News & Events

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition affecting an estimated 26.8 million people in the United States, including 4.5 million children. Children are particularly susceptible to wildfire smoke for several reasons: their respiratory systems are still developing; they breathe more air (and air pollution) per pound of body weight than adults; and they’re more likely to be active outdoors.

This webinar will explore the intersection of wildfire smoke exposure and childhood asthma. Expert speakers, drawn from EPA’s National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management winners and wildfire smoke grant program recipients, will share best practices, community-engagement strategies, and innovative approaches to integrating wildfire smoke readiness into asthma control efforts, protecting children’s respiratory health during wildfire smoke events and improving asthma health outcomes.

Click here for additional information.

RSVP here to attend.

On January 17, 2025, HUD published a notice modifying its elevated blood lead level (EBLL) threshold under its Lead Safe Housing Rule (24 CFR 35, subparts B - R)[2] from to 5 to 3.5 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (µg/dL) for a child under the age of 6, consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's current blood lead reference value of 3.5 µg/dL.

This notice also describes the required compliance dates for implementing this modification, which depend on whether the applicable State, State-level jurisdiction, territory, or local jurisdiction has already incorporated a blood lead level action threshold equal to or lower than the CDC’s current blood lead reference value (April 17, 2025) or not (July 16, 2025).

Questions about this notice can be directed to Warren Friedman, Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 8236, Washington, DC 20410-3000, telephone 202-402-7698 (this is not a toll-free number), and email LeadRegulations@HUD.gov.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (ASPR TRACIE) and ASPR’s Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence (PDCOEs) invite you to a webinar on how efforts by the PDCOEs are shaping current and future pediatric disaster care planning. Pediatric professionals will share tangible examples and best practices of how to integrate pediatric issues in healthcare preparedness plans, trainings, and exercises. Registration required: Sign up here.

Agenda

Introductions and Welcome:

• Rachel Lehman, Director (Acting), ASPR TRACIE
• Joseph Lamana, BSN, MPA, Director, Office of International Operations

HHS ASPR Moderator:

• Michael Anderson, MD, MBA, FAP, FCCM, FAARC, Senior Advisor

HHS ASPR Panelists: 

• Deanna Dahl-Grove, MD, FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital; Co-Principal Investigator, ASPR Region V for Kids; HRSA Hub Site Principal Investigator for Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN) and Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Innovation and Improvement Center (EIIC) Disaster Domain Co-Lead
• Brent Kaziny, MD, MA, FAAP, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine; Principal Investigator, Gulf 7 - Pediatric Disaster Network; Co-Lead Disaster Management Domain for the Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN) and Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Innovation and Improvement Center (EIIC) Disaster Domain Co-Lead; Medical Director of Emergency Management, Texas Children’s Hospital
• Christopher Newton, MD, Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery Chair, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, Principal Investigator- WRAP-EM (ASPR PDCOE), and Co-PI: Pediatric Pandemic Network