April 5, 2024

NIH ECHO Issues Request for Information on Potential Strategic Priorities as Part of Strategic Planning Process

NOTE: The comment period is now closed.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program Office has released the following Request for Information:

In 2016, the NIH launched the nationwide ECHO Program. Its mission is to enhance the health of children for generations to come. To achieve this mission, ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on five key child health outcome areas with high public health impact: pre-, peri- and postnatal outcomes; upper and lower airways; obesity; neurodevelopment; and positive health or well-being.

The ECHO Program supports both observational and intervention research. ECHO's observational research allows investigators to follow children from preconception through adolescence to learn about the relationship between children’s environments and ECHO’s five health outcome areas. ECHO’s intervention research lets investigators test interventions, particularly among rural or underserved pediatric populations, to enhance children’s health in at least one of ECHO’s five health outcome areas.

This RFI seeks input from interested members of the public including but not limited to these communities:

  • scientific research
  • advocacy
  • clinical practice

The NIH seeks input regarding considerations for ECHO’s strategic priorities through year 2029 for:

  • Observational Research Priorities
  • Intervention Research Priorities
  • Operational and Capacity-building Priorities

NIH encourages respondents to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within each request.

Respondents can find additional context about each of the three requests, as well as information about how to respond, on the NIH website.

Responses must be received by 11:59 pm (ET) on Friday, May 31, 2024.

This page last reviewed on July 3, 2024