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.  Contact Tom Neltner at mccabe@ikecoalition.org or at 317-442-3973 for details.

o     Wednesday, July 21 – 10:30 to 1:30

o     Thursday, September 23 – 1:00 to 3:00. This was changed from 9/22 to coordinate with IN EPAC meeting- see below. We may change locations to make it easier.

o     Tuesday, December 7 – 10:30 to 1:30

§      Indiana Lead Elimination Plan Advisory Committee in Indy.  Thursday, September 23 from 10:00 to 12:00.   Contact Maria Larson at mlarson@isdh.state.in.us or (317) 233-1293 for details.

§      Conference Planning Meetings in Indy on Monday, August 16 from 2:00 to 4:00 at EMI.  Contact Tom Neltner for details.

§     Conferences

o     September 14 & 15 – Indy.  Indiana Affordable Housing Conference. Contact IHFA at www.in.gov/ihfa for more information.

o     November 9 to 10 – Indy.  4^th Annual Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference at the Marten House in Indianapolis.  Contact Tom Neltner for details.   See article below.

§      Training

o      Free EPA & HUD-Approved Lead Safe Work Practices Course.  Contact Masimax at 866-232-5419 or on-line at www.leadsafetraining.org.

§         July 15 in Evansville, IN

§         July 8 in Bloomington, IL

§         August 12 in Cincinnati, OH

o     Lead Clearance Examiner & Environmental Sampling on July 22 in Indy at EMI.  Call 800-488-8842 or mccabe@ikecoalition.org.  Special offering.

HUD Lead and Healthy Homes Grants

Thanks to leadership and networking by ISDH’s Maria Larson and Matt Waldo, it looks like Indiana will have as many as six communities submitting grant applications to HUD for healthy homes and lead hazard control funding.  Terre Haute, Evansville, Fort Wayne, and Marion County/Indianapolis are among the six communities plus Greentree.  Finally, Indiana could get its fair share of funding having only received one grant in the past – a lone 2002 grant to the City of Indianapolis.  Stay tuned!

Personnel Changes

§         Maria Larson Takes Over CLPPP at ISDH

With the Indiana Lead Elimination Plan almost final, Nancy Cobb is moving to work on broader children’s policy issues at ISDH.  Her deputy, Maria Larson, will take over Indiana’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.  Maria started with ISDH’s CLPPP in the Fall of 2003.  She joined ISDH after many years at the Family and Social Services Administration running various housing programs including the state’s weatherization program.  Congratulations to both Maria and Nancy!   Both will keep their same email and phone numbers.

§         Dr. Carson of St. Joseph County moves onto Richmond, VA.

In cooperation with Memorial Hospital and the Get The Lead Out Task Force, Dr. Janice Carson helped to make lead poisoning prevention an issue in St. Joseph County.  As chief health officer, she reinvigorated the county health department and made lead poisoning prevention a top priority.  In June, she became the chief health officer of the City of Richmond Health Department in Virginia.  She will be missed.

IHFA Golf Outing Supports IKE

Please plan to attend the first annual Indiana Housing Finance Authority Golf Outing on September 13 at noon.   See http://www.in.gov/ihfa/golf/outing.htm for details.   The golf outing is the day before the Indiana Affordable Housing Conference in Indianapolis.  IHFA has generously agreed to donate the proceeds to IKE and the Indiana Lead-Safe Task Force.  Thanks to Kimberly Wize!

Stores Contribute to Problem

§         Lowes, Menards, Ace and Do-It Best Stores Fined by Indiana for Pesticide Violations

In March, IKE referred many retail hardware stores serving Indianapolis to the Office of the Indiana State Chemist at Purdue University for investigation of pesticide rules violations.  Based on its investigation, the Office issued:

-     $250 fines to Lowes, Menards, two stores in the Ace chain and one store in the Do-It-Best Chain.

-      Warnings to Home Depot, two stores in the Ace chain and three stores in the Do-It-Best Chain.

§         Marion County Paint Retailer Task Force

Marion County Health Department established a Paint Retailer Task Force to find ways to improve the quality of the advice and supplies provides by paint retailers regarding lead-based paint.  The Task Force met on June 10 and will meet again on August 5.    Lowes, an independent paint store, and stores affiliated with Ace Hardware and Do-It-Based Hardware chains were represented.  Home Depot and Menards were a no-show despite many invitations and phone calls.   Contact Dave McCormick at 317-221-2171 or dmccormi@hhcorp.org for more information.

§         IKE Releases Toolkit to Assess Retail Stores and Provides Grant Funds

On June 18, IKE responded to popular demand and released a toolkit to help community advocates across the country to help them assess the quality of the retail paint stores in their neighborhood.  IKE is also providing grant funds of $10 per store to organizations wishing to check stores using the toolkit.  Two major cities outside of Indiana have already signed up.  Go to www.ikecoalition.org/Stores/Toolkit.htm for more information.

§         Lead in Candy and Toys

Last November, it was Target that sold sidewalk chalk containing lead.  A child in Minnesota was lead poisoned.  SuperMercado’s along the Mexico border that cater to Spanish-speaking customers have long been a problem selling candy with lead in it.  Thanks to the investigative work of the Elkhart Truth and the Elkhart County Health Department, it appears that Indiana is not immune.  They found lead-tained candy in many stores and even encountered one retailer that did not want to pull the product even after being told of the danger because they were big sellers.  They also found the lead in dishes sold at WalMart.  For more information, see Elkhart Truth article at www.etruth.com/news/story/321315/index.html or contact Arlene Rodriquez of the health department at isosa@elkhartcounty.com.

For a list of candies identified as having lead along with photos with lead, check out the Orange County Register at www.ocregister.com/investigations/2004/lead/index.shtml. 

Lead in candy, toys and dishes make little sense to any one who understands the dangers of lead poisoning.  Unfortunately, many retailers fail to fulfill their responsibility to screen out dangerous products.  They appear to have no system in place to protect their customers from lead poisoning.  Unfortunately, the Consumer Products Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration find themselves constantly behind the ball chasing the latest reports and – far too often – the latest poisonings.  It is time for the United States to move from fighting each consumer product with dangerous levels of lead on a case-by-case basis and move towards a more proactive system.  The Environmental Protection Agency has the authority and the responsibility.

$168,000 More from CDC to Indiana

The Indiana State Department of Health received $168,000 more funding from CDC for lead poisoning prevention.  This increase beings the grant to $837,193 and recognizes Indiana’s demonstrated need and its progress on the Indiana Lead Elimination Plan.  Indiana was one of the few if not the only state to receive a funding increase this year. 

Gary Health Department will get increased funding to allow it to pay for a full time equivalent person to work on the issue.  ISDH cut Marion County Health Department’s funding by $48,000.

MCH Grants from ISDH

Six organizations applied to ISDH for Maternal and Children’s Health grants to implement pilots to reduce lead poisoning.  The grant may be for as much as $40,000 each.  ISDH has not announced its decision yet.  In a related effort, ISDH’s program to support testing of two year olds and pregnant mothers are WIC clinics is currently operating in 49 clinic sites.  The pilot projects uses filter paper to test children for lead.

ISDH Offers LeadCheck® swabs

ISDH is planning to make available LeadCheck® swabs to thousands of Hoosiers healthcare professionals and agencies working with families with young children.  The goal is to use the swabs to educate families on lead in their homes and to provide them with a means to test their own homes.  ISDH plans train these service providers to use the swabs so that families use the swabs correctly.  ISDH will make sure that families understand that the swabs need to be used in those areas most at risk, and that a negative result does not mean the house is lead free.    

Medicaid Takes Steps to Fill One Gap

At a June meeting, FSSA’s John Barth reported that Indiana’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning included in its request for proposals from managed care organizations to develop plans and procedures to improve lead testing and reporting rates of Medicaid-eligible children.  Apparently, OMPP was not able to resolve issues surrounding reimbursement for local health department case management and environmental investigations in time to issue the request for proposals.  Also, it appears that the RFP did not include any of the financial incentives or disincentives that have realized so much success in other states. 

IKE Refers 18 Landlords to HUD

On May 10, IKE referred 18 Indianapolis landlords to HUD for investigation for potential violations of the federal lead hazard disclosure law.  The landlords managed property that was the subject of almost 25% of the total housing subject to housing code enforcement orders between January 1, 2000 and July 22, 2003.  IKE had tried to reach the landlords before making the referral but did not get a response.  HUD will be in Indianapolis during the week of July 12 to conduct on-site visits as part of its investigation.

Professional Leadership Among Landlords in Indy

IKE had the privilege of sponsoring the June meeting of the Central Indiana Real Estate Investors Association.  With more than 200 landlords in attendance, IKE was impressed with the turnout and the topics.  CIREIA evolved from the Indianapolis Landlords Association but expanded its focus and added new energy as its seeks to make property management more professional.  Thanks to Scott Meyers and Tony Ragucci for giving IKE the opportunity to explain the importance of lead hazard disclosure and healthy homes to CIREIA’s membership.  It was a great opportunity to build bridges with landlords committed to safe and affordable housing.   For more information, see www.cireia.org.  

Around the State

• Notre Dame has expanded its award winning “Chemistry in Service of the Community” Course to include mold testing.  The course gets Notre Dame students in the community working with residents and collecting samples. As part of the class students will analyze the samples and compare the results to commercial labs.  A great way to integrate chemistry and community.  Congratulations to Professor Dennis Jacobs.  For more information, contact Kathleen Kraner at kkraner@memorialsb.org or (574) 647-2183.

• Terre Haute and Vigo County are making determined progress on lead poisoning.  For years, Jeri Taylor has carried the banner of the issue in the community.  With the growing support of the Terre Haute’s Mayor Kevin Burke and the focus provided by a series of articles in the Terre Haute Tribune Star, the community has formed a committee to deal with the issues and pursue a HUD Lead Hazard Control grant.  See for www.tribstar.com/articles/2004/06/25/news/news02.txt.

• The City of Fort Wayne, with assistance from the Allen County Department of Health and the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, is applying for the HUD Lead Hazard Control Grant.  Also, the Wayne Township Trustees office is still working diligently with the Allen County Department of Health to use Lead Check Swabs in the houses where they provide rental assistance for their clients.  When the swab tests positive for lead, the property is forwarded to the Allen County Department of Health and lead information packets are sent to the tenant and the landlord.  If there are children living in the home, the Allen County Department of Health will work with the family to get the children tested for lead poisoning.

• Indianapolis is half-way through its $1.7 million Lead Hazard Control Grant from HUD and the results are beginning to show.  Thanks to the leadership of Jim Naremor at the City of Indianapolis and Dave McCormick at Marion County Health Department the project has ramped up and is repairing homes in the highest risk neighborhoods.  With the foundation laid, Marion County Health Department is pursuing a $3.5 million Lead Demonstration Grant from HUD.  The lead hazard control would be managed by the Community Action of Greater Indianapolis and closely coordinated with CAGI’s weatherization work. 

Additional Resources for Lead

• Greentree is now a licensed lead abatement contractor.

• The Environmental Management Institute has been approved to offer the Lead Clearance Examiner training course.  The 5-hour course will be first offered on Thursday, July 22 in Indianapolis.  Trainees who successfully complete the course and exam will be eligible to conduct lead clearance exams after HUD interim controls but not abatement projects.  IKE’s Tom Neltner will teach the course and before the formal session offer training to sample other environmental hazards such as a carbon monoxide, cockroaches, and moisture.  Contact Tom Neltner at neltner@ikecoalition or call EMI at 800-488-8842 for more information. 

2004 Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference

Mark your calendar now for the 4^th 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.  Mary Jean Brown of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Don Ryan of the Alliance for Healthy Homes, and Dennis Livingston of Community Resources in Baltimore will be featured speakers.

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  46202-3181.  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.

• “Sewage in Our Streams” newsletter on behalf of the Indiana Clean Water Coalition.  .

• “Improving Kids’ Environment” newsletter.  This newsletter deals with all issues and events in which IKE involved.