Media Release
CONTACT: Peter Simon, MD 222-5928,
Magaly Angeloni 222-4602
FOR: Immediate Release
DATE: April 27, 2000
Department of Health Celebrates Lead Poisoning Prevention Month
Patricia A. Nolan, MD, MPH, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health today announced, "We are designating the month of May as Lead Poisoning Prevention Month in order to focus attention on the dangers of lead poisoning. As a community, we have a responsibility to protect our children from these dangers."
Governor Almond has stressed the importance of lead poisoning prevention, since lead poisoning has such a profound effect on a child’s ability to learn and develop successfully, stating, "One lead poisoned child in Rhode Island is one too many!"
One in eleven Rhode Island children under the age of six has a dangerous level of lead in his or her body. While Rhode Island has made significant progress in reducing lead poisoning, the job is far from complete.
Lead poisoning is a threat to children all year long. However, in spring and summer we expect a greater exposure to lead dangers because of the activities associated with warmer weather. One early sign of spring is open windows and doors. Windows and doors painted with lead paint create lead dust when opened and closed repeatedly. Another sign of warm weather is children playing outside. Lead may be found around yards and in the soil where children play. Finally, spring is often a time for starting home renovations and repairs, which may disturb lead paint and create lead dust.
Parents can protect their children from lead poisoning. Cleaning dusty areas of the home with a wet cloth and warm soapy water, is one way to safely remove lead dangers. But the only way to know if a child is lead poisoned is for the child to have a blood test. Dr. Nolan encourages parents to learn more about how to protect their children and how to have their children tested for lead poisoning by calling the Family Health Information Line at 1-800-942-7434. Calls are answered in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Department of Health has published a calendar that highlights scheduled activities around the state that focus on preventing lead poisoning. The Department, along with community partners, invites families to participate in these activities.
Why is Lead Poisoning Decreasing in Rhode Island?
The Department of Health, along with its partners*, has made a commitment over the last several years to decrease lead poisoning among the state's children. In 1995 one in five children in Rhode Island had an unacceptable level of lead in his or her body. Today, that number has decreased to one in eleven.
The State's approach is three tiered:
- Public Awareness/Prevention
The Department of Health is committed to preventing lead poisoning and provides education to parents, care takers, child care providers, community based agencies, and health care providers. Increased education and access to care over the last several years has lead to higher rates of testing for lead poisoning among Rhode Island children. The State provides tests, at no cost to parents, for uninsured children under six years of age through Hasbro Children's Hospital and St. Joseph's Center for Health and Human Services.
- Targeted Education and Services
When children are tested and found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood, the State provides essential services to their families. For families of children with moderate lead levels (15-19 micrograms per deciliter), a lead educator provides an in-home visit to answer questions and help the family make the home safe for the child. Families of children with high lead levels (20 micrograms per deciliter and above) are immediately referred to a lead clinic and are assigned a health coordinator that works with the family to ensure they receive the help and information they need. In addition, a home inspection is offered by the State.
- Lead Removal
If a lead problem in the home is identified during the home inspection, the Department of Health works with families and landlords to address the problem through abatement procedures. To ensure that the lead dangers are removed, the State is increasingly enforcing its requirements for abatement, sending cases in which a landlord does not comply to court. There is federal financing available to qualified homeowners for abatement procedures. For more information families can call Rhode Island Housing at (401) 457-1155.
*The Department of Human Services, The Attorney General's Office, Rhode Island Housing, The Housing Resources Commission, City of Providence Mayor's Safe Housing Lead Task Force, The City of East Providence, The HELP Coalition, The Childhood Lead Action Project.
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