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Photo courtesy John Winters Thanks to The Boren Foundation, and Jack and Karen Kay Leonard for making this website possible. |
Why Should Concerned Parents Attend the 2002 Lead-Safe Indiana Conference on November 6 & 7, 2002?
Put simply, concerned parents and grandparents should attend because we need you there. While many professionals will be at the conference, it is the presence of parents, especially parents of lead-poisoned children, that keep everyone focused on the work of preventing lead poisoning and not simply managing programs. The difference is subtle but important. Despite the best intentions, all professionals can get wrapped up in the details of managing their program, working through regulations, and responding to changes. Being reminded of the goal - protecting children from lead poisoning is always helpful.
For that reason, we encourage you to apply for a scholarship. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we will most likely waive the registration fees for you.
Beyond the fact that we need you there, we think you will benefit from the conference. You will be able to better understand the message and hear from other concerned parents. You can more effectively protect your child and your community.
As you look over the agenda, we would like to make the following suggestions:
Hear Dr. Dave Jacobs of HUD given the latest word on lead poisoning, healthy homes and housing on Wednesday from 9:00 to 10:30. Dave is a compelling advocate for lead poisoning prevention.
Attend the Lead Poisoning 101 breakout session on Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:45. It will help you see the forest from the trees and give you a roadmap to help you through the rest of the conference.
Learn about the elements of a comprehensive lead-poisoning prevention program from Ruth Ann Norton of the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning on Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:15 and meet with her in a discussion forum after her speech from 1:30 to 2:30.
Find out about Indiana's new requirements that prohibit contractors from using dangerous work practices and require them to clean up their messes in pre-1960 housing on Wednesday from 2:40 to 3:40.
Either find out about the barriers that stop Indiana from meeting its Medicaid mandates regarding lead poisoning prevention or participate in a discussion forum to find out how to get Indiana's paint retailers from giving out dangerous advice. Both sessions are on Wednesday from 3:50 to 4:50.
Discover the problems with asthma and its growth in Indiana or learn how we can improve the disclosure of lead hazards when property is sold or leased or when paint is disturbed. Both sessions are on Thursday from 9:00 to 10;30.
Listen to Susan Thornfeld of Maine Lead Action Project give a luncheon presentation on Thursday from 12:15 to 1:30. Susan has turned her experiences as a parent of a lead-poisoned child into tangible action that has benefited all of Maine's children.
Go to the special breakout session with Susan before her speech (on Thursday from 10:45 to 12:00) to talk with her and other concerned parents.
If you are a parent of a lead-poisoned child, we think it is important that you know of your rights and responsibilities:
State regulations require that your local health department:
Send a licensed lead risk assessor to your home to help identify the sources of lead poisoning and determine how to protect your child from those sources.
Appoint a case manager to give your advice until your child's blood lead levels get below 10 ug/dL or you child turns six.
If your child is eligible for Medicaid, federal law requires that Medicaid pay for the environmental investigation and case management services your child deserves.
If your child lives in housing subsidized by U.S. Housing and Urban Development (such as Section 8), the housing agency must quickly conduct a lead risk assessment and the landlord must implement the recommendations in that risk assessment within 30 days. You may need to move out of the home temporarily while the work is done and is being checked. The landlord may not charge you for this work.
If your child is a tenant and your lease was signed after July 1, 2002, your landlord may have violated his or her responsibilities to provide safe housing for you under a new state law if there is deteriorated paint. In this situation, the landlord may be required to fix the paint - but make sure lead-safe work practices are used. You may also be protected for leases signed before then but it depends on the lease and the locality.
If you live in a home built before 1960, you may not dry sand, dry scrape, burn paint, or conduct other dangerous activities unless you know the paint does not contain lead-based paint. Since a lead poisoned child lives in the home, the normal exemption for do-it-yourselfers does not apply.
Please join us. Click here to register. Scholarships are available.
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