Federal Agencies and Organizations that Address Children's Environmental Health

Executive Order 13045 directs EPA to evaluate economically significant rules that concern environmental health or safety risks that EPA has reason to believe may disproportionately affect children. The Children’s Health Protection Division in the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions ensures that all EPA actions and programs address the unique vulnerabilities of children.

See this list of our partners that address children's environmental health issues and key resources.

EPA Partners

• Asthma: Asthma is a serious, sometimes life-threatening chronic respiratory disease that affects the quality of life for over 26 million Americans, including 4.5 million children. Learn more about how the environment can affect asthma patients and how to manage environmental asthma triggers. 
• Environmental Education: EPA supports environmental education through various programs and activities, including professional development, youth and educator recognition, and grants. Environmental education increases public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues or problems. In doing so, it provides the public with the necessary skills to make informed decisions and take responsible action.
• Indoor Air Quality in Schools: School-aged children spend a great deal of time inside school buildings — poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can have a significant and harmful impact on health. Find resources to learn about the impact of IAQ on student performance and take action in your community to improve IAQ in schools.

Federal Partners

• Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO): ECHO is a research program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to enhance the health of children for generations to come. The goal of the ECHO Program is to understand the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development.
• Healthy Homes Grant Opportunities: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides grant programs that help make homes healthier, safer, and more accessible. Find funding opportunities for lead hazard reduction, healthy homes improvements, radon testing, home modifications for older adults, weatherization, and technical studies to support better housing conditions for low-income families and other communities.
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) - Children's Health: NIEHS research leads to discoveries about how the environment affects children’s health, which, in turn, become a basis for ways to reduce or stop harmful exposures.
• Moms.gov: Find resources, information and help for new and expecting mothers. This website focuses on addressing the needs of mothers and fathers who face difficult or unexpected pregnancies and ensuring the wellbeing of mothers and the health of American families.
• President's Task Force on Environmental Health/Safety Risks to Children: The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children is the focal point for coordinating federal government efforts to explore, understand, and act together to improve children’s environmental health and safety.

Other Partner Organizations

• Children's Environmental Health Network: The Children’s Environmental Health Network is a national multi-disciplinary organization whose mission is to protect the developing child from environmental health hazards and promote a healthier environment.
• League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) (PDF): The Latino community is disproportionately affected by asthma. Over 3.6 million Latinos are currently diagnosed with the condition, which is exacerbated by air pollution. Former Administrator McCarthy and Brent Wilkes (Executive Director of LULAC), signed a partnership agreement to focus on increasing education and engagement on environmental issues such as climate change and children's health within the Latino community.
• Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs): PESHUs work collaboratively to improve health systems to make communities safer for children and families. We provide community education and outreach, training for health professionals, and guidance and referrals. PEHSUs are supported through CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and EPA.
• UNICEF - Healthy Environments for Healthy Children and Children's Environmental Health Collaborative: UNICEF works to promote healthy environments so children can grow, learn, and thrive. Its initiatives and partnerships support efforts to reduce environmental risks and improve children’s health around the world.
• World Health Organization (WHO) - Children's Environmental Health: WHO provides global leadership and guidance on protecting children from environmental health risks. Its resources help countries understand and reduce exposures that can affect children’s health and development.