Featured Activities are highlights of key activities, programs, and initiatives of the Task Force, its Subcommittees, and member federal departments and agencies that address children’s environmental health risks and safety risks. Featured Activities may include those of partner non-governmental organizations that are co-sponsored or have significant engagement of federal agencies. Inclusion as a Featured Activity does not imply any priority status but is meant to showcase the broad range of activities being taken by the federal government in Task Force priority areas.
Children's Health Month
October 2024
October is Children’s Health Month. Throughout October, the Task Force will be working to raise awareness of the unique health risks faced by children from environmental factors. Federal agencies are emphasizing the importance of protecting children now so that they can grow up healthy and happy. Persons can find more information online, along with a Children’s Health Outreach Toolkit that can be used and modified by organizations to implement their own awareness activities or amplify those of the federal agencies.
The theme for Children’s Health Month is Growing Healthy, Growing Happy. Each week in October is focused on different sub-theme:
October 1-5 – Strong Bodies and Minds
- Children's growing bodies are more vulnerable than adults to environmental health threats. Protecting their health now is key to strong futures.
October 6-12 – Healthy Spaces
- Ensure homes, schools, childcare facilities, playgrounds and other spaces where children spend most of their time are built and improved with their health in mind.
October 13-19 – Empowered Communities
- Equip communities with the knowledge and resources necessary to guarantee every child, regardless of income, race, or origin is protected from health risks.
October 20-26 – Bright Futures Begin Lead Free
- National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week – Get the facts. Get your child tested. Get your home tested.
October 27-31 – Planning Ahead
- Keep children healthy in the face of a changing climates, natural disasters, and other emergency situations by preparing now for future challenges.
Sign up for the President’s Task Force email list to get access to more children’s environmental health and children’s safety information and resources.
Task Force Reports Progress on the Federal Lead Action Plan
April 2024
Although the number of children in the U.S. exposed to lead has dropped significantly in the past decade, thousands of children are still exposed. Lead exposure is not equal among all children–national data suggest minority children, children living in families below the poverty level, and children living in older housing have significantly higher risk for elevated blood lead levels. No safe blood lead level in children has been identified.
The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children has published its Progress Report on the Federal Lead Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts. The report provides a comprehensive update on efforts taken by the federal government and advancements made between December 2018 and April 2024 in reducing childhood lead exposures and associated health effects.
Task Force Publishes 2024-2028 Priority Areas
February 2024
The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children have set priorities for 2024-2028.
This comprehensive roadmap outlines initiatives across four key areas:
- Lead Exposures
- Climate Change, Emergencies, and Disasters
- Chemical Exposures
- Asthma Disparities
With short- and long-term actions addressing data gaps; regulations and policies; communication and engagement; and interagency coordination this document showcases the Task Force’s plan for safeguarding childrens health amidst the latest challenges.
EPA and HHS Encourage Use of Federal Lead Resources in Early Care and Education Settings
March 2023
The EPA and HHS are working together to reduce children’s exposure to lead as signatories on a Memorandum of Understanding on Reducing Lead Levels in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities, and together co-chair the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, comprised of 17 federal agencies and White House offices. This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a joint letter to governors to encourage state and local governments to use federal funding to take actions to reduce and remove lead in drinking water in early care and education settings, like elementary schools and daycare facilities. Together, these initiatives highlight the federal government's dedication to taking action to reduce their risk of disease and impairment by lowering children's exposure to lead using federal and state resources and initiatives.
Children are especially vulnerable to lead effects because their bodies are still developing. Infants and young children are at the highest risk for life-long health problems from lead exposure. Lead poisoning can have both physical and psychological repercussions. Exposure to even low amounts of lead in children can cause anemia, behavioral and learning issues, and other problems. Therefore, states must coordinate their efforts to address lead in early care and education settings, where most American children spend a significant amount of time.
“The science is clear: there is no safe level of lead of exposure to lead — especially for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach towards reducing lead exposure, especially in the environments our youth learn and grow. We are encouraging our state and local partners to join us in this critical effort and leverage the unprecedented levels of federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to reduce childhood lead exposure.”
“Children are our future,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to protecting children and the communities they live in by taking action to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, and remove lead paint. This collaboration between HHS and EPA will continue to advance lead remediation in elementary schools and child care facilities, protecting the health and well-being of future generations.”
EPA and HHS are delivering on the White House's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan by encouraging federal, state, and local governments to use every tool to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, and remediate lead paint. Funding for this collaborative initiative can come from both the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, among other federal resources. It is especially critical to make improvements to places where children spend significant time such as child care centers, family child care homes, preschools, and Head Start programs. Together, these historic federal investments have the potential to be transformative and to act as a catalyst to achieve lead-free water for all, especially for children who are most susceptible to the health impacts from lead exposure.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is dedicating an unprecedented $15 billion to removing lead from drinking water including in early child care settings. In the coming days, EPA will be announcing this year’s drinking water funding supporting states, Tribes, and territories in upgrading critical infrastructure and improving access to safe drinking water across the nation. This funding builds on President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to deliver clean water and protect public health for all people, especially disadvantaged communities.
States can also take administrative measures to support the health and safety of children in early care and education settings by establishing or strengthening licensing and monitoring requirements or improving blood lead screening programs. In addition, states can provide technical assistance and resources to meet lead testing and remediation requirements, including use of the EPA 3Ts (Training, Testing, and Taking Action) voluntary program to help schools and child care facilities make progress on reducing lead in drinking water.
Learn more by visiting EPA WIIN Grant: Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program and HHS Strategy Resources to Support Access to Safe and Healthy Early Care and Education Facilities.
Task Force Principals Meet
January 2021
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On October 28, 2021, the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children (Task Force) convened a full meeting of the Task Force Principals from across the federal government. Task Force co-chairs Michael Regan, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Xavier Becerra, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary hosted the meeting.
This event brought together cabinet level officials to reinvigorate the federal government’s commitment to protecting children from environmental health and safety risks and promoting action on children’s health in support of equity, climate change, and environmental justice. Becerra and Regan noted that while federal agencies have made great strides to protect and improve children’s health, there is more work to do, especially reducing inequities to ensure that all children are able to reach their full potential in life and protecting future generations from health impacts from exposures happening today.
Leaders from federal agencies including HUD, DOJ, DOT, NOAA, OMB, OSHA, USDA, CPSC and others noted their support for the interagency work of the Task Force. Three Task Force priority areas were highlighted: asthma disparities; lead exposure and safety; and climate, emergencies, and disasters.
- The new priority on climate, emergencies and disasters will help to coordinate and enhance federal activities to protect children’s health and safety in the face of such events.
- Building on its interagency asthma disparities work, the group plans to increase uptake of recently updated asthma management guideline for children and to expand support for comprehensive asthma interventions.
- The Task Force continues to make progress protecting children from lead exposures by aligning federal efforts to meet the needs of communities to reduce childhood lead exposures.
As part of closing remarks, Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, urged agencies to increase the degree to which they are addressing children’s environmental health and safety as part of their climate agendas.
Prior to closing the meeting, Regan reiterated a request that Task Force principals designate or confirm staff to serve on the Task Force steering committee and related subcommittees.
President's Task Force Principals Meeting Attendees (99KB) (99KB)
Closer to Zero
April 2021
FDA Action Plan for Baby Foods
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) has released a new initiative, Closer to Zero, that identifies actions the agency will take to reduce exposure to toxic elements in foods eaten by babies and young children to lowest levels possible. FDA has prioritized babies and young children because their smaller body sizes and metabolism make them more vulnerable to the harmful effects of these contaminants.
Previous work of the FDA and stakeholders has led to meaningful reductions in exposure to toxic elements. The FDA’s action plan builds on this progress and outlines a science-based, iterative approach for achieving continual improvements over time.
Further reductions in the levels of toxic elements in foods will be made by:
- Advancing the FDA’s research on and evaluating changes in dietary exposures to toxic elements
- Encouraging adoption of best practices by industry to lower levels of toxic elements in agricultural commodities and products
- Increasing targeted compliance and enforcement activities
- Monitoring progress of levels over time
- Setting action levels, with input from stakeholders
Related Resources:
Building Partnerships to Address Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Tribal Children
April 2019
Seeking Tribal Nations Interested in Building Partnerships to Address Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Tribal Children
To assist tribal nations in building systems of support for tribal children, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is working in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a new initiative.Purpose
The purpose of this initiative is to convene state, county, and tribal representatives from rural and non-urban communities to discuss how collaborative efforts can be initiated or strengthened to identify and address elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in tribal children. Additionally, we will explore current processes that tribal nations use to test BLL and any known barriers and facilitators for testing and related activities.
Details
At the convenings, key stakeholders will work together to generate region-specific solutions to enhance BLL testing and related activities. Additionally, tribal participants will gain an improved understanding of how state and county lead programs might work with tribal nations, what resources and materials may be available, and potential opportunities for future tribal-state and tribal-county partnerships to accomplish this work.
NIHB will focus energies on two Indian Health Service regions, based on expressed interest from elected tribal leaders and tribal programmatic and clinical staff who work in lead. Please note: NIHB will support the travel of all approved tribal convening attendees.
If your tribe is interested in participating in this initiative, please contact Stephen Valliere, Public Health Coordinator, by Tuesday, April 30, Close of Business at svalliere@nihb.org or 202-507-4802.
Kick Butts Day 2019: Tobacco Use Among Youth Is Rising
March 2019
Kick Butts Day is March 20, 2019. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Indoor Environments Division supports efforts to educate America’s youth about the health risks of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
In the United States
- Cigarette smoking accounts for one in five deaths annually—that’s more than 480,000 deaths per year, or 1,300 deaths every day.
- Secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 41,000 deaths per year.
- Smokers die an average of 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.
- Tobacco use among youth is rising, and e-cigarettes are the main reason.
Learn more from EPA about secondhand tobacco smoke and why good indoor air quality is important for your health.
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2018
October 2018
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) 2018, which will be held October 21-27, is an annual “call to action” aimed at bringing together families, individuals, community-based organizations, state, tribal, and local governments, and others, to increase lead poisoning prevention awareness and increase efforts to reduce childhood exposure to lead. NLPPW also highlights the many ways parents can reduce children’s exposure to lead in their home environment and prevent its serious health effects. The three themes this year are: Get The Facts, Get Your Home Tested, and Get Your Child Tested.
Partner Information Kit and Other Resources
HUD, EPA, and CDC are providing information on how people and organizations can plan for and implement activities during NLPPW. A Partner Information Kit contains resources for implementing local NLLPW activities, information about lead and lead poisoning prevention, tips for outreach, and more. This Kit is targeted for use by a wide range of stakeholders, including community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, health providers, state, tribal, and local governments’ health, housing, and environment departments, and others. Also available on the NLPPW websites of the agencies are a sample social media package, including sample posts for each day of NLPPW; posters, flyers, and website icons/buttons with versions in six languages; web banners with versions in three orientations; additional social media and websites that address lead; and international LPPW information.
- CDC NLPPW Website
- EPA NLPPW Website
- HUD NLPPW Website
Webinars
The agencies, in collaboration with USDA, are hosting 1-hour webinars of federal agency and other expert presenters on each of the three 2018 themes. Information and registration links are available at HUD NLPPW Webinars Schedule
- Get the Facts on Lead Poisoning - October 23 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT
- Get Your Child Tested - October 24 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT
- Get Your Home Tested - October 25 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT
The EPA will conduct a webinar for contractors, landlords, realtors, and property managers on its Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule. The RRP Rule requires that firms performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and pre-schools built before 1978 have their firm certified by EPA (or an EPA-authorized state), use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers and follow lead-safe work practices. For information click here.
- Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule - October 23 at 11:00 a.m. EDT
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2017
October 2017
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) is October 22-28. This year's theme is "Lead Free Kids for a Healthy Future." Task Force members including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have developed outreach materials to help generate awareness and educate parents about protecting kids.
The goal is to encourage organized, community events, and to empower families to take action. Across the nation, stakeholders will host and participate in outreach and educational activities designed to raise local awareness about the dangers of lead exposure and poisoning, and to educate parents about how to reduce exposures to lead in their environment in order to prevent serious health effects, and about the importance of testing children for lead.
The call to action is:
- Get your home tested: find out how to minimize risks to lead exposure
- Get your child tested
- Get the facts
The NLPPW Campaign Resource Package provides details about NLPPW and downloadable materials for community outreach.
The NLLPW Toolkit, created by HUD, provides:
- Information about lead poisoning and how to prevent it
- Steps for implementing NLPPW
Climate Change and Children’s Health Policy Roundup
October 2016
Children’s health and well being are vulnerable to impacts of climate change related to extreme heat, increased air pollution, changes in food and water, changes in vectorborne diseases, and extreme weather such as flooding and wildfires. The Climate Change and Children’s Health Policy Roundup gathers stories of policy actions being taken by government and non-government groups to address such impacts, with the goals of creating a community of practice around children’s health and climate change and providing a resource of ideas, approaches, and lessons learned.
Around the country, recognition of the unique vulnerability of children is spurring policy actions and programs to protect children’s health against the impacts of climate change. These activities are happening at the federal, state, local, and tribal levels through both government and non-government efforts. The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children gathers stories to highlight these policies and activities and to help build a community of practice around children’s health and climate change. The stories have been included in presentations at national public health meetings and shared through the Task Force mailing list. (Statements in the stories do not represent official views of the Task Force or any of its members).
Submit your own story to the Climate Change and Children’s Health Policy Roundup!
