Pediatrician Carl Baum, a medical toxicologist at the Yale School of Medicine and director of the Yale Lead and Healthy Homes program, will be the principal investigator for a $5.7 million program to address pediatric environmental health issues in five western regions of the United States.
The award is a cooperative agreement between the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In the five-year agreement, ACMT will manage health units that offer consultation, referrals, and health education relating to childhood environmental health threats, including breathing difficulty from pesticides, lead poisoning from deteriorated paint dust, and cancer from radiation.
“Ultimately, this award is a concrete step toward our goal of extending the reach of the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit network, allowing both clinical care providers and the general public greater access to environmental medical expertise,” Baum said. “Moreover, this award will also bolster physicians’ awareness of our program, which will further fuel growth in pediatric and environmental health expertise.”
Baum is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine. He is director of medical toxicology and the Center for Children’s Environmental Toxicology.