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Michael Davis1, Chetana Acharya, MS2, Marcella Wilson1, Stella Chao3, Morgan Barry4, Ticiang Diangson, MS, MA1, and Thomas Burbacher, PhD5. (1) Community Services Division, Seattle Public Utilities, 700 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 615-1376, michael.davis@seattle.gov, (2) CEEH - COEP, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105, (3) International District Housing Alliance, 606 Maynard Ave S, Suite 105, Seattle, WA 98104, (4) Environmental Health Division, Public Health -Seattle/King County, 999 3rd Avenue #700, Seattle, WA 98104, (5) Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98105
What are some tools to achieve environmental justice? How can communities be truly involved in identifying issues of most concern and how can these be addressed and resolved? Coalitions have been successful in bringing affected communities, governmental agencies, community-based organizations and scientists together, as equal partners, to address community environmental health issues. One such approach has been the Environmental Justice Needs Assessment project whose goal has been to join with neighborhood communities to determine what environmental health concerns are most relevant to recent immigrants and refugee populations in the greater Seattle area. This unique collaboration has focused on strong partnerships, relationship building, and the reciprocity of both increasing community capacity and improving service delivery by government and private/nonprofits. The project uses focus groups and interviews to gather the environmental health needs of various underserved communities. Once information is gathered from the community, the various agency and community-based organization partners then help provide resources and strategies in response to these community concerns. One of the major challenges has been the broad range of topics that have fallen under 'environmental health issues'. Others have been both partnering and gathering information in culturally sensitive ways and disseminating information that is culturally and language appropriate. In order to attain true environmental equity, other organizations that can better address those issues, have been invited to participate in the project. The flexible nature and the commitment of the Environmental Justice Needs Assessment partners have contributed to the success of the collaboration.
Learning Objectives:
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.