Health Assessments

The HAT Program conducts health assessments to see if there are health risks to communities near hazardous sites.

1. We find which hazardous substances may be present at the site.
2. We figure out if people are encountering these substances. If people are in contact with the substance the evaluation proceeds.
3. We determine whether the substance concentration could endanger human health.
4. If people are in danger, the HAT Program will recommend steps to stop or prevent exposure.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

The HAT Program has a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The main mission of ATSDR is to protect American communities from environmental health threats. The HAT Program and ATSDR work together to assess health threats. They can then make recommendations to reduce exposures to harmful chemicals.

Health assessments on the ATSDR website include the development of two types of documents:

1. Public Health Assessments (PHA)
2. Public Health Consultations (HC)

Public Review

Public interaction is important to the review process. After completion of a Health Assessment, a public comment period opens. The public can then review documents and identify issues in the report. The authors will respond to the comments and include changes or responses to the comments in the final version of the document. The comment period is only open for a limited time.