While childhood lead poisoning has declined in the United States over the past 20 years, it continues to be an important health problem. Lead is most harmful to children under age six because it is easily absorbed into their growing bodies and interferes with the developing brain and other organs and systems. Lead-exposed children tend to display learning and behavior problems. High lead levels may cause developmental delays and even death. Pregnant women and women of childbearing age are also at increased risk because lead ingested by the mother can transfer to the fetus.
California Health and Safety Codes established the CLPPP several years ago, to prevent and mitigate the impact of childhood lead poisoning. CDPH has provided funding to Shasta County since FY 1999-00 to reduce childhood lead exposure by gathering and analyzing information, providing outreach and education, coordinating medical follow-up, and identifying potential lead sources in an exposed child's environment. During the next three years, local strategies for decreasing exposure and incidence of childhood lead poisoning will include:
Improved detection of lead-poisoned children by assuring that at-risk children receive blood lead screening tests at an appropriate age;
Maintenance of a surveillance system for lead levels in children;Providing outreach and education to families of high risk children in conjunction with other Public Health Programs such as Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH), Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP), and through community agencies such as Shasta Head Start and other caregivers;
Providing lead education materials to agencies that enforce housing and building standards in an effort to support lead reduction in older housing; and
Providing case management activities to families of children identified as having elevated blood lead levels.
Additionally, the agreement authorizes, with prior approval of the state, without amendment, budget line item shifts up to 15 percent of the annual agreement total, as long as the annual agreement total does not change.