E2. IGNITE: Building Inclusive, Healthy, Empowered Communities
E2.07 - IGNITE: Breathing Better from the Start: Citywide HEPA Air Purifier Implementation in Philadelphia Early Learning Centers
Thursday, April 23, 2026
2:45 PM - 2:55 PM PST
Location: Parlor, Ballroom Level
Area of Responsibility: Area III: Implementation Keywords: Behavior Change & theories@@@Child and Adolescent Health@@@Chronic Disease@@@Climate Change@@@Community Health@@@Environmental Health@@@Evidence-Based, Subcompetencies: 1.1.5 Recruit and/or engage priority population(s), partners, and stakeholders to participate throughout all steps in the assessment, planning, implem, 1.2.2 Establish collaborative relationships and agreements that facilitate access to data. Research or Practice: Practice
Pediatric Partnerships Program Manager Philadelphia Department of Public Health Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Describe evidence-based strategies for implementing large-scale environmental health interventions in early childhood settings to improve health equity and child well-being
Analyze barriers and facilitators to effective early childhood health interventions, including social, environmental, and policy factors.
Disseminate actionable strategies to enhance program impact.
Brief Abstract Summary: Learn how to improve early childhood health equity through targeted environmental interventions and community partnerships. This session highlights the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s HEPA Air Purifier Initiative, which provided over 8,300 units to 880+ early childhood and K–12 sites, addressing indoor air quality and promoting well-being for vulnerable children. Participants will gain practical strategies for implementing evidence-based interventions, engaging stakeholders, and advancing health outcomes in early learning settings, with lessons applicable to broader public health and education contexts.
Detailed abstract description: Discover how innovative environmental health strategies can transform early childhood well-being and advance health equity. This session showcases the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s HEPA Air Purifier Initiative, which delivered over 8,300 purifiers to 880+ early childhood and K–12 sites, directly improving indoor air quality for vulnerable children.
Attendees will learn how cross-sector collaboration, community partnerships, and data-driven planning made this large-scale program possible—and how similar strategies can be adapted in your community. Explore actionable approaches for overcoming barriers, promoting equitable access, and sustaining impactful health interventions in early childhood settings.
Participants will gain practical tools for program planning, stakeholder engagement, and evaluation, plus strategies for embedding health equity, environmental justice, and child development considerations into everyday practice.
By session end, you’ll recognize the power of linking public health and early childhood education, understand evidence-based methods for designing scalable interventions, and leave inspired to implement solutions that protect and empower children in your communities. Ideal for public health professionals, early childhood educators, program planners, and anyone committed to improving child health through innovative, actionable strategies.
.jpg "Tanya Dhingra, MPH (she/her/hers) photo")