NIEHS sponsors Community Forums in cities throughout the United States on the general theme of environmental impacts on human health. The purpose of the community forums is to bring together members of the public who are interested in public health and the environment with NIEHS and other federal, state, and local government health officials; environmental health professionals; and disease and environmental advocacy groups. close up of women at community forum with John Schelp’s profile in lower right corner

The forums provide a platform for an open dialogue to establish better coordination among the public and health professionals working on community exposures, industrial exposures, and other environmental issues. These forums also provide an opportunity to promote local and state media coverage of environmental health issues to broaden public understanding.