The Envision Program
School Grant Applications: Deadline to apply is March 27, 2009
- Program goal
- Enrollment
- How the program works
- Tools for implementing the plan
- Roles and responsibilities
- How can my school acquire additional anti-idling signs?
Introduction
The “Envision—Promoting Healthy School Environments” program (known hereafter as Envision) is a direct result of the passing of the Act 125 Legislation. Act 125 directs the Commissioners’ of Health, of Education, and of Buildings and General Services to:
- create and maintain a clearinghouse of environmental health information on the Department of Health’s website
- provide technical assistance to schools
- provide workshops on environmental health for school personnel
- to develop a model environmental health plan and policy
- to encourage and assist schools in developing programs that will enable them to address and prevent environmental health issues through the voluntary participation of schools.
The Envision program packet contains a model environmental health plan and policy, sample procedures, letters of support, and a resource guide.
The Envision program and dedicated staff person resides in the Department of Health. Any questions or inquiries regarding the program, model plan, or technical assistance on a school environmental health issue should be directed to:
Vermont Department of Health
Envision Program, Division of Health Surveillance
P.O. Box 70 , 108 Cherry Street
Burlington , VT 05402
800-439-8550
Program Goal
The goal of the Envision program is to assist schools in creating and implementing environmental health management plans by:
- educating schools on environmental health issues
- providing schools with a sustainable means to identify, prevent, and “problem-solve” potential environmental health and indoor air quality (IAQ) issues by addressing the minimum guidelines called out in Act 125.
These minimum guidelines include, but are not limited to the following:
- Assessment
- Determining if environmental health problem(s) or potential problems exist in your school. Prioritizing them with respect to health risk to the general school population, ease of change and cost.
- Address
- Establishing a plan of action to mitigate or eliminate, to the extent possible, any existing environmental health problems. Create a method to manage health questions, concerns, complaints and incidents as they occur.
- Prevention
- Implementing strategies to avoid potential environmental health problems by reducing exposure to irritants and chemicals and maintaining and/or repairing equipment or structural issues that could lead to potential environmental health problems.
- Promotion/Support
- Promoting environmental health awareness through dissemination of information and involvement in environmental health programs. Supporting your environmental health plan by documenting and sharing your success with the school community.
- Maintainability
- Ensuring that your environmental health program is sustained by keeping documentation of all implemented and proposed plans and resolutions accessible to the public and by creating a means to review and update your program on a yearly basis.
Participation in Envision also will enable schools to utilize existing related programs to help create a comprehensive School Environmental Health Management Plan.
Enrollment
Enrollment into the Envision program is voluntary. The legislation in no way mandates the schools themselves.
The Envision program provides the following:
- A model Environmental Health Management Plan
- A model Environmental Health Policy
- Samples of four model procedures on: Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Integrated Pest Management, Purchasing of Least/non-hazardous products, and Construction/Renovation
- A resource guide including information on environmental health issues and contacts
- Training session and workshop opportunities on environmental health issues and EPA’s Tools for Schools
- Technical support contact
- A mentor to assist in the implementation of your environmental health management plan
- Eligibility for the Envision - Certificate of Achievement for Environmental Health in Schools from the Commissioners of Health, Education, and Building & General Services for the progress and improvement made in creating a healthier school environment. The certificate is awarded to schools who complete the implementation of the environmental health management plan, provide documentation, and show commitment to sustainability via the adoption of various environmental health policies and procedures.
How does the program work?
The Envision program was designed so schools could successfully bring about improvements and progress in their goal towards creating and maintaining a healthier school environment.
The first step includes identifying an existing team/committee, like the health and safety or facility committee, or developing a team to prioritize existing practices and identify opportunities for improvement. This step leads to the development of an evironmental health plan and policy.
A school or school district completes step two when it has implemented the environmental health management plan, and adopted a policy demonstrating exemplary progress to improve air quality and reduce hazardous exposures.
Completion moves the school or district towards the Certificate of Achievement under the School Environmental Health Act 125. Note that any projects or programs a school is already involved in can be integrated into the Envision program, subject to approval from the Department of Health.
Tools for implementing your school Environmental Health Management Plan
Act 125 and the model environmental health management plan were created utilizing the EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) action kit as its foundation. Therefore, most of the minimum guidelines called out by Act 125 already have a “tool” (e.g. pre-made checklists, model policies, memos, and letters) in the IAQ TfS action kit that can be utilized and/or modified as needed.
It is recommended that schools take advantage of the action kit to help them get started. There is a great deal of useful information on environmental health topics, pre-made checklists, suggestions, and sources of information. If your school does not have an IAQ TfS action kit or would like the new version please contact us for information on how to obtain a copy.
If you are interested in training on the kit please contact the Department of Health at: 1-800-430-8550
or
Eugene Benoit
Tools for Schools Program Coordinator
EPA Region 1 Office
benoit.eugene@epa.gov
or
call the Customer Call Center at 1-888-372-7341. Also, all or portions of IAQ TfS may be downloaded off the EPA website
Note that schools may incorporate/combine existing programs and associated information with IAQ TfS.
Roles and Responsibilities
It will take the combined efforts of many persons to implement and maintain a successful environmental health management plan and program. The following is a brief outline of the general roles and responsibilities of the persons involved.
Department of Health
- Hold and/or identify workshops for schools
- Provide technical support regarding environmental and/or IAQ issues
- Point of contact for resources and information
School’s Environmental Health Committee
- Research and develop plans
- Maintain documentation
- Make recommendations to the administration
School Administration
- Implement Environmental Health Committee recommendations
- Delegate authority to implement recommendations
- Adopt procedures recommended by the Environmental Health committee
School Board
- Adopt policies recommended by the School Administration and/ or Environmental Health Committee