COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

 

DATE:

September 9, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

September 9, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

Mary J. Hansell, Director, Family Health Services Division

 

SUBJECT:

Agreement with the California Department of Public Health for Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an Agreement with the California Department of Public Health to provide funding for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for the term July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2011, for a maximum obligation of $619,750.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 6 & 8: Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods; and help vulnerable people-the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others-achieve a better quality of life.

 

The Agreement contributes to this commitment and these goals by providing funding to support activities to reduce the incidence of childhood lead poisoning within San Mateo County.

 

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2007-08
Actual

FY 2008-09
Projected

Percentage of customers receiving services in a timely manner.

90%

90%

 

BACKGROUND:

Lead poisoning in children remains a major preventable public health problem. In San Mateo County, there are close to 55,000 homes with lead-based paint. Some sources of childhood lead poisoning in the County include: lead paint in homes, ceramic pottery with lead glazes, lead in candies, home remedies that include lead, and lead dust that is brought home from industries where lead is present. Additionally, there are a number of children who arrive from another country who display elevated blood lead levels (BLL).

 

Slight elevations in BLL can result in disruptions of growth and development, cause behavioral problems and affect every organ of a young child. Children are particularly vulnerable because their small bodies absorb more lead, the lead is excreted slowly from their systems, there are no symptoms, and the only way to tell if a child is poisoned is through a blood lead test.

 

Local health departments receive funds to assure that children are screened for lead poisoning. Since January 1992, Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP) providers have been required to screen children aged six months to six years for the risk of lead poisoning. Children eligible for Medi-Cal, CHDP, Healthy Families, or Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program should have a blood test at age 12 months and again at 24 months of age.

 

DISCUSSION:

Since 1993, the State Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) has awarded funding to local health departments to support the cost of home investigations, case management, surveillance, tracking, and community outreach and education. CLPPP supports screening and testing by providing education and outreach to medical and service providers who target low income families with young children. Additionally, CLPPP provides case management and tracking of children with elevated blood levels, surveillance on sources, and information and referrals for all County residents.

 

When a case of lead poisoning is identified, home visits are made with a Registered Environmental Health Specialist, a Public Health Nurse, and a Community Worker. This team is essential to tracking the source of a child’s lead poisoning and providing follow-up and resources.

 

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Agreement and Resolution as to form and content.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Agreement maximum is $619,750. The maximum for FY 2008-09 is $200,206, which has been included in the Family Health tentatively Adopted FY 2008-09 Budget. For FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-2011 costs will be $219,324 and $200,220, which will be included in the future budget requests. There is no Net County Cost.