ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
TABLE 1
Critical Competencies in Children’s Environmental Health and Corresponding Performance Indicators
Competency
Performance Indicators
1. Assess children’s environmental health concern, risk, or potential exposure in a community and develop a briefing paper.
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Identify the impact of social, biological, behavioral, and environmental factors that might be involved and related to physical and mental health outcomes. b. Collect data from multiple sources. c. Evaluate the incidence or prevalence of physical and mental health outcomes in a defined population. d. Determine if clustering exists in time and space. e. Locate information about toxic releases in the community. f. Evaluate routine monitoring results for air, water, and food, as well as testing limitations. g. Decide when and why to undertake additional environmental measurements. h. Employ tools used in analyzing risks (including risk analysis, economic analysis, and predictive tools). i. Initiate a surveillance system if needed. j. Report findings in a briefing paper considering the use of data and the ability of the audience to carry out recommended actions. This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Identify the audience to be addressed and its composition. b. Listen to key informants and affected populations to identify techniques for overcoming barriers and roadblocks to communication. c. Integrate techniques for overcoming barriers and roadblocks to communication, including culturally appropriate messages, language, and delivery. f. Understand the implications of these factors within the targeted community. g. Develop a communication plan and a clear message for different audiences. This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Identify appropriate evidence-based interventions while actively engaging the community. b. Select process measures for mitigation and prevention. c. Select appropriate outcomes and physical and mental health indicators. d. Apply cost-effectiveness and/or cost-benefit principles as appropriate. e. Develop a plan for evaluation and monitoring. f. Communicate intervention, evaluation, and monitoring plans to community leaders and key informants. This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Identify appropriate interactions with the natural environment based on children’s developmental stage, physical and mental disabilities, and periods of unique vulnerability to toxicants. b. Minimize risks and maximize benefits of interacting with the natural environment. c. Communicate how to reduce physical and mental health risks associated with extreme climate events, poor air and water quality, and the spread of vectorborne diseases. d. Utilize frameworks and strategies for risk communication. e. Connect the factors that influence the perception of risk.
2. Present information to community members about children’s environmental health threats and prevention methods.
3. Develop, implement, and evaluate a community-based intervention to mitigate children’s environmental health threats.
4. Increase children’s exposure to healthy natural environments.
5. Monitor and report child health indicators to the state or local public health department.
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. List child physical and mental health indicators. b. Identify state notifiable diseases and outline the federal role in notifiable disease registries.
c. Employ mechanisms for reporting to local and state agencies. d. Recognize the importance of sentinel and disease-clustering events.
6. Communicate to the media to promote children’s environmental health through traditional and nontraditional outlets (e.g., social media). 7. Identify how climate change and environmental exposures (e.g., pesticides) affect children’s health (short and long term).
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Analyze media coverage of children’s environmental health issues and prepare a framing memo. b. Generate messages that can be effectively communicated with the press directly or through an organization’s communications team.
c. Negotiate the advantages and disadvantages of social media. d. Communicate strategically to media outlets and various audiences.
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Evaluate the factors that make children more vulnerable to environmental exposures, including chemical exposures, extreme weather, and indoor contaminants. b. Recognize the cascading biological, physical, and mental health effects of climate change, as well as disasters related to climate change. c. Consider the reproductive and in utero impacts on child development and growth trajectories from climate change, environmental exposures, and emergencies. d. Describe impacts during critical periods of development, including preconception, prenatal, early childhood, and puberty. e. Explain the short- and long-term physical risks—including cognitive, behavioral, and respiratory risks—from indoor and outdoor environmental exposures. f. Explain the short- and long-term mental health risks—including ecoanxiety, grief, solastalgia, and post-traumatic stress disorder—from indoor and outdoor environmental exposures and emergencies.
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Volume 86 • Num)er 10
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