Jayne E. Mardock, MTS, American Lung Association, 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 785-3355, jmardock@lungusadc.org and Daniel Swartz, MA, Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN), 110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 511, Washington, DC 20002.

The public health community has become increasingly interested in collaboration with the faith community because of its ability to reach large, diverse populations and speak with moral authority on issues relating to health, environment and well-being. However, finding ways to respect the skills and expertise of each community has been challenging because of the different approaches to education and outreach. Looking at proven examples of collaboration, we will examine how environmental health issues have provided a successful way to enter into dialogue and engage interfaith communities, respecting the religious values and teaching of Christian and Jewish traditions. Presenters will use pubic health topics, including the impact of toxic chemicals on the developing child and fetus, tobacco control, and cost-benefit analysis as examples of public health issues that can be translated to engage core religious values. We will provide examples of materials created for public education campaigns within the faith community and how to use scripture, religious texts and social teaching to engage the interfaith community in education and advocacy. In addition, the presenters will discuss common pitfalls in building relationships with faith groups and how to respect and support their work while expanding the reach of public health education in diverse communities.

Learning Objectives:

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• Create a deeper understanding and appreciation for the assets available through collaborations between health and faith communities and how to initiate projects successfully. (
• Examine successful models of collaborations around environmental quality and children’s health; (
• Survey key messages and issues, relating them to religious texts, scripture and teaching; (
• Relate how to bridge communication gaps and forge relationships based on strengths of each community.

Keywords: Environmental Health, Faith Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Handout (.ppt format, 309.0 kb)