Indiana Lead-Safe & Healthy Homes Newsletter

October 2006 Edition

Version in pdf

Improving Kids’ Environment (I

Improving Kids' Environment (IKE) and the Indiana Lead-Safe Task Force publish this newsletter

several times a year 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.   Contact the editor, Janet G. McCabe, at mccabe@ikecoalition.org or 317-902-3610 if you

want to contribute articles, edit the draft newsletter, contribute an article, 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.

There’s still time to register for the 2006 Indiana Lead Safe and

Healthy Homes Conference!!

October 24-25 in Indianapolis

Get the latest information on federal and state rules and programs, lead hazard

control techniques, and health information.  Bring items to test for lead with a NITON

analyzer.  Hear from leaders in children’s health issues.

Special Opportunity for Lead Assessor and

Inspector Refresher Training during the Conference

Click here for registration information, a preliminary agenda, and information

about refresher training.

On the National Scene

Sierra Club and IKE File Suit Against USEPA for Denial of Petition to Address

Lead in Toy Jewelry

On September 14, 2006, IKE and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit challenging USEPA’s

denial of the organizations’ petition requesting that USEPA and the CPSC to regulate lead in toy jewelry. 

The petition was spurred by a variety of incidents, including the death in February of a child from

acute lead poisoning, the petition said, citing information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In its denial of the petition, dated July 27, 2006, EPA said it is working with the Consumer Product Safety

Commission to understand the scope of the problem posed by lead in toy jewelry and might, eventually,

take actions similar to some urged by the Sierra Club and IKE.  At present, however, EPA said it would

be more effective and less resource-intensive to continue its current efforts to understand the scope of the

lead in toy jewelry problem.

EPA also ruled that two of the actions the Sierra Club and IKE requested, including issuing a significant

new use rule limiting the amount of lead in toy jewelry, cannot be requested under the petition process.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has not yet ruled on the companion petition IKE and Sierra Club

filed with that agency.

EPA Holds Brainstorming Session on How to Speed Up Progress Towards the Goal of Elimination

EPA’s Region V office hosted a session with a diverse group of experts from around the region to generate ideas, lots of ideas, about how to move more quickly towards the goal of elimination by 2010.  EPA’s questions focused on barriers, tools, and resources needed for primary prevention and to create a culture of Lead Safe Work Practices.  EPA will combine the results of this session with those from others and present the ideas to Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock. 

Waiting for EPA to Act on Proposed Renovation, Remodeling and Painting

Rule

IKE has no official word on when USEPA is likely to finalize the proposed Renovation, Remodeling and Painting rule.  We have heard that USEPA is considering a delay beyond the originally projected January 2007, perhaps for as much as a year, but Senators Obama, Boxer, and Waxman have objected to a delay. 

The rule will require contractors who disturb more than two square feet of old paint to comply with specific work practice and cleaning requirements.  Contractors must also get their project managers trained and licensed.  The rule is much needed as renovation, repair and paint work is a significant cause of lead hazards. If you are not familiar with the proposed rule, read IKE’s comment. 

The Environmental Management Institute’s extensive comments are posted at http://www.envtlmgmt.org/docslead.htm.  The Alliance for Healthy Housing has comments posted at http://www.afhh.org/aa/aa_hh_policy_national_policy_eparandr.htm.

Compelling Story and Photo in October National Geographic

Check out this link (http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0610/feature4/index.html) for a compelling photo and story about chemicals that can accumulate in the body, including the graphic effects of lead on the body.

Back Home in Indiana

Prompt and Aggressive Action by Indiana Agencies Results in National Product Recall

Thanks to the diligence of a nurse in Bloomington and prompt action by the Indiana State Department of Health, lead-containing toys are no longer being given away by Indiana libraries and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a national recall.  Sheila Evans of Bloomington Hospital brought the toys to the CPSC’s attention in August 2005 and CPSC began an investigation.  When she saw that the toys were being distributed as giveaways by Indiana’s public libraries as part of the 2006 summer reading program, she contacted CPSC again, but when she got no response, alerted ISDH.  ISDH’s Jo Rhodes moved fast to have the toys analyzed and ISDH promptly issued an alert to Indiana’s public libraries and local Health Departments.  A national recall by CPSC soon followed. IKE applauds Sheila and Jo’s prompt action to protect Indiana kids, and their contribution to bringing national attention to these dangerous toys.  IKE is very concerned about the apparent lack of follow-through by CPSC on this issue and has sent a letter asking the agency for an explanation.  To date, no reply.

Indiana’s Medicaid Screening Rate

Indiana’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning has developed a new way of documenting the number of Medicaid children receiving required lead tests—one that appears to be much more accurate.  Using the old system, FSSA documented that 7.9% of the required blood lead tests for Medicaid children ages 1-2 were performed in 2005 (similar to the 8.0% in 2004).  IKE has updated the trend chart it has been keeping for several years to show these results.

However, FSSA has gone further this year to collect more information from managed care facilities and the numbers are much more complete.  FSSA now compiles a monthly “report card” based on information received on children enrolled in an Indiana Health Care Program.  The annual summary of data from October 2004 through September 2005 shows that 34% of two year olds had a least one valid test in their lifetime.  Only 11%, according to these numbers however, had the required two tests by age 2.

IKE commends FSSA for greatly improving the data it compiles on this important statistic.  It will make assessment of how many Indiana at-risk children are being screened as required by ISDH guidelines much more accurate.

Three Indiana Communities Awarded HUD Grants

HUD has announced its Lead Hazard Control and Outreach Grants for 2006 and three Indiana programs were successful!  They are:

• The City of Ft. Wayne / Allen County CLPPP $1,897,415 for a Lead Hazard Control Grant.

• The Housing Authority of South Bend/ St Joe Health Dept. $3,000,000 for a Lead Hazard Control Grant.

• Indiana Black Expo $357,914 for an Outreach Grant.  This grant focuses on increasing awareness to increase testing of children and testing of housing.  IBE will work through its 12 chapters made up of churches throughout the state, many with high minority populations.  IBE will also conduct a Media Campaign in the high risk areas.  They will work with the Minority Coalition to reach the Hispanic population.  This project will coordinate efforts with the other HUD Grantees including Marion County who received a HUD grant in 2005. 

ISDH will continue to work with local agencies interested in applying for next year's HUD grants and will provide training later this year.  Also, a session at the upcoming Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference will focus on the topic of HUD grants.  This will be a great opportunity for those interested in applying next year, to hear from this year's successful applicants, and to begin planning for next year’s successful grant application. 

And How is Marion County Doing with its Grant?

Ten (10) months into its Lead Hazard Control Grant, the Marion County Health Department has worked with four landlords to make 65 units lead safe, exceeding their own milestone by 49.  An additional 65 units are in the process of being made lead-safe and should be completed within the next 30 days.  Training area contractors on the importance of using lead-safe work practices is another important component of Marion County’s Lead Hazard Control grant.  Twenty-three (23) contractors have attended training on lead-safe work practices and are now not only using those practices on projects within the grant but on all projects that they do. 

Providing match for a grant is always a difficult task, however Marion County is requiring that all of the property owners receiving assistance through their grant pay for half of the repairs.  This process has leveraged over $600,000 in match during the first 10 months.  

Manual on Indiana Lead Law Now Available

Thanks to a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IKE has published a manual that pulls together all the federal, state and local requirements on lead poisoning that apply in Indiana.  The manual includes appendices with copies of the key statutes and rules, examples of orders, court complaints and other documents and lots of other helpful information.  ISDH will be providing copies to local Health Departments.  The manual is available for free download on the IKE website, or we can provide hard copies for the cost of copying and postage (less than $10).  More information available through IKE.

Final Approval of Changes to ISDH Lead Rules Expected in November

ISDH plans to bring its rule to strengthen case management and lead poisoning prevention before its board on November 8 for final approval.  The rule changes are very important and positive.  They include: 

• establishing comprehensive requirements for case management when a child is found to be lead poisoned,

• clarification of local health departments’ authority and responsibility to conduct risk assessments in housing where lead poisoned children reside and to order remediation if lead hazards are found. 

Click on links to the rules and ISDH’s response to the comments made at the preliminary hearing.

Changing Faces

         A Rough Summer for ISDH.  Several key staff have left ISDH’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program this summer, including Laura Hilden (who has moved to the Indiana Department of Transportation), Anil Mangla (who has moved to the Lead Program at the Georgia Department of Health) and Jo Rhodes (who has moved to the Marion County Health Department Lead Poisoning Prevention Program).  We will miss them (except for Jo!) and wish them all well in their new jobs.

However, the silver lining is that Tom Reel is the new environmental manager for the Indiana Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (ICLPPP).  Mr. Reel has over twenty years of experience in managing housing, community service, and job training programs for the state of Indiana. For six years, he supervised quality assurance over housing, home weatherization, and energy assistance programs.  Tom can be reached at treel@isdh.in.gov and (317) 233-1294.

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.  Contact Janet at mccabe@ikecoalition.org or at 317-902-3610 for details.  All meetings will be at the Environmental Management Institute, 5610 Crawfordsville Road, Suite 15.  We usually coordinate the meetings with Indiana EPAC’s Housing Subcommittee meetings.

·        December 5 – 10:00 to 12:00

     Indiana Lead Elimination Plan Advisory Committee (EPAC) in Indy.  The committee is charged with advising ISDH on the state’s implementation of the state lead elimination plan.  The meetings are open to the public.  The 2006 meetings are as follows, all at HUD’s Offices at 151 N. Delaware St., Suite 1200, unless otherwise noted in future newsletters.

• CANCELLED!! Thursday, October 19 – 10:00 to 12:00

• Thursday, February 15 –10:00 to 12:00 at 151 N. Delaware, Indianapolis

         Training

o      Free EPA & HUD-Approved Lead Safe Work Practices Course.  Contact Masimax at leadsafetraininginfo@masimax.com or go on-line at www.leadsafetraining.org 

         Cleveland, Ohio on Oct. 20

       St. Louis, MO on Oct. 28

       Goshen, IN on Nov. 1

o      Accredited Lead Training at the Environmental Management Institute in Indy.  Contact EMI at 800-488-8842 or www.envtlmgmt.org.

         Lead Inspector / Risk Assessor Initial – October 2-6

         Lead Abatement Worker Initial – October 31 – November 1

       Lead Supervisor Initial – January 16 - 19

         Lead Inspector / Risk Assessor Refresher – October 23-25 and December 5-6

      Lead Abatement Supervisor Refresher – December 7

         Mold Awareness – March 23

         Mold Remediation –  April 16 - 18

         Conferences

• 2006 Indiana Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Task Force.  Have I told you enough about the conference yet?  October 24 and 25 at the Marten House in Indianapolis.  More information here.

• 2007 Indoor Environmental Health and Technologies Conference & Lead and Healthy Homes Grantees Conference.  This is a conference sponsored by the Lead and Environmental Hazards Association and the National Association of Lead and Healthy Homes Grantees.  The third annual conference will be held on April 24-27, 2007 at the Doubletree Hotel in Orlando Florida.    

Please consider supporting IKE

IKE has been fortunate in the past to receive funds from government agencies,

foundations and other donors to support its work, but has also relied on

thousands of hours of donated time.  As IKE moves forward to establish a more

firm and stable funding base, we need to ask for financial support from those

who believe in what we do.  Please consider making a tax deductible donation, either through www.Justgive.com  (click on button on IKE homepage) or by sending a contribution

directly to IKE, 1201 N. Central Ave, #9, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Thanks for improving kids' environment!  If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter, IKE, or the Indiana Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Task Force, contact Janet G. McCabe at mccabe@ikecoalition.org, 317-902-3610 or 1201 N. Central Ave, #9, Indianapolis, IN  46202.  If you need more information on national events, check out the Alliance Alert Newsletter at www.afhh.org and click on newsletter.

IKE publishes a newsletter on a regular basis that describes IKE’s efforts beyond healthy homes and lead hazard control.  Contact Janet G. McCabe at mccabe@ikecoalition.org if you want to subscribe to either of those newsletters.