PEHSU Region 7

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Service area: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska 

The Region 7 PEHSU (Mid-America), founded in 2015, is based out of Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Hospital, and serves Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska. It is one of ten units that make up a national network of PEHSUs.   

Academic Affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine 

Hospital Affiliation: Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics 

Other website: https://midamericapehsu.weebly.com/

Based in Kansas City, Kansas.
Services
Faculty & Staff
What’s New
Resources
PEHSU Region 7
EXAMPLE RESOURCE

A Healthy Homes resource guide for families

 

8 principles to help improve your home’s health and safety for children.

View the Guide
Region 7

Specialties & comprehensive services

The Region 7 PEHSU provides the latest information regarding best practices on environmental health in the region and contributes to national environmental health efforts. We offer information on potential health hazards and topics such as lead, radon, indoor air, safety, etc. and work with partners to enhance environmental health curriculum. We make every effort to produce culturally relevant educational materials, curriculum, and programs to achieve better children’s and reproductive health outcomes. We also work with poison control centers to answer environmental health questions and address concerns.  

Visit our website for more

Faculty & staff

Elizabeth Friedman, MD, MPH

Elizabeth Friedman, MD, MPH

Region 7 Co-Director

Sherri Homan, PhD, RN

Sherri Homan, PhD, RN

Region 7 Co-Director

Nikki Wood, DO

Nikki Wood, DO

Children’s Mercy Hospital

Childhood Cancer & the Environment Champion

Luke Gard

Luke Gard

Healthy Schools Champion / SME

Ryan Allenbrand

Ryan Allenbrand

Healthy Homes Champion / SME 

Elizabeth Friedman, MD, MPH

Elizabeth Friedman, MD, MPH

Region 7 Co-Director

Sherri Homan, PhD, RN

Sherri Homan, PhD, RN

Region 7 Co-Director

Nikki Wood, DO

Nikki Wood, DO

Children’s Mercy Hospital

Dr. Wood attended medical school at Kansas City University and completed both pediatric residency and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. During fellowship, she completed a graduate certificate program in clinical research (part of the Bioinformatics Master’s Program) through our affiliate university (UMKC). She now splits her time between oncology clinical work and cancer informatics. Last year she was trained as a Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit “Childhood Cancer and the Environment” Champion. She is involved with cancer informatics projects locally and nationally in the areas of clinical decision support, data standardization, and data harmonization. I love spending time with patients and have a passion for understanding the “why” and “how.” This is challenging in practice, when admitting a child with newly diagnosed cancer and the parents ask, “how did this happen?”.

Luke Gard

Luke Gard

Healthy Schools Champion / SME

Ryan Allenbrand

Ryan Allenbrand

Healthy Homes Champion / SME 

What’s new

PEHSU Region 7 Example Impact in Iowa

Bringing environmental health education to health professionals in Iowa

Region 7
Health Professionals
02/01/2025

Mom Speaks Out on Dangers of Water Beads, Urges Ban After Daughter’s Injury: “It Breaks My Heart”

CBS News

Region 7
Testing for Environmental Exposures

Regional resources

Manténgalo libre de plagas

Formas de mantener su hogar libre de plagas.

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Pesticides & Pests

A Healthy Homes Resource Guide for Families

A Healthy Homes resource guide for families – 8 principles to help guide your home’s health and safety.

Region 7
Healthy Homes

Healthy Homes: Identifying and Reducing Asthma and Allergy Triggers in the Home

Discusses common allergens and irritants that can cause asthma to worsen and ways to reduce exposure to these triggers.

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Homes

Healthy Schools: Mercury Quick Facts for School Nurses

Describes the health effects, potential sources, and what to do if there is a mercury spill in your school.

Region 7
Healthy Schools

Healthy Schools: Ventilation in Schools

Answers common questions about ventilation and improving indoor air quality in schools.

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Schools

Healthy Schools: HVAC Systems: Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

This factsheet explores 4 important concepts to consider when a school is choosing or assessing its current HVAC system.

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Schools

Healthy Housing: Outdoor Lead Exposure

Describes ways to reduce outdoor lead exposure when it may be in your yard for families and pets, and additional resources.

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Lead

Healthy Housing: Keep it Safe

Basic tips for improving the safety of your home especially for children.

Region 7
Air Quality| Cleaning and Sanitizing| Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Ventilated

Explains good ventilation in a home and ways to reduce harmful substances to improve indoor air quality.

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Maintained

Highlights key focus areas to keep your home in good condition for health and safety now and in the future.

Region 7
Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Pest Free

Provides tips for reducing, eliminating, and preventing pests in the home.

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Pesticides & Pests

Healthy Housing: Keep it Dry

Explains how moisture in the home can lead to mold growth and ways to reduce humidity, moisture, and mold issues.

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Mold

Healthy Housing: Keep it Comfortable

Provides guidance on keeping a home comfortable including heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.

Region 7
Extreme Weather| Healthy Homes| Mold

Healthy Housing: Keep it Clean

Importance of regularly cleaning a home to reduce the risk of harmful exposures and pests, as well as, improving health by using safer products and…

Region 7
Cleaning and Sanitizing| Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Contaminant-Free

Identifies frequent harmful household contaminants and reinforces the need for regular cleaning and teaches about safer products in the home.

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Homes
Child writing

Healthy Schools: Improving Indoor Air Quality and Environmental Health

This video provides information on how to improve indoor air quality in school buildings and classrooms including reducing indoor contaminants.

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Schools
Non-stick pan with food

Nonstick Nuisance: Medical Monitoring for PFAS Webinar (CMEs available)

Clinicians can obtain CMEs through Michigan State University’s continuing education unit (CEU) portal.  You must register with MSU to access the vi…

Region 7
PFAS
Basement

Radon awareness—the hidden danger

This short video describes the importance of having one’s home tested for radon and taking necessary steps to reduce levels if present.

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Testing for Environmental Exposures
Keys with a house keychain

Environmental Health Guide for Renters

This tenant’s self-help guide was designed to fill information gaps and educate tenants (and owners) when facing environmental hazards in their hom…

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Lead| Mold| Testing for Environmental Exposures
Suburban house at dusk

A Healthy Homes resource guide for families

A Healthy Homes resource guide for families – 8 principles to help improve your home’s health and safety. 

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Lead| Mold| Pesticides & Pests| Testing for Environmental Exposures
Lead pipe with water

Got Lead? Don’t Panic!

If your home contains lead and remediation is not an option, there are still things that you can do to protect yourself and your family.

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Lead
Line of plastic water bottles

Medical Monitoring for PFAS Resource List

The list includes links to medical screening guidance, water filters, and other resources for concerned patients.

Region 7
PFAS