At a glance
CDC supports Idaho and other state and local health departments, or their bona fide agents, through cooperative agreements to support childhood lead poisoning prevention activities. Read about the program's success.
About the program
The State of Idaho received $300,000 through cooperative agreement EH21-2102 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in FY 2022. The funds address childhood lead poisoning prevention and surveillance programmatic activities conducted during September 30, 2022, to September 29, 2023.
The strategies focus on:
- Ensuring blood lead testing and reporting
- Enhancing blood lead surveillance
- Improving linkages to recommended services
To learn more about these efforts in Idaho, contact the program below.
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
450 West State Street, 10th Floor
Boise, ID 83702
Phone: 208-334-0641
Success story: funding year 3
Building partnerships in Idaho to identify lead hazards for children
Challenge
In June 2023, the Idaho Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) received notification of a child with a blood lead level (BLL) of more than 30 µg/dL from partners at Northwest Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (NW PEHSU). The blood lead reference value to refer a child for follow-up care is 3.5 µg/dL. The initial discussions with NW PEHSU revealed the child had several potential exposures to lead including eating non-food items (pica behavior), use of cultural items, and residing in a home built before the 1978 ban on lead in residential paint that had peeling paint. Leadership determined an environmental assessment should be done to find potential sources of lead in the child's environment and collect environmental samples. Environmental assessments and the collection of environmental samples are not yet a routine part of a lead poisoning investigation in the state. Idaho has seven independent public health districts that have different levels of expertise when it comes to lead investigations. Moreover, the Idaho Administrative Procedures Act (IDAPA) 16.02.10 does not require BLLs above 5 µg/dL to be investigated, only to be reported. This is a challenge that the CLPPP is trying to address through outreach, education, and collaboration with partners throughout Idaho.
Intervention
A team formed with representatives from NW PEHSU, CLPPP, local public health district (PHD), and the local community service program to discuss next steps in conducting an environmental assessment of the home. The child's case worker scheduled a time for the PHD to visit the house. CLPPP collaborated with the PHD and child's case worker on what to look for and how to collect samples in the home, since this is not a routine process in Idaho. CLPPP also worked with the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories to confirm lead testing capabilities and resources if environmental samples were collected. The local public health district collected several environmental samples including chipping paint from the area in which the child would play, soil samples, and toy jewels that the child chewed.
Impact
The environmental assessment confirmed lead paint at the child's home. The case worker helped relocate the child and family into different housing and educated them about other potential sources of lead. This case raised awareness about lead poisoning and brought several state and local partners together to remove and protect the child from further harm. The community resource center asked for additional training on lead including how to detect lead in paint and other sources of lead exposures. CLPPP is collaborating with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a lead awareness training that will be presented throughout Idaho starting in the spring of 2024. The training will be used to educate and protect families who use the resource center, both now and in the future, from lead. This was a great success for Idaho and a great example of how the CLPPP works with partners and families throughout Idaho. CLPPP's goal is to collaborate with partners statewide to educate families on lead and prevent higher BLLs in children.
Funding for this work was made possible in part by NUE2EH001428 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official policies of CDC; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Success story: funding year 2
Building partnerships in Idaho to create a successful program
Challenge
In September 2021, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Public Health, was awarded funding from CDC. The funding enabled Idaho to create their first Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP). The CLPPP was housed within the Environmental Health Program (EHP). EHP was tasked with establishing a successful program to raise awareness about childhood lead exposures, identify populations at higher risk for lead exposure, and improve blood lead level (BLL) testing rates and case management for children with higher BLLs.
Intervention
In November 2021, EHP began forming partnerships to ensure a comprehensive program was developed. EHP wanted their program to cover all populations affected by lead exposure in Idaho. The partnerships included established CLPPPs in neighboring states: California, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Over the next eight months, meetings were held to discuss topics such as how the states were implementing their programs, challenges and successes of their programs, education and outreach efforts, and how each program collects and reports blood lead testing data.
Impact
Receiving perspectives from different states has been invaluable for shaping how EHP moves forward with developing Idaho's first CLPPP. For example, Idaho is in the process of adapting their blood lead surveillance system to meet CDC reporting requirements. During the meetings, other states provided insight on what additional data fields the program should expand on or include to enhance the surveillance system. In addition, partners have shared training and educational materials to encourage consistent messaging and opportunities to collaborate and expand existing materials.
Funding for this work was made possible in part by NUE2EH001428 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the CDC; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.