The Environmental Health Assessment Program (EHAP), part of the Oregon Health Authority - Public Health Division (OHA-PHD), works to prevent harmful environmental exposures and related health effects at hazardous waste sites across Oregon. EHAP assesses and communicates health risk from harmful environmental exposures by working closely with communities and environmental regulatory agencies to (1) understand community environmental health concerns and exposure factors (2) provide accurate information that contributes to eliminating environmental hazards (3) develop accessible, appropriate, and effective health protection recommendations and (4) empower community members and policy-makers to make informed environmental health decisions that support health equity. Our community-centered, interdisciplinary approach to community engagement activities and exposure science prevention strategies focus on serving the Oregonians most impacted and vulnerable to cumulative environmental health impacts at hazardous waste sites. Since 2002, EHAP has successfully carried out the duties of the APPLETREE cooperative agreement, engaging in health protective activities at over 200 Superfund, brownfields, or other hazardous waste sites. EHAP has produced over three dozen certified and non-certified environmental health assessment products in accordance with ATSDR guidance, policies, and procedures. EHAP will deepen Oregon’s capacity to serve vulnerable children in environmental justice communities through the creation of a Children’s Environmental Resilience Program (ChERP), which streamlines statewide resources into a community-based support program, a Children’s Environmental Resilience Center. The Program will partner with a steering committee to recruit children’s exposure prevention resources across housing, climate, and emergency preparedness programming across statewide networks, then work with a community-based organization to delivers accessible services
in environmental justice communities. EHAP and ChERP advances ATSDR’s mission to serve the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and disease related to toxic substances.