Public Health Institute Named as National Program Office for Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units for CDC and the EPA

October, 2024 — Oakland, Calif: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) named Public Health Institute (PHI) as lead of the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU) National Program Office, with support from the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides additional funding to support the PEHSU National Program Office.

Over a period of three years (September 2024 to August 2027) PHI and AOEC will support a network of ten regional PEHSUs across the nation, whose vision is to create healthy environments for all children. PEHSUs work to improve reproductive and children’s health and reduce hazardous environmental exposures. Their environmental health experts lead the integration of environmental health into clinical care and public health, while supporting communities to address historical injustices and ongoing environmental racism and address the existential threat of climate change.

PHI brings 60 years of expertise in advancing public health and health equity to this program and looks forward to supporting the PEHSU sites as they educate and train others in the latest environmental health issues. PHI’s Mike Sage, MPH, who will serve as project director for this work, holds over 30 years of previous experience from CDC, specializing in areas such as emergency preparedness and environmental health.

To find your local PEHSU expert, visit the website.

About the Public Health Institute:

The Public Health Institute, an independent nonprofit organization, advances wellbeing and health equity with communities around the world. PHI develops research, leadership and partnerships to build strong public health policy, programs, systems and practices.