Washington, D.C., April 4, 2006 – U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) today introduced a bill in Congress to address the built environment’s health effects, such as diabetes, obesity and asthma, on the nation’s children. The bill introduction coincides with the start of National Public Health Week, April 3-9, organized by the American Public Health Association (APHA).
The Healthy Places Act of 2006 incorporates federal, state and local levels of government in addressing environmental health issues, not only in the doctor’s office, but also on the neighborhood sidewalk, on the school playground and on Main Street.
“Healthy communities for children are on the verge of being engineered out of existence, and we must take action to change these harmful built environments to ensure the well-being of our nation’s kids,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “Designing healthy communities helps us combat a number of preventable dangers that threaten the health of our youngest Americans.”
The Healthy Places Act will help states and communities better address environmental health issues in the following ways:
- Health Impact Assessments – The bill would establish a program to support voluntary Health Impact Assessments (HIA). States and communities could conduct HIAs to assess the effect of major policy or programmatic changes on the health of the community.
- Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Environmental Health – Currently, multiple federal agencies work on different aspects of environmental health issues. The IWG would facilitate communication and collaboration among the agencies to coordinate new and existing efforts to address environmental health issues.
- Grant Program – The bill would create a grant program to allow states and localities to address environmental health hazards, particularly those that contribute to health disparities.
- Research – The measure would provide additional support for research on the relationship between the built environment and health, as recommended by two Institute of Medicine reports.
Chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma are two of today’s leading health concerns, particularly among children in low-income urban populations. These health issues are often linked to factors associated with community design and the built environment. For example, exposure to poor air quality from industrial emissions and car exhaust as well as harmful agents in homes, such as mold and dust, are contributing to rising rates of asthma.
The relationship between the built environment—including homes, schools, parks, transportation and community design—and the health of children is a vitally important aspect of public health.
“Improvements to the built environment can have significant health benefits, as measured by greater physical activity, healthier diets, fewer injuries, a reduction in toxic emissions, and improved air, water and soil quality,” said Sen. Obama.
“The important connection between the design of our communities and the health of our constituents is often overlooked in our national health care debate over cost and quality. It is often the foods we eat, the places our children play, and the sidewalks on which we travel that impact our health and ability to engage in healthy activities,” said Congresswoman Solis. “I am proud to join Senator Obama today in introducing the Healthy Places Act to design healthier communities for all families.”
APHA today also released its legislative agenda to promote efforts to build healthy environments for children. The agenda highlights federal, state and local policies that address a host of health challenges for young Americans, including obesity, asthma, primary care access, preventable injury and exposure to poison and other toxins. For more information on APHA’s legislative priorities, please visit www.apha.org/nphw/2006/pg_advocacy.htm.
During National Public Health Week, APHA and its partners will aim to improve the understanding of the relationship between built environments—homes, schools, parks and community design—and the health and safety of children by promoting solutions that families, communities and policy-makers can use. Each day will focus on the relationship between the built environment and a core children’s health issue, with additional focus on effective solutions based on case studies from model communities. More information is available at www.nphw.org.