Critical Competencies in Children’s Environmental Health and Corresponding Performance Indicators TABLE 1 continued
Competency
Performance Indicators
8. Be able to recognize or assess structural and systemic harms (e.g., of the built environment, climate change, risks associated with exposure) on children’s health.
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Recognize the role of social determinants of health and their interactions with environmental exposures and impacts on children’s physical and mental health. b. Analyze historical and current forms of structural and systemic racism in relation to the social determinants of health that could explain health inequities and disparities. c. Describe the role of broad social structures—such as economic, legal, and political systems—in producing and maintaining health inequities. d. Demonstrate skills to respond to inequitable social structures. This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Describe governing legislation and regulatory standards for air, water, and food. b. Identify and explain methods to assess whether laws and regulations germane to pediatric environmental, physical, and mental health are being properly enforced. c. Review legislation and other approaches to a particular issue; identify to whom responsibilities are authorized and whether resources for implementation are appropriated or not. d. Identify the gaps in compliance and the need for new statutes, regulations, and other approaches and the process by which they are developed. e. Recommend corrective courses of action when questions arise based on recognition of legal and regulatory options.
9. Identify federal, state, and local regulations as they relate to children’s health and the environment.
10. Prepare and present testimony about children’s health and the environment to local and state legislators. 11. Identify actions and evaluate yearly progress toward the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint of an organization (i.e., state or local health department). 12. Design environmental health guidelines that account for children’s unique vulnerabilities and long-term susceptibility to health effects.
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Identify the legislative group to be addressed. b. Use appropriate approaches, formats, messages, and language. c. Organize and deliver testimony clearly. d. Respond effectively to questions.
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Explain the essentials of climate change science. b. Determine the total use of fossil fuel as a result of the organization’s operation. c. Calculate the quantity of greenhouse gases that were produced. d. Report carbon footprint information to key informants and affected communities. e. Create strategies for emission reduction and mitigation. f. Report on sustainability actions. g. Identify basic climate adaptation strategies that state or local health departments could utilize.
This competency reflects a demonstrated ability to: a. Conduct a literature review of children’s exposures and related physical and mental health outcomes. b. Identify source(s) of contaminant(s). c. Analyze route(s) of exposure. d. Identify methods of source reduction and/or exposure reduction. e. Explain the expected and unexpected effects on physical and mental health of children. f. Identify key informants and engage them in guideline development. g. Ascertain decision-makers and determine their influence, perspectives on the issues, and method of decision-making. h. Build effective coalitions. i. Effectively communicate action plans to key informants and targeted audiences. j. Respond effectively to questions.
The presented work also complements the collaborative e orts of the Children’s Environmental Health Committee members, who represent both the Environment and the Maternal and Child Health Sections within APHA. Together, these groups aim to protect children from physical and mental health harms that result from environmental expo- sures, disasters, and emergencies throughout growth and development, from preconcep- tion to adolescence (Trousdale et al., 2023). Developing competencies and perfor- mance indicators is challenging and must
remain general so that trainees, preceptors, and future employers have the flexibility to devise fitting assessments (Friedman et al., 2016; Lane & Ross, 1998; Lockyer et al., 2017) and levels of expertise (Ameri- can Association of Occupational Health Nurses, 2007). The work group emphasizes the importance of conducting comprehen- sive reviews for measuring performance and competence. Comprehensive reviews consist of quantitative (e.g., rating-based scores, answer choice tests) and qualitative evidence (e.g., evaluation by trainees, peers,
and preceptors) (Friedman et al., 2016; Griths et al., 2019; Lockyer et al., 2017) and should incorporate mechanisms for tracking milestones (Friedman et al., 2016; Lockyer et al., 2017). Additional work is needed to incorporate competencies into training opportunities. These opportunities include cultivating pre- ceptor receptiveness to competency-based training (Griths et al., 2019) and designing multilevel assessments to inform trainees and programs of their progress in meeting com- petency expectations (Lockyer et al., 2017).
27
June 2024 • Journal of Environmental Health
Powered by FlippingBook