You're Part of the Process

Consider this scenario: You've heard that some scientists are coming to town. They're interested in that old leather tannery property by the railroad tracks. You've seen that there are rusting steel drums on the site, and you've noticed a peculiar odor in the neighborhood. That can't be good. Maybe it could make people sick. Then you remember that there's been an odd taste in the water lately. Could there be a connection? Maybe the scientists can find out. What can people in the community do to help?

Scientific Assessment
Since 1986, scientists at the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have been conducting public health evaluations at places where people feel they may be coming in contact with hazardous substances. These public health evaluations are conducted to find out whether people may be contacting hazardous substances and, if so, whether that contact will make them sick.

Involvement of People in the Community
You and your neighbors are an important part of the public health assessment process. If the site is in your community, you probably know things about it that an outside specialist would find helpful. For example, you might know that on the weekends, neighborhood children use it as a softball field. That kind of knowledge will help the health assessors who will be evaluating the site. The assessor also needs to learn what concerns people in the community have about the site. The best way to conduct a public health assessment is for members of the community and ATSDR staff members to work together throughout the process.

About This Site
This Web site provides information on what ATSDR is, what's involved in a public health assessment, and how and when people in the community become involved in the assessment process. The Web site includes the following areas.

The Process

An online learning program about the public health assessment process. The program is presented in six sections. All sections are easy to navigate, and each is presented in an interactive format.

	Q's and A's	General information about ATSDR and public health assessments in a question-and-answer format. The questions are those that people often ask about ATSDR's work.
	Resources	A list of references and other information resources used in the public health assessment process.

A Few Notes:

Site Navigation. This Web site was developed and is maintained by ATSDR. Links in the banner (heading) at the top of each page in this Web site contain links to ATSDR's main Web site. For example, the Home link in the banner takes you to the ATSDR Home page. All navigation outside the banner area takes you to a page on this Web site or a screen in the online learning program.

Secondary Audience: public health professionals. Although this Web site is intended primarily for people in communities in which public health assessments may be conducted, public health professionals who are interested in ATSDR's public health assessment process may benefit from a review of the Web site and the online learning program. The Resources page of the Web site and the information that appears when you click on the Advanced Exercise icon and the Reference/Resource Tool icon in the online learning program may be of more interest to this secondary audience.