Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education Story Map
February 2021
Many young children spend a significant amount of time in early care and education (ECE) facilities, and in most states, licensing requirements of these facilities do not consider environmental exposures. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) created the Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education (CSPECE) program to help towns, cities, and states adopt practices that will make sure ECEs are located away from chemical hazards. ATSDR has released its first CSPECE Story Map. From 2017-2019, returning states worked on developing and piloting new interventions. This story map tracks and highlights the progress and successes of these unique programs, while providing a comprehensive summary of the CSPECE activities completed throughout the three years.
In 2017, ATSDR’s Partnership to Promote Local Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure (APPLETREE) Cooperative Agreement Program expanded its scope to protect the health of children where they learn and play. This led to incorporating CSPECE as a key activity in APPLETREE. ATSDR’s 28 APPLETREE states will use 2020-2023 fiscal year funding to build their capacity to evaluate and respond to environmental public health issues. Returning states will enhance or expand their programs to full- scale implementation and plan for long-term sustainability.
Summer Safety Resources for Children
May 2021
Summertime brings great opportunities for children to spend healthy time outdoors being active and having fun, but there are also certain environmental health risks that are increased during the summer months. May 23-29, 2021 is Health and Safe Swimming Week. The Task Force has a number of resources for parents and others to help ensure that children stay safe while spending additional time in swimming pools and other bodies of water during the summer months. Similarly, warmer weather provides more time for children to be outdoors, but extreme heat can pose a serious risk to children while playing, particularly children athletes. National Heat Safety Awareness Day is May 31, 2021. The Task Force website provides resources aimed at protecting children’s health from extreme heat.
