From the Desk of the Regional Administrator - "EPA Works With Pediatric Leaders to Protect Children’s Health"

Portrait of EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy — U.S. EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy. (U.S. EPA)

LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 22, 2026) – October is National Children’s Health Month, and as the father of two daughters, I know firsthand that few things are more important to parents than their children’s health and well-being.

Children are often among the most vulnerable to environmental health risks, facing significant, long-term, and unique threats from environmental toxins compared with adults. In fact, we know that children are not simply little adults! That’s why EPA released its Policy on Evaluating Risk to Children in 1995. This policy directs the agency to consider children’s health risks when setting public health standards and provides children with stronger protection against those threats. By protecting children, EPA protects all Americans.

EPA offers a variety of resources to promote awareness and understanding of children’s environmental health. We work with parents, teachers, health care providers, and community organizations to promote healthy environments where children live, learn and play.

One way we work directly with communities to prevent and reduce environmental health threats to children is through the Mid-American Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (MAPEHSU), housed at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., where healthcare professionals provide comprehensive pediatric environmental health services.

Since 1998, the Centers for Disease Control, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and EPA have sponsored a network of interdisciplinary pediatric environmental health specialists at the MAPEHSU to provide free consultation services, referral, outreach and education to:

Public health departments.
Clinicians and health care professionals.
Public health and medical trainees.
Communities and families.

The MAPEHSU helps ensure that families can access children’s health resources from the medical professionals who understand these issues best, helping our region’s children to be healthier and happier. It’s just one way we are ensuring cleaner air, land, and water for all Americans — even the youngest among us.

For questions and concerns about children’s environmental health matters, please contact the MAPEHSU at (800) 421-9916 or mapehsu@cmh.edu.

Jim Macy is the administrator for EPA Region 7, which consists of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine tribal nations. He previously served in leadership roles at Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.

New in 2026: EPA Region 7’s “From the Desk of the Regional Administrator” newsletter gives residents of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska a chance to hear from Regional Administrator Jim Macy on EPA’s work in their communities.