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/

Services
Faculty & Staff
What’s New
Resources
PEHSU Region 7
Resource

A Healthy Homes resource guide for families

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

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

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

A Healthy Homes Resource Guide for Families

Region 7
Healthy Homes

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

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Homes

Healthy Schools: Mercury Quick Facts for School Nurses

Region 7
Healthy Schools

Healthy Schools: Ventilation in Schools

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Schools

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

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Schools

Healthy Housing: Outdoor Lead Exposure

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Lead

Healthy Housing: Keep it Safe

Region 7
Air Quality| Cleaning and Sanitizing| Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Ventilated

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Maintained

Region 7
Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Pest Free

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Pesticides & Pests

Healthy Housing: Keep it Dry

Region 7
Healthy Homes| Mold

Healthy Housing: Keep it Comfortable

Region 7
Extreme Weather| Healthy Homes| Mold

Healthy Housing: Keep it Clean

Region 7
Cleaning and Sanitizing| Healthy Homes

Healthy Housing: Keep it Contaminant-Free

Region 7
Air Quality| Healthy Homes
Child writing

Healthy Schools: Improving Indoor Air Quality and Environmental Health

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

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

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

Note: people must register with MSU in order to be able to access the video and obtain CMEs (2022).

Region 7
PFAS
Basement

Radon awareness—the hidden danger

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

Environmental Health Guide for Renters

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!

The following information provides some practical and safe ways to clean to protect you 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 more.

Region 7
PFAS