HEALTH CARE and WELLNESS

The presence of lead in our community’s aged housing stock continues to present serious health risks to our most vulnerable population – our children. Deteriorating paint applied before the lead additive was banned in 1978 is the primary source of this lead. 

 

Many people believe that the problem was solved by eliminating the lead presence in paint. Others assume housing regulations have assured adequate protection. Neither is true and Forsyth County does not require intervention and remediation until a child has already been poisoned. An additional and alarming fact is that fewer than 50% of our most at-risk children are even being tested for lead poisoning.  For children, elevated blood levels over time may cause permanent neurological damage affecting hearing, intelligence, attention span, and behavior, as well as growth.

 

Through its volunteers, CHANGE began working with the Forsyth County Health Department in the spring of 2008 to raise awareness of the local problem.  This collaboration reached an initial plateau in December 2008 when the Forsyth County Board of Health approved a new childhood poisoning rule that exceeds state and federal requirements.  The new rule, which has the force of law, authorizes the Health Department to intervene at lower levels of lead in the blood.  It also instructs the Health Department to promote universal testing of one- and two-year-old children.

 

CHANGE now is mounting a community education program that includes presentations to groups throughout the county.  CHANGE also has created a community forum that allows the free exchange of information through a new blog – “Getting the Lead Out of Winston-Salem.”  You can participate in the forum by linking to http://leadoutw-s.blogspot.com/.

Dr. Tim Monroe & guest at the Lead Paint Summit.

639 South Green St.

Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Phone: (336) 721-1660, Fax: (336) 721-1225

Email: changeiaf@changeiaf.org

Communities Helping All Neighbors Gain Empowerment

Additional information on lead poisoning is available at the following websites:

http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/PublicHealth/lead_home.aspx -- This link to the Forsyth County Health Department website is a gateway to additional information about:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html -- This Consumer Product Safety website lists current toy recalls.

http://orgs.unca.edu/eqi/LPP/general_info.html -- This UNC-Asheville site has a wide range of information related to lead safety.

http://www.epa.gov/lead/ -- This EPA site contains much information on lead issues.

http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/lead.html -- This is the State of North Carolina site on lead.

Lead Paint Summit

On September 9, 2008, in conjunction with the Forsyth County Health Department, CHANGE held a Lead Paint Summit at the Downtown Public Library.

NEXT ACTION TEAM MEETING

12/01/09—GREEN ST. CHURCH, 6:30PM

OFFICE HOURS: 8AM—4PM