A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-101, regarding a report on ways to raise awareness about the prevalence of food allergies in public parks and playgrounds

TO: Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager FROM: Claude A. Jacob, Chief Public Health Officer, Cambridge Public Health Department Owen O’ Riordan, Commissioner, Cambridge Department of Public Works DATE: February 6, 2019 SUBJECT: Response to Policy Order #1, adopted 10/1/18 Excerpt of Order: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Department of Human Service Programs, the Department of Public Works and the Department of Public Health to identify ways to raise awareness about the prevalence of food allergies and decrease the level of risk posed by food remnants left in public parks and playgrounds, and report back to the City Council on this issue. (For full text: http://cambridgema.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=7695) In response to Cambridge City Council Policy Order 0-1, adopted on October 1, 2018, the Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) sought to identify practices that other U.S. municipalities have used to address food allergies and risk of exposure to food remnants in public parks and playgrounds. CPHD has concluded the following:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in every 13 children is affected by food allergies, but the agency has released no evidence-based guidance regarding how to protect this population in public parks and playgrounds.  Searching beyond the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CPHD did not discover any established evidence-based solutions in other U.S. municipalities to address food allergies in public parks.  An educational approach aimed at park-goers regarding the dangers of food to children with allergies may help educate the public and let parents of allergic children know that the problem is recognized. CPHD identified two municipalities, Shoreview, MN and Traverse City, MI, that have conducted educational campaigns on this issue, using park signs to inform park-goers regarding the dangers of food to children with food allergies. An article describing the allergy park signs in Traverse City can be found here. (https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/moms-initiative-gets-signs-placed-at-parks)  Review of the Participatory Budget for fiscal year 2020 revealed a similar project proposal to post awareness signs in Cambridge parks. The proposal can be found here. (https://pbcambridgefy20.herokuapp.com/place/549389)  CPHD is concerned that regulations (e.g., no food on play equipment) and strategies (e.g. , limiting food to picnic tables, separated play areas, or regular City cleaning of play equipment and park infrastructure) would be unenforceable, temporary, and offer a false

2 sense of security to families affected by food allergies. There is clear evidence that attempts at mitigation would be more dangerous than assuming caregivers continue to be vigilant in protecting their children. In summary, there is a dearth of evidence-based interventions to address safety concerns about food allergies in public parks and playgrounds. An educational campaign in parks through posting signs is a feasible effort that could raise awareness among park-goers, but this effort would not guarantee the safety of vulnerable children. It is vital that caregivers continue to monitor affected children in public spaces. As with other signage collaborations between CPHD and the Department of Public Works, staff from both departments will work together to develop and post educational signage at the various playgrounds throughout the City starting in spring 2019. These signs will be placed in the 70 playgrounds throughout Cambridge and will inform playground users about the dangers to children with food allergies of improperly managing food and food remnants in playground areas.