State Health Officials to Visit Homes With Lead Abatement Projects

Tuesday, July 20th, 2021 -- 10:01 AM

(WMTV) State health officials announced Monday they would be visiting homes with lead abatement projects to raise awareness on lead poisoning in children.

Lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning in youth, the Department of Health Services stated, especially in homes built before 1978. DHS noted every county in the state has houses built before that time.

DHS Lead Policy Advisor Brian Weaver stressed that there is “no safe blood lead level” for children. In fact, over 3,100 children under 6 in the state met the definition of being lead poisoned in 2019. DHS noted families who live outside of Racine and Milwaukee should have their children tested if they meet at least one of these risk factors.

Those risk factors include:

-Live in or visit a house built before 1950 or in a home built before 1978 with recent or ongoing renovations;

-Have a sibling or playmate with lead poisoning;

-Is enrolled in Medicaid or WIC;

-And if a child living outside of Milwaukee and Racine is at risk, they should be tested at around 12 months and 24 months of age or between the ages of 36 and 72 months if there is no record of a previous test.

DHS will lead tours throughout the state starting July 20 through October, making a stop in Janesville the week of Oct. 25.

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