IKE Lead-Safe Indiana Task Force Newsletter

June 2002 Edition

Please let Tom Neltner at mccabe@ikecoalition.org (editor) know what you think of the newsletter, have ideas for articles, or have other comments.  If you really want hard copy, ask for a fax version or an emailed version in Word.  The Lead-Safe Indiana Task Force and IKE welcome your feedback! IKE also publishes Sewage in Our Streams Newsletter and a Hoosier Kids’ Environmental Health Newsletter.  For more information and additional links, go to www.ikecoalition.org.  Click here for a version in Word.

Mark Your Calendar!   

·         Nov. 6 & 7 - 2002 Lead-Safe Indiana Conference at Marriott East in Indy

·         September 12 and December 12 - IKE Lead-Safe Indiana Task Force and ISDH Lead Advisory Task Force - 9:30 to 3:30 at Forest Manor Clinic in Indy. 

House Enrolled Act 1171 is new legislation unanimously adopted by the Indiana General Assembly in March 2002.  This law is bringing about many of the changes referred to below.  Click here for more details.

IDEM & ISDH Offer Small Grants:  IDEM and ISDH are asking EPA for authority to use some of its grant money to give $5000 grants to local health departments for lead poisoning prevention outreach.  The work must be done by October 1.  Recipients must provide a 20% local match – monetary or in kind.  Contact Tami Johnson at (317) 233-5628 or tsjohnso@dem.state.in.us.

Go Figure:  The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut funding for local programs in Lake and Allen counties that had been supported in the previous year – despite the early success of those programs.  ISDH is scrambling to find alternative funding to covering the shortfall.  Otherwise, ISDH received level funding. 

In another twist, CDC denied funding to Marion County Health Department to provide lead-safe work practices training to Indianapolis’ Hispanic community.  Fortunately, MCHD did get additional funding to enhance blood lead screening in Woman and Infant Children (WIC) clinics.  Obviously, primary prevention is not a CDC priority. 

Time to Clarify and Update:  HEA-1171 will require significant revisions in IDEM’s licensing rules.  In the July 1, 2002 Indiana Register, IDEM starts the long process of revising the rules with a “first notice of comment.”  This is your chance to tell IDEM where the existing rules need to be clarified or amended.  IDEM needs to hear from you before July 31, 2002.  While changes can be made later in the process, it is best to identify problems now – no matter how small.  Click here for a copy of the notice or a link to the Indiana Register.

Rules v. Statute:  Should the Air Pollution Control Board include the statutory prohibition on the use of dangerous work practices in pre-1960 housing in its regulations?  It is not mandated by HEA-1171 and is not necessary according to IDEM.   At the June 19 Lead-Safe Indiana Task Force meeting, IDEM heard from health departments, risk assessors and city representatives that the Board needs to include the dangerous work prohibitions in its regulations.  Cities, health departments and contractors use regulations, not statutes, when developing bid specifications and revising local housing codes.  Requiring communities to look at multiple locations for direction in developing codes and specs is a recipe for confusion.   Hopefully, IDEM will avoid the risk of errors and incorporate the prohibitions into its rules. 

Refresher Training – Every 3 Years:  IDEM has decided that refresher training is only required every three years to get a license issued after July 1, 2002 as long as the 18-month training requirement had been met on prior licenses.  This policy was formalized by IDEM in a non-rule policy document at the June 5 Air Pollution Control Board meeting.  Thanks to IDEM for resolving the confusion in a reasonable manner.

Local Programs Flourish:  For a long time, the only local programs in Indiana were in St. Joseph, Allen and Marion Counties.  No more!  Attached is a quick rundown of recent local activities:

• Wayne County – The health department is purchasing a NITON XRF with dust wipe analysis at the great prices that the State of Indiana obtained through its competitive bidding process last year.   Looks like Lynnette Brown will be able to protect more kids more effectively!

• Vanderburgh County – The local housing agency applied for a HUD Lead-Hazard Control Grant to replace windows in high-risk housing. 

• St. Joseph County – Kathleen Kraner and the local Get the Lead Out Coalition has had a great partnership with Notre Dame.  Notre Dame students are getting out in the community to check homes in intensive neighborhood surveys.  The Coalition’s Lead-A-Saurus continues to build enthusiasm for the effort.  Kathleen is now on the road helping other cities – having recently visited Bloomington.  The Coalition submitted a HUD Healthy Homes grant application.

• Porter County – The Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Bethlehem Steel has left the county in a crunch for funding.  But the health department will still be able to share a Lead-Care field blood-lead testing unit purchased by the local Step-Ahead Council. 

• Monroe County – A visit by Kathleen Kraner of South Bend reenergized the newly-formed coalition.  Their initial focus is helping parents of lead-poisoned children but there are plans to do more in the future.

• Marion County – The City of Indianapolis received a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Council of Mayors in June.  The grant will support Spanish-language, 4-hour, HUD-approved, lead-safe work practices training, window replacement in homes that have poisoned children so they shouldn’t poison again, and improved screening rates.  The City also applied for $2M in HUD Lead Hazard Control Grants in a program to leverage Community Development Block Grant funds by covering the costs of lead hazard control and reprioritizing projects to protect children from lead poisoning.

• Madison County – A turnover of personnel has limited some initial first steps. But the health department is supportive.

• Lake County – HealthVisions is working in partnership with three health departments – East Chicago, Hammond and Gary – to begin aggressively screening kids.  By joining forces, they will also have to resources to support a case manager and risk assessor. 

• Allen County – Health department is hiring a case manager and conducting intensive strategic planning effort to virtually eliminate lead poisoning.  The lead poisoning coalition has expanded its mission to become the Allen County Coalition for Healthy Homes.  Head Start and the Fort Wayne Community Schools now require lead testing.  The Coalition submitted a HUD Healthy Homes grant application.

ISDH and Mandatory Lab Reporting:  ISDH has finalized its list of data elements that labs will be expected to report to it beginning July 1, 2004 when the reporting mandated by HEA-1171 is effective.  Well done!  Getting the information out a year in advance to the labs gives them enough time to revise their databases and reporting systems.  We hope that labs will be reporting as soon as possible.  Click here for a datafield description.

Revising the Communicable Disease Rule:  Currently, positive blood lead tests must be reported to ISDH according to the communicable disease reporting rule.  While it is not required by HEA-1171, revising the rule would avoid confusion with labs and physicians who may not check both the statute and the rules.   In addition, it would be beneficial to clarify the reporting elements and the local health department responsibilities through a revised rule.  ISDH has not made a decision whether to revise the rule given the limited resources available and the work involved in revising rules.  

Consent Form:  Starting July 1, 2002, virtually all of the consent forms that parents or guardians sign for a child’s blood lead test are wrong.  HEA-1171 directs ISDH and local health departments to share blood lead test results with local housing agencies to the extent needed to help the housing agencies comply with the HUD lead poisoning prevention regulations.   Other sharing is also mandated.  Existing consent forms do not mention housing agencies.  ISDH and MCHD are working on revisions to the consent forms to reflect the new requirements.  Stay tuned!

Medicaid Reimbursement for Case Management and Environmental Investigations:  Indiana still does not provide the federally-mandated reimbursement to health departments and other Medicaid providers who provide case management and environmental investigation services to lead poisoned children.  A plan is at ISDH awaiting revisions requested by the Family and Social Services Administration.  With budgets tight and Medicaid costs rising, this additional cost will be a hard sell but lead poisoned children deserve the services – and the federal government mandates it.  Without the reimbursement, the children often do not get the services they need and DESERVE.  The federal Forth Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued a decision approving a class action lawsuit against the state for a state’s failure to provide other mandated services (dental). 

What is Lead-Safe?  Wisconsin finalized its regulations defining a lead-safe home.   Wisconsin sets a high standard.  For a landlord to qualify for the liability exemption, their unit must be certified as lead-safe or lead-free.  Click here for the form used to make the determination.  Risk assessors in Wisconsin have suggested that the standard is too high and poses a barrier to progress.  Check it out. 

Lead-Safe Work Practices in Spanish: As reported earlier, Indianapolis received a grant from the U.S. Council of Mayors to offer the 4-hour, HUD-approved lead-safe work practices course in Spanish.  A bilingual version will be offered on Nov. 7 at the 2002 Lead-Safe Indiana Conference. 

Other State Legislation:  Rhode Island and Maine also adopted lead poisoning prevention legislation.  Maine addresses the screening process and mandates universal tests of children younger than 6.  Rhode Island passed a comprehensive statute that makes primary prevention the hallmark and takes strong steps to stop homes from poisoning a child a second time.  It also requires dust clearance testing in homes when families move into old units.  Click here for a fact sheet on the Rhode Island law or here for a copy of the 42-page law.

2002 Lead-Safe Indiana Agenda – Update:  The November 6 & 7, 2002 Lead-Safe Indiana Conference is coming together.  Dr. David Jacobs, the Director of HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes will be the keynote speaker.  Susan Thornfeld of Maine Lead Action Project and Ruth Ann Norton of the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning will be lunch speakers for each of the days. 

We plan to offer the following special sessions at the conference.  But we need to hear from you whether it would be worthwhile.

• Abatement Contractor Application Preparation – The Environmental Management Institute will offer a hands-on workshop to help potential lead abatement contractors complete the required paperwork to get their license from IDEM.  Bring your favorite contractor to the conference! 

• Spanish Lead-Safe Work Practices – The Environmental Management Institute will also offer its 4-hour, HUD-approved Lead-Safe Work Practices training course for community organizers that work in the Hispanic community.  The coursebook will be in Spanish and English and bilingual instructors will offer the class.  At this time, the plan is to have the class in English. 

• Mold in Your Home – We are planning to bring in a national profile lecturer to make a special presentation to the conference participants and the general public on mold hazards in the home and what to do if you think you have mold.  The current plan is to schedule the session for the evening of the first day of the conference.  Interested?

We are also planning the following session topics.  Please let Tom Neltner know at mccabe@ikecoalition.org or 317-442-3973 if you see a topic missing that needs to be added or if you know of a speaker who should be presenting.

Healthy Homes Track

·         Lead Poisoning 101

·         Rehab Projects:  Abatement and Counting Costs 

·         Getting Beyond HUD:  Indiana’s New Requirements 

·         Success in Section 8:  Resolving the Conflict

·         Asthma:  Threats in the Home

·         Getting Agencies to Work Together

Healthy Kids Track

·         Lead Poisoning in Indiana:  Facts and Stats

·         Outreach That Works

·         Avoiding Taboos

·         Medicaid:  Meeting the Mandates

·         The Doctor is In:  Medical View of Lead Poisoning

·         Getting People the Info They Need

Policy and Technology

·         Assessment & Monitoring Technology

·         Landlord Liability & Responsibility

·         Mold:  What’s a State to Do?

·         Lead-Safe Work Practice Technologies

·         Sharing Addresses of Homes that Poison Kids

·         Revisions to IDEM’s Licensing Rules

Thanks for improving kids' environment!   If you have any questions or comments, contact Tom Neltner at mccabe@ikecoalition.org or 317-442-3973.  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.