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Thanks to The Boren Foundation, and Jack and Karen Kay Leonard for making this website possible. 

Indiana Lead-Safe & Healthy Homes Newsletter

April 2004 Edition

Improving Kids’ Environment (IKE) and the Indiana Lead-Safe Task Force publish this newsletter every two or three months at no charge for anyone interested in issues and events involving lead poisoning prevention and healthy homes in Indiana. Distribution is by email or fax – preferably by e-mail. We try to keep the newsletter to five pages. Contact the editor, Tom Neltner, at mccabe@ikecoalition.org or 317-442-3973 if you want to contribute articles, edit the draft newsletter, have an article to contribute, or want to get on or off the distribution list. All editions are available on IKE’s web page at http://www.ikecoalition.org/publications.htm. 

Version in PDF

In This Issue:

For More Information on IKE's Lead Work

 

 

·    Mark Your Calendars

·    ISDH Offers $40K for Pilot Projects

·    IDEM Mini-Grants – Now May 5

·    IDEM Workshops for Contractors and Training Providers

·    IHFA Seeks Comments on Draft Consolidated Plan

·    8.9% of Indiana’s Medicaid Children Get Required Blood Lead Test in 2003

·    Final Report for 2003 By ISDH Excluded Unconfirmed Poisonings

·    ISDH Launches Blood Lead Screen Pilot Test for WIC Clinics

·    Good News from Lake County

·    2004 Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference

·    Thanks

Thanks to Indiana Housing Finance Authority, Cinergy, and the Boren Foundation for making this newsletter and the work of the Task Force possible.  

While IKE appreciates their support, their sponsorship does not imply endorsement of IKE or the content of this webpage.  IKE is wholly responsible for the content of this newsletter.

Acronyms:

·    CDC = U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

·    ISDH = Indiana State Department of Health

·    IDEM = Indiana Department of Environmental Management

·    MCHD = Marion County Health Department

Mark Your Calendars

Lead-Safe Indiana Task Force Meeting in Indy. All are welcome to attend these meetings to discuss lead poisoning and healthy homes issues across Indiana. It is a great networking and planning opportunity. We meet at EMI, 5610 Crawfordsville Road, Suite 15 from 10:30 to 1:30. Contact Tom Neltner at 317-442-3973 for details.

  • Wednesday, July 21
  • Wednesday, September 22
  • Tuesday, December 7

Conference Planning Meetings in Indy. We need your help and ideas to make this year’s conference a success. Please plan to attend these planning meetings from 2:00 to 4:00 on the following dates:

  • Monday, May 10
  • Wednesday, June 16
  • Monday, August 16

Special IDEM Workshops. Contact Linda Williams at IDEM at 888-574-8150 for more information.

  • Wednesday, May 26 in Indy for Potential Lead Abatement Contractors from 10 to 1.
  • Thursday, May 27 in Indy for Lead Training Providers from 10 to 1.

Conferences

  • June 21 to 23 in Orlando, Florida. Third Annual CDC-EPA-HUD Grantees Conference. There is no charge for the conference. The registration deadline is May 1, 2004. Go www.ggadv.com/hud/ for more information.
  • November 9 to 10 – Indy. 4th Annual Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference at the Marten House in Indianapolis. Contact Tom Neltner at 317-442-3973 or mccabe@ikecoalition.org.

Training

  • April 19 in Gary. Free EPA & HUD-Approved Lead Safe Work Practices Course. Contact Masimax at 866-232-5419 or on-line at www.leadsafetraining.org.
  • April 22 to 23 in Indy. Lead Abatement Worker Course at EMI. Call 800-488-8842 or www.envtlmgmt.org.  Next dates are July 26 to 27.
  • April 28 to 30 in Indy. Lead Inspector, Risk Assessor & Supervisor Refresher at EMI. Call 800-488-8842.
  • May 24 to 27 in Indy. Lead Abatement Supervisor Course at EMI. Call 800-488-8842 or www.envtlmgmt.org.  Next dates are August 23 to 26.
  • June 7 to 11 in Indy. Lead Inspector & Risk Assessor Initial Courses at EMI. Call 800-488-8842.
  • July 15 in Evansville. Free EPA & HUD-Approved Lead Safe Work Practices Course. Contact Masimax at 866-232-5419 or on-line at www.leadsafetraining.org.

ISDH Offered $40,000 in pilot projects grants for lead.

On March 24, ISDH's Commission on Maternal and Children's Special Health Care Services announced a total of $500,000 available in grants up to $40,000 annually for pilot projects "to reduce environmentally related health conditions like lead poisoning, asthma, and injury in all infants and children," among a list of other priorities. The deadline to apply was April 1. No word whether anyone applied.

IDEM Mini-Grants – Deadline Extended to May 5

The deadline for applications for the latest round of IDEM Mini-Grants was March 31. Only Marion County Health Department applied. IDEM has granted an extension to May 5. Contact Tami Johnson at tsjohnso@dem.state.in.us or 800-451-6027 ext 35628 for more information.

IDEM Offers Special Workshops for Contractors and Training Providers

IDEM will hold two free workshops designed to enhance compliance with Indiana’s lead abatement rules. On Thursday, May 27, IDEM will hold a free workshop for lead training providers who are approved in Indiana or interested in becoming approved in Indiana.

On Wednesday, May 26, IDEM will hold a free workshop for contractors who are:

  • Licensed in Indiana;
  • Licensed in other states; or
  • Interested in becoming licensed in Indiana.

Both workshops will be held in Indianapolis in Conference Center Room A at the Indiana Government Center. The workshop begins at 10:00 am and ends at 1:00 pm. Contact Linda Williams at 888-574-8150 or lwilliam@dem.state.in.us.

IHFA Seeks Comments on Draft Consolidated Plan

The Indiana Housing Finance Authority is revising Indiana’s Consolidated Plan. The purpose of the Consolidated Plan is:

  • To identify the state's housing and community development needs, priorities, goals, and strategies.
  • To stipulate how funds will be allocated to housing and community development organizations and local governments.

The draft Consolidated Plan is available on-line at www.in.gov/ihfa/comdev/conplan/plan.htm.  It specifically mentions lead-based paint and healthy homes issues in an objective which states "Continue working to reduce the environmental hazards in housing, including lead based paint risks." As an action item to be monitored, the draft plan states that "the Committee will support a team effort between IACED and IHFA to provide lead inspectors and assessors certification courses and training to grantees about the hazards of lead based paint and safe work practices. Also, the Committee will work to understand why the training for lead abatement contractor certification is being underutilized, despite a need for such contractors in nonentitlement communities."

IHFA is accepting comments on the draft Consolidated Plan before April 30, 2004. You can submit comments on-line. You can contact Kelly Boe at the Indiana Department of Commerce at (800)824-2476 or Erika Scott of IHFA at escott@ihfa.state.in.us or (800) 872-0371. You can submit written comments by mailing them to Indiana Department of Commerce, Controller’s Office, Grants Management Division, One North Capitol Avenue, Suite 700, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2248. IKE plans to submit concerns about the facts and objectives in the plan.

8.9% of Indiana’s Medicaid-Eligible Children Screened in 2003

Indiana’s Medicaid Program is required to submit a report to the federal Medicaid office providing key statistics by March 31 of each year for the previous year. Since 1999, the number of children tested for lead poisoning has been an element of that report. Only blood lead tests properly reported by a Medicaid provider are included. Testing by ISDH is often not included because ISDH does not submit a Medicaid claim. The report does not indicate the results of the test.

Based on the report, only 8.9% of Indiana’s Medicaid-eligible children who received at least one initial or periodic medical screen were given the required blood lead test at their 9- or 12-month visit and the 24-month visit. The following is the rate for each year:

  • 3.6% in 1999
  • 6.2% in 2000
  • 7.0% in 2001
  • 11.0% in 2002
  • 8.9% in 2003

For three-, four-, or five-year old children, 14.2% of the children were tested for lead poisoning. Medicaid only requires these children to be tested if they were not previously tested. For a one-page summary tracking the results from 1999 to 2003, please click here.

ISDH Launches Blood Lead Screening Pilot Test in WIC Clinics

In April 2004, ISDH launched an innovative new effort to test children who are at risk for lead poisoning. Woman and Infant Children Clinics across the state were invited to participate in a pilot project to test the low-income children they serve for lead poisoning as part of their testing for children for iron deficiency. Pregnant mothers will also be tested as part of the program. 49 clinics signed up. Marion County clinics have already been testing children since mid-2003.

The blood will be sampled using a filter test paper method in order to make it simpler for the clinics. With more than 36,000 infants served each month, WIC clinics are an outstanding opportunity to identify lead poisoned children. For more information on Indiana’s WIC clinics, go to www.in.gov/isdh/programs/wic/index.htm.

Apparently, ISDH is only asking that children between 18 and 24 months old be tested. Children will not be tested at 12 months old even though ISDH and Medicaid guidelines call for testing these children. IKE, a WIC clinic, and several lead poisoning advocates have expressed concerns with this approach since it may disrupt existing efforts and leave the impression that these younger children do not need to be tested. They are also concerned who will follow-up on positive results.

Final Report for 2003 by ISDH Excludes Children Not Confirmed as Lead Poisoned

The 2003 Indiana General Assembly directed ISDH to publish a county-by-county summary of the number of children and adults diagnosed with lead poisoning in 2003. The report was due on December 31, 2003 and ISDH met the deadline with a preliminary report. The March 2004 edition of this newsletter summarized those preliminary results. Please note that IKE mistakenly omitted Vigo County from the tally of lead poisoned children in the March newsletter. Vigo County had 22 children in the preliminary report.

In early April, ISDH finalized the report. For children six years or younger, the numbers are quite different than those in the preliminary report.

 

                                                        Preliminary        Final

Total Samples                                      35.087          43,001

Number of Lead Poisoned Children         1,263               691

                                    Rates                 3.6%                 1.6%

 

The dramatic drop in the number of lead poisoned children appears to result from a change in the definition of lead poisoning by ISDH. Only children confirmed as lead poisoned are included in the total. A confirmed lead poisoning consists of one venous blood sample or two capillary blood samples within 12 weeks of each other. The implication is that almost half of the children with a positive capillary blood lead test either did not get a follow-up blood test or the follow-up test indicated that they were not lead poisoned. If the drop is due to confirmation that the initial test was not accurate, it is great news. If the drop is due to a lack of follow-up, it reveals a serious problem where children are not counted as lead poisoned despite a tentative positive result.

For a copy of the final report, go to www.ikecoalition.org/lead/ or use these direct links:

Here are the key numbers for your reference.

Lead Poisoned Children Six Years of Age or Younger – 35087 samples taken

  • Indiana - 691 children / 1.6% rate
  • Marion – 223 children / 1.7% rate
  • St. Joseph – 75 children / 4.4% rate
  • Lake – 58 children / 2.1% rate
  • Allen – 62 children / 2.3% rate
  • Elkhart – 33 children / 2.9% rate
  • Vanderburgh – 40 children / 1.7% rate
  • Wayne – 24 children / 3.2% rate
  • Vigo – 15 children / 6.5% rate
  • Floyd – 12 children / 1.4% rate
  • Six counties with 5 to 9 children.
  • The remaining counties are less than 5 children.

Lead Poisoned Children Age 7 to 15 (Greater than 25 ug/dL)

  • Two children with 1159 samples taken.

Lead Poisoned Adults Age 16 and Older (Greater than 25 ug/dL)

  • 369 adults with 3200 samples taken.
  • Delaware – at least 55 adults
  • Wabash – at least 39 adults
  • Lake – at least 29 adults
  • Fountain – at least 37 adults
  • Clay – at least ten adults
  • 5 Counties with between five and ten adults
  • 18 Counties with less than five adults

Good News from Lake County

  • The City of Gary is sending staff to training to be risk assessors in order to prepare to apply for a HUD grant in the coming months.
  • ISDH accepted the City of Gary’s draft Lead Elimination Plan.
  • The City of Gary applied for a Mayor’s Grant for the U.S. Council of Mayor to help homeowners replace windows. Landlords would get forgivable loans. The program would provide a $20 gift card to participating families. Step Ahead is matching the money. No word whether they got the money.
  • The local coalition is working to get the City of Gary to pass an ordinance requiring landlords to register their properties annually so that city can find out quickly who is violating health codes.
  • Gary Health Department and HealthVisions is getting a health ranger out on the street calling the ranger the "Doc on the Block" targeting the high risk areas and doing lead testing.
  • Gary Health Department is hosting a luncheon with doctors discussing filter paper testing and also just doing general education about lead poisoning. HealthVisions is also putting the Sesame Street video on lead in doctor’s offices.
  • East Chicago is holding a Kindergarten Jumpstart April 28 with lead screenings and other services. Tony Moore continues doing a good job of inspection.
  • Masimax Lead- Safe Work Practice training is be held on 4/19/04 at the Genesis Center for builders and construction people in Lake County.

2004 Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference

Mark your calendar now for the 4th Annual Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference. The rates will be the same as the past two years. Please let Tom Neltner – mccabe@ikecoalition.org - know if you have ideas for speakers or topics or want to get involved in helping make the conference a success.

Thanks for improving kids' environment!

If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter, IKE, or the Indiana Lead-Safe Task Force, contact Tom Neltner at mccabe@ikecoalition.org, 317-442-3973 or 5244 Carrollton Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46220-3181.  If you need more information on national events, check out the Alliance Alert Newsletter at www.afhh.org and click on newsletter. 

This newsletter was produced with the assistance of IHFA through federal funds made available by IHFA under the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, as amended, using HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Please let us know if you do not want to receive this newsletter. You may get enough emails and faxes already. We do not want to add to the burden if you are not interested in receiving the materials.

IKE publishes two additional newsletters on a quarterly basis. Contact Tom Neltner at mccabe@ikecoalition.org if you want to subscribe to either of those newsletters.