Pennsylvania has a rich industrial history with numerous properties that have been contaminated by past or current industrial use. Some of these properties have been remediated, while others remain as a possible source of environmental contamination to child care centers. Environmental contaminants in or near a child care facility can increase the risk of health problems among staff as well as children – who are more sensitive to the effects of chemicals. CSPECE identifies and evaluates child care centers to determine whether they are near or on an area of contamination, and works to prevent harmful exposures.

We recommend child care owners and operators take this short CSPECE voluntary survey for their current child care center, or as soon as they have a location in mind.

• Please click here to take the CSPECE voluntary survey

The survey asks questions aimed at identifying environmental health hazards. After completing the survey, the PA Department of Health (PA DOH) will use your responses along with a database of known environmental contamination sources to provide a consultation and certificate of acknowledgment for your center.  Since 2014 the PA DOH has been partnering with the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) in effort to ensure child care centers are safely sited.

For more information about the CSPECE Program for Pennsylvania:

• CSPECE brochure: Frequently Asked Questions (Public)
• CSPECE brochure: Frequently Asked Questions (Child Care Provider)

CSPECE was established by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). To learn more, please visit https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/safeplacesforece/csp_program.html.  View an ATSDR infographic about CSPECE. 
 
Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created an Early Care and Education (ECE) portal dedicated to help ECE providers and health professionals find CDC and ATSDR resources related to ECE programs.  The portal can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/earlycare/index.html