy with input from multiple stakeholders. Such community engagement was central to the development of the four elements of the Strategy, which are the following:

1. policy development and dissemination,
2. education and training,
3. research and data collection, analysis, and utilization, and
4. services.

Outlined within these elements are actions that promote and advance research and training that will inform policies to improve health among EJ communities. Similar to its development, the Strategy is being implemented with stakeholder input to enhance HHS efforts that help reduce environmental and health disparities among communities across the nation. Stakeholder engagement includes active solicitation and consideration of community concerns and discussion of best practices and model programs that promote collaborations to resolve ongoing and/or emerging EJ issues. The Strategy builds on HHS’s commitment to disease prevention and health promotion and to reducing racial and ethnic health disparities.

This integrated panel presentation will highlight key actions outlined in the Strategy, the process by which it was developed, progress to date, and the actions moving forward. Presenters will focus on approaches to strengthen the application of health and environmental statutes and integrate the concept of EJ into programs across the HHS so its workforce may better serve EJ communities, strengthen research and advance data collection related to the health and well-being of people living in EJ communities, and improve access to and quality of care and services in EJ communities. In addition, panelists will also invite, engage, and consider input about implementing the Strategy from participants at the National Environmental Health Association Educational Conference and Exhibition.