e Lhe COEH Voice

Hunter College Center for Occupational & Environmental Health

Volume 1, Issue 1

November, 2000

CENTICK FORK

UPATIONAL &

OFFICE:

tel: (212) 481-8790
fax: (212) 481-8795

STAFF:

Co-Founder/Center Director
David Kotelchuck

tel: (212) 481-4357
dkotelch@hunter.cuny.edu

Center Associate Director
Theodore Outwater

tel: (212) 481-5172
toutwate@hunter.cuny.edu

Occupational Health & Safety
Program Coordinator
Andrew Burgie

tel: (212) 481-7652
aburgie@hunter.cuny.edu

Lead Program Coordinator
Marta Hernandez

tel: (212) 481-5073
rthernan@hunter.cuny.edu

Asthma CitiCAMP
Program Coordinator
Sergio Matos

tel:(212) 481-7667
smatos@hunter.cuny.edu

Community Health
Worker Education

Program Coordinator
Elena Schwolsky-Fitch

tel: (212) 481-5193
eschwols@hunter.cuny.edu

Fiscal & Operations
Program Coordinator
Sandra Wasserman

tel: (212) 481-4352
awasserm@hunter.cuny.edu

Administrative Assistant
Candice Belanoff

1: (212) 481-8790

2) 481-8795

by Dr. David Ko

he Hunter College Center

for Occupational and
Environmental Health (COEH)
has successfully completed its
first decade of activities
promoting urban community and
workplace health. It now stands
poised to expand

Beginning Our Second Decade

elchuck, Director

labor unions, private employers
and municipal and state agencies
to promote better understanding,
access to information and
improved skills in addressing
workplace and environmental
concerns.

these activities and
undertake many new,
exciting projects as
part of the new Urban
Public Health Program
at the Hunter College
School of Health

The Center now has
eight full-time staff
and five part-time
field staff, as well as
several Hunter
student interns each
semester. Its

Sciences (see box
pg.16).

'The COEH will continue to
redefine how communities interact
to empower people in both living

and working environments’ |

Director is Dr.
David Kotelchuck,
CIH, Associate
Professor in the

The Center was
established in 1990 by the Board
of Trustees of the City University
of New York (CUNY) as a
research, training and
educational center whose mission
is to promote community and
workplace health. Hunter COEH
works with community-based
organizations, schools, libraries,

Urban Public Health Program at
the Hunter College School of
Health Sciences and one of the
Center’s founding Co-Directors.
The professional credentials of
our staff include community
health education, epidemiology,
industrial hygiene, urban

(Continued on page 2)

Inside...

An Introduction to the Programs Offered at Our Center

Una Introduccion a los Programas del COEH (en Espaitiol)



The COEH Voice

ee

(Continued from page 1)
environmental health,
occupational health and
safety and community
organizing.

Among the highlights of the
past year for COEH is that
its funding has reached an
all-time high, with over $1.1
million in funding secured
for the 15 months beginning
July 1, 1999 and ending
August 30, 2000. The vast
majority of this funding is
from federal and local
government sources.

The number and depth of
partnerships has also
grown. Funders include the
Division of Community
Health Workers at the NYC
Department of Health, the
New York City Housing
Authority, the United States
Environmental Protection
Agency, the National
Institute for Environmental
Health Sciences, the New
York City Department of
Environmental Protection,
the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease
Registry and Medical and
Health Research
Associates, Inc.

Our staff has presented
eleven papers at four
professional conferences in
the past year, and three
manuscripts are in
development for peer-*
reviewed publications.

Hunter COEH is completely
grant-and contract-funded.
In the past decade, it has
been supported by federal,
state and local governments,
private foundations, labor
unions, and private and
public employers. In the
past few years, Hunter
COEH has conducted
programs on urban
revitalization and hazardous
waste worker protection and
job training with the National
Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences; asthma
community education and
technical assistance with the
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, the New
York City Council and the
NYC Department of Health;
environmental hazard
evaluation research, risk
communication and
community cancer
prevention with the NYC
Department of
Environmental Protection;
lead poisoning prevention
with the Brooklyn and
Manhattan Borough
Presidents’ Offices; and
occupational hazard
assessment and worker
training with the NYS
Department of Labor.

Hunter COEH is affiliated
with the Hunter College
Program in Urban Health,
created in 1998 under the
leadership of Professor
Nicholas Freudenberg. The
Program, which was
accredited by the Council for

2

Education in Public Health
this past Spring, brings
together three masters-level
urban health-oriented
academic programs within
the Hunter College Schools
of Health Professions:
Environmental and
Occupational Health
Sciences, Community
Health Education and
Nutrition and Food
Sciences. Dr. Kotelchuck is
a faculty member in the
Environmental and
Occupational Health
Sciences track, and four full-
time Center staff members
are currently enrolled in or
recent graduates of one of
these programs. A faculty
advisory committee is being
organized by Hunter College
to advise and support the
Center and help integrate its
activities with the Urban
Public Health Program.

In the articles which follow,
readers will learn more
about current Center
activities and new
developments in our
programs. We are excited
about and proud of all of
them. But we could not end
this brief overview of the
Center without mentioning
the contributions of two
former Center Directors who
have left Hunter this past
year for new opportunities.

Dr. Stephen Zoloth, a
founding Co-Director of the
(Continued on page 15)

SS

The COEH Voice

en reece een en RN AR eS A AO RN

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
at Hunter College: Our Programs In the Spotlight

This month’s spotlight is on the many programs offered at the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
located in Hunter College’s School of Health Sciences and the staff who make these programs possible.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAMS

Hazardous Materials & Emergency Response Training

MISSION: To educate personnel exposed to hazardous waste materials and responsible for
emergency response in proper procedures, protocols and with general information outlined
in the Hazard Communication Standard 1910.120 that will enable them to save lives, contain
hazardous materials incidents and protect themselves and others from harm in case of a
hazardous materials (HazMat) incident.

UPDATE: This year, over 300 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC) employees participated in the 8-Hour HAZWOPER Annual Refresher Training
Course and 40 NYSDEC employees participated in the 8-Hour HAZWOPER Supervisor
Training Course. A group of twenty-five (25) individuals, primarily comprised of various
College and University Laboratory Health & Safety Officers and some New York State
Department of Sanitation Environmental Police Officers, participated in the 8-Hour
HAZWOPER Supervisor Training Course. Eighteen (18) Hunter College students
participated in the 40-Hour HAZWOPER Training Course. More training opportunities for
other organizations are being negotiated for the fall.

Minority Worker Training Program

MISSION: To educate young people of color considering jobs in trade unions and
environmental firms about the environmental hazards they may encounter and how to
recognize, evaluate, and control exposure to those same hazards. To teach basic life skills,
literacy skills, and job skills that will enable these youth to compete in a changing labor
market.

UPDATE: This year, ten (10) students participated in the 24-Hour Environmental Monitoring
Training Course held at the Carpenters’ Union in downtown Manhattan.

Susan Harwood Ergonomics Training Program

MISSION: This is a multi-year national ergonomics training program conducted in
cooperation with the former United Paperworkers International Union, and now with its
parent union PACE, the Paper, Atomic, Chemical and Engineering Workers International
Union. The overall goals of this project are to reduce exposures to ergonomics hazards

(Continued on page 4)

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The COEH Voice

COEH Programs: In the Spotlight

(Continued from page 3)

faced by PACE union members, and to reduce the incidence and severity of musculoskeletal
disorders (MSDs) caused by ergonomics hazards in their workplaces. The project is funded
by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), through its Susan
Harwood Training Grant Program.

UPDATE: For the past three years the program has built the awareness and skills at
worksites and local unions that are needed to respond to ergonomics hazards, through
regional "train-the-trainer" ergonomics courses, union leadership courses and development
of ergonomics factsheets and other materials for union trainers. During this past year,
Project Director Amy Manowitz and other COEH staff taught five ergonomics courses to 187 |
people, 85 percent of whom were PACE members and 15 percent of whom were supervisors
and other management representatives at-plants represented by PACE. The three train-the-
trainer courses were offered in Richmond, Nashville and Lansing. The two leadership-
training courses were offered in Milwaukee and Nashville. Currently, union members who
have taken the train-the-trainer courses are passing on this information through classes and
discussions sponsored by their own union locals.

The Sheetmetal Worker Asbestos Screening National Database

MISSION: In an effort to understand the effect of occupational exposure to asbestos, the
Sheetmetal Worker Asbestos Screening Program invites members of the Sheetmetal
Workers’ International Association (SMWIA), who have at least 20 years of membership in
the union, to participate in the screening program. The hope is to discover the earliest
markers for asbestos related diseases, so that medical treatment can begin as early as
possible.

UPDATE: Beginning June 2000, The Hunter College COEH resumed data management of
the National Sheetmetal Asbestos Screening. This year, the Center will end its role as data
bank for this project, and is currently processing the final batch of data.

The Sheetmetal Worker Asbestos Screening Program,.which began in 1986, is the largest
on-going medical evaluation program of its kind in North America. The program is
coordinated by the Sheetmetal Workers’ Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) that
contracts with clinics around the country to screen members of SMWIA. To date, the
program has screened thousands of sheetmetal workers and contractors. Hunter College
COEH manages the Sheetmetal Workers National Database. The Center receives medical
data from screenings and completed questionnaires with participants’ medical and work
histories from clinics around the country. It arranges for the processing of the data for
analysis and also maintains a filing and tracking system of materials received and
developments on the project.

(Continued on page 5)

1 SS

The COEH Voice

COEH Programs: In the Spotlight

(Continued from page 4)

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS

Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

MISSION: To educate individuals in urban communities about lead poisoning prevention and
its health consequences as well as how they can participate in lead poisoning prevention
measures to protect themselves and others. This program also teaches our communities
about local, state and federal lead poisoning prevention legislation.

UPDATE: The goal of this program is to provide 30 community trainings on lead poisoning
prevention and Local Law 38 to the health districts of Brooklyn with the highest incidence of
lead poisoning, including Bedford-Stuyvesant, Fort Greene, Flatbush and Bushwick.

To date, a total of 33 trainings have been provided and a total of 456 community
representatives have participated in the trainings. The targeted population included school-
based personnel, nurses, housing agency workers, social workers, parents, youth, social
agency staff and others.

At this time, the Center is working on the 2000-2001 Lead Poisoning Prevention Project,
whose main goal is to provide 25 trainings on lead poisoning prevention to the same
Brooklyn health districts as last year. This time, the program will make special efforts to
reach out to recent immigrant communities, especially the Latino communities, which are at
a high risk for lead poisoning. To assist in achieving this goal, the Seminars to Train
Outreach Leaders to Prevent Lead Poisoning (S.T.O.P) Training Manual issued by the
Department of Health, which trains outreach leaders in lead prevention, will be translated
into Spanish by the COEH staff.

Citywide Community Asthma Management Program (CitiCAMP)

MISSION: To apply a public health approach to reduce illness and death from childhood
asthma in New York City by working to empower families, schools, communities and
institutions to manage and prevent asthma. To assist in the development, implementation
and evaluation of effective asthma management and prevention programs through
education, training, research and service.

UPDATE: CitiCAMP is a program funded by the New York City Department of Health
(NYCDOH). In partnership with the NYCDOH Citywide Childhood Asthma Initiative,
CitiCAMP aims to reduce the burden of asthma on communities at-risk by taking a public
health approach to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with childhood asthma.
CitiCAMP supports community-based organizations funded by the NYCDOH Citywide
Childhood Asthma Initiative by providing assistance in needs assessment, program

(Continued on page 6)



The COEH Voice

(Continued from page 5)

evaluation to community-based efforts.

expectations around asthma management.

Community Health Worker Training Program

families with asthma.

6

COFH Programs: In the Spotlight

development, health education, staff development, technical assistance and performance

To date, CitiCAMP has worked with 17 community-based organizations that have been
funded to participate in the citywide asthma partnership. CitiCAMP has helped these
organizations develop their organizational capacity to add asthma to the menu of services |
they provide to their service population. Many of these community-based organizations
serve culturally or ethnically isolated communities that have been historically difficult to reach
through traditional medical approaches, including communities with large newly-immigrant
populations. The CitiCAMP program has helped community-based organizations develop
culturally sensitive and appropriate health education programs and educational materials in
several languages and for a variety of cultures, including Latino, Polish, Jewish and |
Jamaican communities. The CitiCAMP program has also worked to improve access to
education and services for communities historically difficult to reach and helped increase the
organizational capacity of community-based organizatins that serve those communities.
CitiCAMP also works to identify community resources and develop partnerships, coalitions
and alliances within and across communities. CitiCAMP efforts in this respect have helped
expand the interests, knowledge and skills of community-based organizations to apply
asthma management to their organizational mission and have helped elevate people's

MISSION: The Hunter College Community Health Worker (CHW) training program, in
partnership with the New York City Childhood Asthma Initiative, provides front line
community health workers with the skills and competencies they need to empower families
to attain asthma self-management. CHWs, recruited from the New York City neighborhoods
most affected by the childhood asthma epidemic, serve as a vital link between health care
providers, community organizations and the communities they serve. The program trains
workers to provide asthma education, case management and advocacy for children and

UPDATE: The Community Health Worker Asthma Education Project, funded by the NYC
DOH's Childhood Asthma Initiative, got underway with a 3 week training program for 15
community health workers from a variety of community-based organizations in April of 2000.
The 350-hour curriculum for this program, which was written by staff at COEH, is designed to
prepare CHWs to work with families of children with asthma in their communities, and to do
community outreach and education. Core components of the curriculum include asthma
education, asthma self-management strategies, case management skills, home visiting and
home environmental assessment and remediation. The curriculum is designed so that
CHWs are introduced to a strengths-based empowerment approach to working with families.
The training is participatory and interactive with an emphasis on "hands-on" skill building
activities. Following this initial training, monthly needs assessments provide the basis for

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(Continued on page 7) |
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The COEH Voice ©

COEH Programs: In the Spotlight

(Continued from page 6)
ongoing training for this group of CHWs. A second CHW training for the AsthmaSMART
program in East Harlem is expected to be completed in the early Fall.

In addition to CHW training, Hunter staff conducted a series of focus groups with CHWs and
CHW supervisors to determine their needs and concerns about a variety of topics including:
CHW role in the community, recognition and rewards for CHW work and challenges in
recruitment, training and supervision of CHWs. Based on the focus group results, the Center
plans to initiate CHW networking activities, and to explore the development of a New York
City Community Health Worker Institute that would provide ongoing training support to CHW
programs throughout the city.

Continuing education for community health workers, to be offered at regularly scheduled
intervals, will provide the opportunity to update knowledge and reinforce skills gained in the
program. Presentations and updates on asthma self-management, general health topics,
community resources, public benefits and policy issues will be offered as needed.

Asthma and Pest Control Project

MISSION: Residents in inner-city public housing have long suffered from pest infestations in
their apartments. Not only are roaches and rodents a nuisance to residents, these pests
have been found to cause significant health problems. Cockroach allergens have been
implicated as a trigger for asthma symptoms, and pesticides, which are used to fight pests,
can poison children and are associated with various childhood cancers. The mission of the
project is to decrease the prevalence of cockroaches and rodents in public housing, and by
doing so, reduce the need for pesticide use and the rate of asthma morbidity.

UPDATE: Beginning in 1999, with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 2, the New York City Department of Health, New York City Housing Authority and
Hunter College COEH embarked on a collaborative Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
project in a public housing development in East Harlem: Lehman Village Houses. The
theory driving the IPM initiative is to eliminate pests' access to shelter, food and water, and
to limit their ability to seek alternative sources of sustenance. Currently in progress, the IPM
intervention is educating residents about the program, asthma and the health hazards of
pesticides. The project is cleaning apartments and common areas; caulking and sealing
holes in walls; and working with the Housing Authority to improve sanitation in garbage
chutes and holding sites. Preliminary results from the project have been very positive with
significant decreases in cockroach and rodent infestations.

BIOGRAPHIES

Andrew Burgie, MS, is an Industrial Hygienist and the Occupational Health & Safety Program

Coordinator and Hazardous Materials and Emergency Response Education Trainer for the

Center. In addition to conducting hazardous materials management and emergency response
(Continued on page 8)

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The COEH Voice |

The COEH Voice

El COEH: Nuestros Programas y Sus Ejecutores

COEH Programs: In the Spotlight

(Continued from page 7)
training for various organizations, he is responsible for Center's publicity infrastructure as a
Webmaster and Newsletter Editor of The COEH Voice.

He has worked as an industrial hygienist for various environmental consulting firms in the Tri-
state area, specializing in indoor air quality and lead projects for the past six years. He is very
active in his professional organization, the American Industrial Hygiene Association. He is an

| Associate member of the National section and has served as the Newsletter Editor and

Webmaster of the Metropolitan New York AIHA Local Section Chapter for the past three years.
The local section's newsletter, The New York Hygienist, was voted by the National chapter as
the best local section newsletter in the nation for a membership over 200 for two consecutive
years, 1999 and 2000. This year, Andrew will serve as the President-Elect and Webmaster for
the Local Section Chapter.

Andrew received a BA in Psychology from Yale University in 1987 and a MS in Environmental
and Occupational Health Science from Hunter College in 1996.

Marta Hernandez, MPH, is a Program Coordinator in charge of the Lead Poisoning Prevention
Program and research associate for both the Asthma and Integrated Pest Control Management
Program (IPM). She has a BS in Nutrition from Universidad del Atlantico (Colombia, South
America) and a MPH from Hunter College and has worked as a bilingual teacher for the New
York City Public School system. She is also the Spanish translator and editor for "El COEH:
Nuestros Programas y Sus Ejecutores" section of this newsletter.

Her experiences in teaching, both as a bilingual teacher and public health educator, and being
an immigrant in New York City have inspired her efforts to close the disparities in health access
between minority groups and mainstream communities.

| David Kotelchuck, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Urban Public Health Program of the

Hunter College School of Health Sciences. He was a founding Co-Director of the Center for
Occupational and Environmental Health at Hunter College (COEH) in 1987, and is currently
Director of the Center. He is also Deputy Director of the NY/NJ NIOSH Education and Research
Center. For over a decade he was Director of Hunter’s Environmental and Occupational Health
Sciences Program, and in 1997 he served as Acting Dean of the School of Health Sciences. He
received his Ph.D. in Physics from Cornell University, and his MPH from the Harvard University
School of Public Health. He is also a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). Current research
interests include public employee health and safety, and needlestick injuries among medical and
dental staff and students. Dr. Kotelchuck also serves on the Board of Directors or on national
committees for several local and national health and safety organizations.

Sergio Matos, BS, currently serves as the Program Coordinator of CitiCAMP, a program which
employs a public health approach to help reduce the burden of the asthma epidemic on
communities. Sergio graduated from The City College of the City of New York in 1979 with a
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, and is currently a graduate student in Hunter’s Urban Public
Health Program. He has 20 years of experience identifying specific community needs and
designing and implementing programs to meet those needs in communities throughout the City
(Continued on page 15)

(

8

CENTRO PARA LA SALUD OCUPACIONAL Y DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE DE
HUNTER COLLEGE
(COEH)

Este mes hemos dedicado nuestra atenci6n a los diferentes programas llevados a cabo por el
Centro y al grupo de profesionales responsables de la planeaci6n y ejecucién de los mismos. A
continuacion detallaremos Ia lista de los programas e incluiremos una breve bio-grafia de las
personas encargadas de su planeacién e implementacion.

PROGRAMAS DE SALUD OCUPACIONAL Y SEGURIDAD DE LOS OBREROS

Entrenamiento Sobre Materiales Peligrosos y como Responder en Caso de Emergencia

Misién: Educar al personal expuesto a desperdicios toxicos y responsables de acudir en caso de
emergencia, en cuanto a los procedimientos adecuados, protocolos e informacion general detallada
en el Estandar de Comunicacion de Peligros 1910.120; el cual les permitira salvar vidas, disminuir
los accidentes con materials peligrosos;asi como también, protegerse ellos mismos y a otros en
caso de accidentes con materiales peligrosos.

Reporte Actualizado: Este afio mas de 300 empleados del departamento de Conservacion del
Medio Ambiente del Estado de New York (NYSDEC por sus siglas en inglés) participaron en cursos
de entrenamiento de 8 horas. Estos cursos fueron orientados a oficiales de salud y seguridad de
laboratorios universidades y colegios; asi como también, a oficiales de Policia Medioambiental del
Departamento de Sanidad del Estado de New York.

Programa de Entrenamiento Para Trabajadores de Minorias

Mision: Educar a jovenes que esten conciderando trabajos en sindicatos y compahias
medioambientales, acerca de los peligros medioambientales a los que pueden estar expuestos;
ademas de como reconocer, evaluar y controlar la exposici6n a los mismos. Este programa tiene
también como misi6én ensefiar destrezas basicas de sobrevivencia y des-trezas laborales; las cuales
facilitaran a estos jovenes competir en un mercado laboral en vias de cambio.

Reporte Actualizado: Este ajfio, diez estudiantes participaron en un curso de entrenamiento sobre
monitoreo medioambiental. El curso fué llevado a cabo en la sede del sindicato de carpinteros en el
bajo Manhattan.

Premio al Programa de Entrenamiento Susan Harwood

Mision: Este es un programa de entrenamiento sobre ergonomia, el cual es llevado a cabo en
conjunto con el Sindicato Internacional Unido de Trabajadores del Papel y el recién integrado
Sindicato Internacional de Trabajadores del Papel, Atomicos, Quimicos e Ingenieria (PACE por sus
siglas en inglés). Los objetivos generales de éste proyecto son reducir la exposici6n a peligros de
tipo ergondmicos a los cuales estan expuestos los miembros de PACE; y reducir la incidencia y

(Continued on page 10)

Ec en pl
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El COEH: Nuestros Programas y Sus Ejecutores

(Continued from page 9)

severidad de los desordenes que afectan los musculos y los huesos causados por los peligros
ergonomicos en el sitio de trabajo. El proyecto es financiado por la Administracién Federal de Salud
y Seguridad Ocupacional (OSHA por sus siglas en inglés), a través de su Premio al Programa de
Entrenamiento Susan Harwood.

Reporte Actualizado: Durante los Ultimos 3 afios, el programa ha establecido y desarrollado
destrezas en los trabajadores de los sindicatos participantes, en cuanto a como responder a los
peligros de tipo ergonémicos en los lugares de trabajo por medio de cursos de capacitacion a
entrenadores, cursos de liderazgo y el desarrollo de una guia de recomendaciones y otros
materiales educativos para los entrenadores. Durante el pasado ajo, la Directora del Programa Ami
Manowitz y otros miembros del equipo de profesionales del Centro llevaron a cabo 5 entrenamientos
a los cuales participaron 187 personas de los cuales 87% fueron miembros de PACE y 15% fueron
administradores de PACE. Los 3 cursos de capacitacion al entrenador fueron impartidos en
Richmond, Nashville, y Lansing. Los 2 cursos de capacitacién sobre liderazgo fueron ofrecidos en
Milwaukee y Nashville. Actualmente aquellos miembros que participaron en el curso de
capacitacién para el entienador estan impartiendo lo aprendido a través de discusiones de
gruposfinanciadas por los sindicatos locales.

Base Nacional de Datos de los Examenes de Asbestos de los Trabajadores de
Laminas de Metal.

Mision: Con el objeto de entender los efectos de la exposicion a asbestos, el Programa de
Examenes de Asbestos de los Trabajadores de Laminas de Metal invito a miembros de la
Asociacion Internacional de Trabajadores de Laminas de Metal (SMWIA pos sus siglas en inglés),
los cuales tienen, por lo menos 20 afios de ser miembros del sindicato, a que participaran en un
proceso en el cual se les practico prueba de asbestos. La intension es descubrir los signos
tempranos de enfermedades relacionadas con asbestos, de manera que se pueda iniciar
tratamiento médico tan pronto como sea posible.

Reporte Actualizado: En Junio del Afio 2000, el Centro para la Salud Ocupacional y del Medio
Ambiente de Hunter College inicié el proceso de resumen de la informacion de los Examenes de
asbestos a nivel nacional de los trabajadores de laminas de metal. Este afio el Centro finalizara su
funcién de banco de datos para este proyecto y esta, actualmente procesando el ultimo lote de
informacion del mismo. El Programa de Examenes de Asbestos de los Trabajadores de Laminas de
Metal, el cual fué iniciado en 1986, es la evaluacion médica mas grande en su tipo actualmente en
America del Norte. El programa es coordinado por El Instituto de Salud Ocupacional de los
Trabajadores de Laminas de Metal (SMOHIT por sus siglas en inglés), el cual contrata clinicas a
nivel nacional para que realicen la evaluacion de los miembros de SMWIA. Hasta hoy, el programa
ha examinado miles de trabajadores de laminas de metal al igual que contratistas. El Centro recibe
la informacion médica de los examenes y encuestas de los obreros, la cual incluye infomacion
médica e historia laboral enviadas por clinicas a nivel nacional. Posteriormente, esta informacion es
organizada para ser procesada y analizada.

(Continued on page 11)

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The COEH Voice

El COEH: Nuestros Programas y Sus Ejecutores

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PROGRAMAS DE SALUD DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE

Programa de Prevencién del Envenenamiento con Plomo

Mision: Educar individuos en comunidades urbanas sobre las medidas de prevencion del
envenenamiento con plomo en la Ciudad de New York, y como pueden ellos participar en el proceso
de prevencion del envenenamiento con plomo para autoprotegerse y proteger a otros. Este
programa ensefia también a las comunidades acerca de la legislacion en torno al plomo a nivel
local, estatal y nacional.

Reporte Actualizado: La meta de éste proyecto es proveer 30 entrenamientos a nivel comunitario
en cuanto a la prevencion del envenenamiento con plomo y la Ley Local 38. Estos entrenamientos
fueron llevados a cabo en Brooklyn, especialmente en aquellos distritos de salud en los cuales la
incidencia del envenenamiento con plomo es mas alta: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Fort Greene, Bushwick
y Flatbush. Este afo, 33 entrenamientos han sido llevados a cabo y un total de 456 representantes
de la comunidad han participado en dichos entrenamientos. La poblacion beneficiaria incluyo
personal basico de escuelas, enfermeras, trabajadores de agencias de vivienda, trabajadores
sociales, padres de familias y jovenes, entre otros. En este momento el Centro esta trabajando en
la planificacién del proyecto para el afio 2000-2001, cuya meta es proveer 25 entrenamientos sobre
prevencion del envenenamiento con plomo en los mismos distritos de salud en Brooklyn
mencionados anteriormente. Durante este afio, se haran esfuerzos especiales para incrementar el
reclutamiento de comunidades inmigrantes recientes, especialmente en la comunidad Latina, la cual
es una de las comunidades con alto riesgo de envenenarse con plomo. Como parte del proyecto
para este ajio, el Centro sera responsable de traducir al idioma espafol el Manual de Entrenamiento
"PARE" el Envenenamiento con Plomo Para Lideres Comunitarios del Departamento de Salud de la
Ciudad de New York. (S.T.O.P por sus siglas en inglés).

Programa de la Ciudad de New York sobre el Manejo del Asma a Nivel Comunitario
(CitiCAMP por sus siglas en inglés)

Mision: Aplicar estrategias de salud publica para reducir los casos y muerte por asma infantil en la
ciudad de New York, a través de constante educacion a las familias, escuelas, comunidades e
instituciones, acerca de como manejar y prevenir el asma. Este programa tiene también como
mision asistir en el desarrollo, implementacion y evaluacion de programas de prevencion y manejo
del asma por medio de la educacion, capacitacion, servicio e investigacion.

Reporte Actualizado: Reporte Actualizado: CitiCAMP es un programa financiado por el
Departamento de Salud de la Ciudad de New York (NYCDOH por sus siglas en inglés). En
asociacion con La Iniciativa de Asma Infantil de NYCDOH, CitiCAMP intenta reducir la incidencia de
asma en comunidades a riesgo por medio de estrategias de salud publica y reducir asi la mortalidad
y morbilidad asociada con el asma infantil. CitiCAMP apoya organizaciones comunitarias
financiadas por La Iniciativa de Asma Infantil de NYCDOH, proveyendoles asistencia en evaluacion
de necesidades, desarrollo de programas, capacitacion, asistencia técnica y evaluacion de los
esfuerzos de dichas organizaciones.

(Continued on page 12)

11


The COEH Voice

El COEH: Nuestros Programas y Sus Ejecutores

(Continued from page 11)

Hasta el dia de hoy, CitiCAMP ha trabajado con 17 organizaciones comunitarias, las cuales han sido
financiadas para participar en la asociacioén de asma de la Ciudad de New York. CitiCAMP ha
ayudado a éstas organizaciones a desarrollar su capacidad organizacional con el objecto de incluir
asma dentro del grupo de servicios ofrecidos por dichas organizaciones. Muchas de estas
instituciones estan al servicio de comunidades, las cuales han estado cultural y étnicamente
apartadas e historicamente han sido dificiles de abordar a través de estrategias médicas; estas
comunidades incluyen comunidades con alta poblacion de inmigrantes recientes. CitiCAMP ha
ayudado también a éstas organizaciones a desarrollar programas de educacion en salud
culturalmente apropiados; y materiales educativos en varios idiomas y para varias culturas, entre
otras: Latina, Polaca, Judia y Jamaiquina. CitiCAMP ayuda a identificar recursos en la comunidad,
asi como también, a establecer asociaciones coaliciones y alianzas dentro de las cmunidades y las
comunidades entre si. De esta manera, los esfuerzos de CitiCAMP han sido de gran importancia en
la expansi6n del interes, conocimiento y destrezas en cuanto al manejo del asma a nivel individual e
institucional.

Programa de Entrenamiento a Trabajadores de la Salud Comunitarios

Mision: El Programa de Entrenamientos a Trabajadores de la Salud Comunitarios (CHW por sus
siglas en inglés ) de Hunter College provee a los CHW las destrezas necesarias para ensefiar a las
familias a como lograr autocontrolar el asma. Los trabajadores de salud comunitarios, los cuales
han sido seleccionados de entre los vecindarios mas afectados por la epidemia del asma infantil,
sirven de coneccién vital entre los proveedores de salud, organizaciones de la comunidad y la
comunidad a la que ellos sirven. El programa entrena a los CHW en cuanto a como proveer
educacién sobre el asma, manejo de casos y como abogar por nifios y familias con asma.

Reporte Actualizado: Este proyecto, el cual ha sido financiado por la iniciativa de Asma Infantil del
Departamento de Salud de la Ciudad de New York, llevo a cabo un programa de entrenamiento de 3
semanas a 15 trabajadores de salud comunitarios de diferentes organizaciones comunitarias en abril
del 2000. El curriculum de 350 horas, el cual fué escrito por el grupo de profesionales del Centro,
esta disefiado para preparar los CHW en cuanto a como trabajar con familias y nifios con asma;
llevar a cabo educaci6n y reclutamiento a nivel comunitario. El curriculum consta de los siguientes
componentes: educacién sobre asma, estratégias de automanejo del asma, destrezas en el manejo
de casos, visitas al hogar, evaluacién y soluciones del medio ambiente en la vivienda. El curriculum
fué disefiado de tal manera que los CHW adquieran las destrezas necesarias para trabajar con
familias, ademas de que permite un ambiente de participacion e interaccién con enfasis en
actividades de tipo practico. Seguido de este entenamiento inicial un segundo entenamiento a el
grupo de CHW del Programa AsmaSMART en el Este de Harlem sera iniciado a principio del Otofio
proximo. El personal del Centro condujo ademas una serie de "grupos focos" con los trabajadores
de salud comunitarios para determinar sus necesidades y preocupaciones en torno a varios topicos,
entre ellos: el papel de los trabajadores de salud comunitarios en las comunidades, reconocimiento
a la labor trabajo de los trabajadores de salud comunitarios; entrenamiento, supervision y
reclutamiento. Basado en los resultados de éste proceso, el Centro planea iniciar unas actividades
entorno a los trabajadores de salud comunitarios y explorar el desarrollo del Instituto del Trabajador
de Salud de la Comunidad de la Ciudad de New York. El cual proveera apoyo a programas de
trabajadores de la salud comunitarios a lo largo y ancho de la ciudad. La educacion continuada a
los CHW proveera la oportunidad de actualizar los conocimientos y reforzar las destrezas
previamente obtenidas por los mismos. El instituto brindara también presentaciones y actualizacion
(Continued on page 13)

——————

12

i i en See a a
El COEH: Nuestros Programas y Sus Ejecutores

(Continued from page 12)
en el manejo del asma , tépicos generales de salud, recursos de la comunidad, beneficios publicos y
temas relacionados con politicas de salud.

Proyecto de Control del Asma y de Animales Dafiinos

Mision: Los residents en viviendas publicas de la ciudad de New York han estado sufriendo por
mucho tiempo de la presencia de animales dajfiinos y perjudiciales en sus apartamentos. Entre
éstos animales estan los ratones y las cucarachas, los cuales no solo son molestosos para los
residentes, sino también causantes de muchos problemas de salud. Los alérgenos de las
cucarachas han sido relacionados con el padecimiento de los sintomas del asma: y los pesticidas,
los cuales han sido ampliamente usados para combatir estos animals, pueden envenenar a los
nifios y han sido relacionados con varios tipos de cancer infantil. La misién del proyecto es disminuir
la prevalencia de cucarachas y roedores en la vivienda publica y de ésta manera reducir el uso de
pesticidas y el nUmero de casos de asma.

Reporte Actualizado: Con el apoyo de la Agencia de Proteccién del Medio Ambiente de los
Estados Unidos, Regién 2, el Departamento de Salud de la Ciudad de New York, la Autoridad de
Vivienda y Hunter College COEH iniciaron el Proyecto Colaborativo para el Manejo de Animales
Dafinos (IPM por sus siglas en inglés) en un conjunto de vivienda publica en el sector de Harlem
llamado Lehman Village Houses. La principal teoria del proyecto es eliminar el acceso de éstos
animales a comida, agua y habitat, ademas de limitar la habilidad de éstos animales para crear
nuevas fuentes de supervivencia. Actualmente éste proyecto esta en progreso y su intervencion
incluye educacién a los residents sobre el programa, asma y los peligros de los pesticidas a la salud,
limpieza de apartamentos y areas comunes, sellamiento de orificios en las paredes y el trabajo en
conjunto con la Autoridad de Vivienda para el mejoramiento sanitario en cuanto a las basuras, las
areas de recoleccion y los conductos de deslizamientos de basura. Los resultados preliminares de
éste proyecto han sido muy positivos y han revelado una disminuci6n significante en la plaga de
cucarachas y de roedores.

Biografias

Andrew Burgie: Higienista Industrial con Maestria en Ciencias. Es el coordinador del programa de Materiales
Peligrosos llevado a cabo por el Centro y el entrenador del Programa del educacién sobre como Responder en
Caso de Emergencia. Ademas de conducir entrenamientos en varias organizaciones, el sefior Burgie es
responsable de la infraestructura publicitaria del Centro, desempefiandose como disefiador de la pagina electronica
y editor del boletin informativo del Centro (COEH Voice). Andrew ha trabajado como Higienista Industrial para
varias firmas consultoras en el area triestatal; especialmente en el campo de aire interno y proyectos sobre plomo.
Es miembro de la Asociacién Americana de Higienistas Industriales (AIHA por sus siglas en inglés) de New York,
Capitulo Local. Recibié su pregrado en Psicologia en la Universidad Yale en 1987 y la Maestria en Ciencias de la
Salud Ocupacional y Medioambientales en Hunter College en 1996. Este afio Andrew sera el Presidente Electo y
creador de la red informativa del Capitulo Local de la Asociacion Americana de Higienistas Industriales.

Marta Hernandez: Es una educadora en el area de salud publica, Coordinadora del Programa de Envenenamiento
con Plomo e Investigadora Asociada en el Programa del Manejo y Control Integrado de Animales Dafinos (IPM
por sus siglas en inglés). Se ha desempefiado como profesora bilingue en el Sistema de Escuelas Publicas de la
ciudad de New York. Posee un grado en Nutricion y una Maestria en Salud Publica de Hunter College; esta al
mismo tiempo encargada de la seccion en espafiol "El COEH" del boletin informativo del Centro para la Salud
Ocupacional y del Medio Ambiente de Hunter College, de la cual es su editora y creadora. Ha asistido a diferentes
organizaciones comunitarias en la traducci6n, del inglés al espafiol de documentos en el area de la salud y del

medio ambiente. Su experiencia como educadora en el area de la salud publica, educacién bilingue y su condici6n
(Continued on page 14)

13



The COEH Voice "The COEH Voice |

El COEH: Nuestros Programas y Sus Ejecutores Beginning Our Second Decade, continued

(Continued from page 13)

de inmigrante en la ciudad de New York, han sido de gran inspiraci6n para continuar participando en el proceso de (Continued from page 2)

disminucién de disparidades entre los grupos minoritarios y el resto de la sociedad, encuanto al acceso a la salud Center and most recently Associate Provost of Hunter College, has left Hunter to become Dean
se refiere. of the Professional and Education Schools at Northeastern University in Boston.

David Kotelchuck: Profesor Asociado en el programa de Salud Publica Urbana de la Escuela de Ciencias de . , . . .

Hunter College. Fué el fundador y Co-director del Centro para la Salud Ocupacional y del Medio Ambiente de Daniel Kass, MSPH, Executive Director of the Center and then Co-Director during the past
Hunter College (COEH por sus siglas en inglés) y su actual Director. Dr. Kotelchuck es también Subdirector del decade, has left Hunter College to become a Director of Research & Evaluation for the

Centro de Investigacion y Educacién de New Jersey y New York. Por mas de una década fué el Director del Childhood Asthma Initiative of the New York City Department of Health, and to continue his
Programa de Ciencias de la Salud Ocupacional y del Medio Ambiente de Hunter College. En 1997 fué decano doctoral research at New York University. We wish Steve and Dan well. We will miss them.

interino de la Escuela de Ciecias de la Salud. El Dr. Kotelchuck recibid un Ph.D en Fisica de la Universidad Cornell

y una Maestria en Salud Publica de la Escuela de Salud Publica de la Universidad de Harvard. Es también un a é
Higienista Industrial Certificado (CIH por sus siglas en inglés). Actualmente sus intereses en el area de la COEH Programs: In the Spotlight, continued

investigacion incluyen la salud y seguridad de trabajadores publicos y heridas por agujas del personal médico y

estudiantil en el area médica y dental. El Dr. Kotelchuck también es miembro de la junta directiva de varias (Continued from page 8)

organizaciones a‘nivel local,,estatal y-nacional. of New York. Sergio has worked to design and implement community-driven programs to
Sergio Matos: El sefior Sergio Matos obtubo su grado de Ciencias y Quimica en City Coll-ege, New York en 1979 address specific community issues involving disease management, public health impacts,

y esta actualmente cursando estudios de Postgrado en el Programa de Salud Publica Urbana de Hunter College. environmental pollution/contamination, environmental cleanups, emergency preparedness and
Con 18 aflos de experiencia en la planeacién e implementacién de programas para satisfacer las necesidades de property redevelopment.

salud de comunidades en la ciudad de New York. El sefior Matos ha coordinado programas relacionados con el

manejo de enfermedades, el impacto de la salud publica,contaminacién medioambiental, remodelacion de Ted Outwater, Associate Director and Environmental Specialist for the Hunter College Center

propiedades y preparacion en caso de emergencia. Actualmente el Sefior Matos es el coordinador del Programa

CitiCAMP, el cual emplea estrategias de salud publica para reducir la epidemia de asma en las comunidades. of Occupational and Environmental Health, currently serves as the director of the Lehman

Village Houses Asthma and Pest Control Project, an innovative research and intervention

Ted Outwater: Especialista en el medioambiente y Director Asociado del Centro para la Salud Ocupacional y del partnership between the New York City Housing Authority, the New York City Department of
Medio Ambiente de Hunter College. Actualmente es ademas el Director del Proyecto de Asma y Control de Health, the Lehman Village Houses Tenant's Association, and Hunter College. He received a
Animales Dafiinos de Lehman Village Houses, un proyecto innovativo de investigacion e intervencion llevado a degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has also served as the

cabo en asociacion con La Autoridad de Vivienda de New York, El Departamento de Salud, La Asociacién de ee ‘ gs : i
Inquilinos de Lehman Village Houses y Hunter College. Este proyecto tiene su base en Harlem y esta orientado administrator of the Environmental Grantmakers Association based in the Rockefeller Family

hacia las poblaciones de bajos ingresos y su principal objetivo es reducir la incidencia de cucarachas y roedores, Fund; executive director of the Clean Water Fund of North Carolina; member, Board of
los cuales son dos agentes importantes en el desarr-ollo del asma. El sefior Outwater se ha desempefiado en Directors, Institute of Southern Studies; and member, North Carolina Pollution Prevention
varios otros cargos, entre ellos: Administrador de la Asociacion de Escritores de Proyectos Medioambientales Advisory Council of the North Carolina legislature.

basada en la Fundacion de la Familia Rockefeller; Director Ejecutivo de la Fundacién de Agua Limpia de Carolina
del Norte; miembro de la Junta de Directores del Instituto de Estudios Surefos y miembro del Concejo Asesor en

cuanto a la Prevencion de la Contaminacion de Carolina del Norte para la Legislatura de Carolina del Norte. Elsa Riddell, BS, Program Data Specialist, is currently in charge of the Sheetmetal Worker

Asbestos Screening data management at Hunter COEH. She received a BS degree in Health

Elsa Riddell: Especialista en programacion de datos y actualmente a cargo del manejo de datos del Programa de Sciences from Hunter College in 1999, and anticipates a MPH in Community Health Education
Examenes de Asbestos de los Trabajadores de Laminas de Metal llevado a cabo por el Centro, ademas de in January, 2001. Elsa also works at the Fortune Society as a Research Assistant. In 1971,
desempefiarse como Asistente de Investigacién en Fortune Society. La sefiora Riddell obtuvo un grado en she graduated from Shorwood Teachers’ College in Jamaica, West Indies, where she majored

Ciencias de la Salud de Hunter College en 1999 y esta actualmente cursando los estudios de pos-grado en el
Programa de Salud Publica Urbana en Hunter College. En 1971 obtuvo su pre-grado del Colegio de Profesores
Shorwood en Jamaica, donde se especializé en Matematicas y Espafol. Posteriormente se desempefido como

in Mathematics and Spanish, and worked as a Secondary School teacher for 15 years.

docente durante 15 ajfios. Elena Schwolsky-Fitch, MPH, Program Coordinator of Community Health Worker Education,
brings over 25 years of experience as a public health nurse and health educator in diverse

cies naan beac Tonsil deel mas ve oe ae el area = sas publica < ay en oe _ urban communities to her work at the Hunter COEH. A graduate of the Hunter's Master's

diferentes comunidades urbanas. uvo una Maesiria ael Programa ae ucacion en oalud a la Comunidai H . . . . 2

Hunter College. Elena Schwolsky-Fitch trabajé en programas cobs SIDA a nivel pediatrico y familiar en Newark, progiam ah Community Health Education, Elena worked in pediatric and family HIVIAIDS ‘

New Jersey y Boston, Massachusetts previa a su vinculacién al Centro, en el cual se desempefia como Asistente al PIOgtanns if Newark, N.J. and Boston, Massachusetts prior to assuming her present position as

Director en Educacién en Asma a la Comunidad. Su experiencia incluye el desarrollo de programas de apoyo a la Assistant Director of Community Asthma Education at the Center. Elena has a nursing degree

familia, cadena de apoyo para el mantenimiento de tratamiento y programas de apoyo mutuo. from the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Her previous experience includes the
development of family support and education programs, a treatment adherence support

Gracias especiales a Marta Hernandez por ésta traduccion network, and a peer education program for people living with HIV/AIDS.

ee

14 15



ee

Andrew Burgie,
Newsletter Editor
Center for Occupational &
Environmental Health
Hunter College School of
Health Sciences
425 East 25th Street,
Box 595
New York, NY 10010

NOTE:
Special thanks to

Marta Hernandez
for interpreting
and translating

the

Spanish Section of

the COEH Voice

aa a aT]

Attention Students: Interns Wanted!
Please call Ted Outwater, Associate Director at (212) 481-5172 or (212) 481-8790 (sec’y) for details.

el

In This Issue...

COEH: Beginning Our Second Decade...Program Highlights...and MORE!!!

Hunter College
The City University of New York

Program in
Urban Public Health
Brookdale Campus

425 East 25" Street
New York, New York 10010

Education, action and research for a healthier New York

Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
(MS and MPH),
Community Health Education (MPH) and
Public Health Nutrition (MPH)

Application Deadline for Spring 2001:
November 15, 2000
Application Deadline for Fall 2001:
April 15, 2001

Affordable tuition, scholarships & dormitories available

For more information: Call us at: 212-481-5111
OR Visit our website at:

http://www. hunter.cuny.edu/health/uph

OR Come to one of our Open House Sessions

QUESTIONS? {#é¥E¢> OPINIONS?

§D6@5? OPPORTUNITIES?

PLEASE SEND ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO
MY ATTENTION:

ANDREW BURGIE,
y COEH Voice Newsletter Editor
M Center for Occupational & Environmental Health }
Hunter College School of Health Sciences
425 East 25th Street, Box 595
New York, NY 10010
(212) 481-7652 (phone)
(212) 481-8790 (fax)
aburgie@hunter.cuny.edu (email)

Remember to visit our COEH website @

www.hunter.cuny.edu/health/coeh