Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Restored To Establish Healthier Homes

Congress restored funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program last week to the tune of $15 million. The funding comes from the 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which funds the federal government through September 30 of this year.

The CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program works to eliminate childhood lead poisoning and other housing-related health hazards in the US through programs, policies, education and through funding provided to state and local health departments. In 2012 the CDC program suffered a funding cut that caused their budget to drop from $29 million to $2 million forcing the CDC to discontinue funding to state and local health departments.

A study released by the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) revealed on the impact of these budget cuts, reporting that 57 percent of the 170 state Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program positions that were funded by CDC grants had been eliminated or transferred to other duties.

“The six-fold increase in funding for CDC’s lead poisoning prevention efforts is especially remarkable and will benefit millions of children across the country,” said Rebecca Morley, executive director of the NCHH.

According to the CDC there are at least 4 million homes that house one or more young children are exposing these children to high levels of lead. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 30 million US homes have levels of lead. The most hazardous sources of lead exposure to children in the US are lead-based paint and lead contaminated dust. These sources are commonly found in homes that were built before 1978, particularly homes that have paint deterioration. According to the CDC, small children are at high risk of lead poisoning because they are more likely put their hands and other objects that could be contaminated with lead dust, into their mouths. The affects of lead poisoning can impair physical, learning and behavioral abilities.

“Home should be one of the safest places for children, and when you discover that your child has lead paint poisoning from your home, it is devastating,” said Betty Cantley, a mother whose toddler was diagnosed with lead paint poisoning from a rental home renovation.

The restored funding to the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program will help to investigate homes, property owners, and neighborhoods that are high-risk of lead poisoning as well as contribute to research in this area.

For more information on Lead-based paint hazards read our article, Consumer Protection: Protect Against The Hazards Of Lead-Based Paint In Your Home.

For more information about the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program visit, http://www.cdc.gov