Late last year, the Kent County Board of Commissioners appointed a 16 member task force to investigate ways in which the County can work towards elimination of lead poisoning. That task force has been meeting monthly since January, taking testimony from a variety of subject matter experts.
While much of the media coverage about the Flint water crisis has died down, there is much activity in Lansing in regards to childhood lead poisoning. Most notable at this time is the Governor's request for $2 million in funding for the newly formed Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission. This request is working its way through the legislature, with the House and the Senate both offering different perspectives. There are also six bills that have been introduced to address lead exposure.
The State of Michigan announced in November that it would be receiving a Medicaid waiver allowing it to spend nearly $24 million a year for the next five years on fixing lead hazards in homes. To be eligible, the home must be occupied by a Medicaid enrolled child with an elevated blood lead level. However, dollars can be used for primary prevention in the City of Flint and in other "target communities" to be identified by the State. Get the Lead Out! partners in Grand Rapids are working to bring those dollars to Kent County.
A Steering Committee was formed to help guide the work of the Get the Lead Out! Collaborative following the group's meeting in January. The Steering Committee has met twice since then and is working toward a larger, more impactful gathering in the future.
Subscribe