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Article of Interest - Lead Poisoning

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Bridges4Kids LogoGet the Lead Out! News
Get the Lead Out!, September 24, 2004, Issue #1

For more articles like this visit https://www.bridges4kids.org

 
In this Newsletter:

 
1) State of Michigan Budget Update - $1 Million in New Funds
2) State Legislation Update
3) Candidate Forum - State Offices
4) HUD Grant Staff Changes
5) Touchpoint Service Provider Training
6) Institutes for Healing Racism
7) HUD Grant One-Year Party October 16

1) State of Michigan Budget Update - $1 Million in New Funds

Amidst all the budget cutting and belt tightening, there is good news in the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) budget for FY'05. On September 7, 2004, the MDCH budget was approved by the joint House/Senate Conference Committee without significant debate or changes. $1 million in new childhood lead poisoning prevention funding was included. This is the first significant State investment in childhood lead poisoning prevention since voters approved CMI bond funding in the mid-90's.

Advocates from across the State, including Get the Lead Out!, sought an increase in funding for prevention services under the Healthy Michigan Fund. The Governor had initially proposed that $30 million in new funding from the tobacco tax increase be dedicated to prevention services through the Healthy Michigan Fund. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate rejected the Governor’s proposal to increase prevention funding. However, the leadership agreement increased the Healthy Michigan fund by $12.3 million, with $1 million in new funds dedicated to the elimination of childhood lead poisoning.

If the use of these new funds holds consistent with the recommendations discussed by the Call to Action task force from last fall, it is reasonable to expect that approximately half of the new funds will be used to initiate a state-wide public awareness campaign. The remainder is likely to support the start-up of the proposed Lead-Safe Housing Registry (see next article) and to assist local Michigan communities with coalition and capacity building activities.

2) State Legislation Update

A total of six bills that address childhood lead poisoning prevention remain active in the State legislature.

House Bills 4443 and 5126, sponsored by Rep. Kooiman of Grand Rapids seek income and single business tax credits for lead hazard control. Passed by the House in February, these bills have been languishing in the Senate Committee on Finance. Get the Lead Out! is encouraging Senate Leadership and the Committee Chair to move these bills. Communicating your support to Senate Majority Leader Sikkema senksikkema@senate.michigan.gov would help move these bills along.

Senate Bill 757 seeks penalties for those who knowingly rent units with lead hazards. This bill unanimously passed the Senate and the House. Unfortunately, the House Committee on the Judiciary introduced a last-minute substitute (H-2) which severely limits the use of these penalties only to homes where children have been poisoned. This significantly hinders the ability of this law to promote prevention activities. While Get the Lead Out! is willing to support the substitute, we have communicated our concern with this last minute change and seek to have the lead poisoned child requirement removed in conference committee. This bill has been scheduled for Senate action the past two weeks, but has not been taken up on the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 753 and House Bill 5118 seek to create a "Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control" commission. The Senate bill prescribes which groups shall be represented on the Commission and the House bill prescribes the Commission's duties. The bills are tie-barred. 5118 has passed both the House and Senate. 753 has been approved by the Senate and has passed out of Committee in the House.

House Bill 5116 and Senate Bill 756 are similar bills that seek to create a Lead-Safe Housing Registry. Both of these bills passed their respective houses of the legislature last spring and await further action. 756 is further along, having passed out of Committee in the House. 756 was sponsored by Senator Hardiman of Grand Rapids.

For more information on State legislation or to participate in the GTLO Advocacy Committee that monitors and impacts legislation, contact GTLO@sbcglobal.net.

3) Candidate Forum - State Offices

Mark your calendars for a Candidate Forum, Friday, October 15. The forum will focus upon children's issues, including health, and is being organized by the Advocacy Coalition for Young Children and Their Families, Kent County. The forum will run from 9:00am until 10:30am, and will be held at the Heart of West Michigan United Way, 118 Commerce Ave SW, Grand Rapids. For more information or to join the Advocacy Coalition for Young Children and Their Families, contact Laureen Kennedy at laureen.kennedy@comcast.net.

Watch for the companion candidate responses in next month's Grand Rapids Parent Magazine.

4) HUD Grant Staff Changes

Home Repair Services regretfully reports that Moses Avila has resigned as Lead Educator. In nine short months, Moses has played an integral role in the launch of the $5 million HUD-funded Lead Hazard Control program. His solid relational skills enabled Moses to help us identify, educate and quickly enroll families in this program. While many grantees wrestle with initial enrollment for HUD Lead Hazard Control programs, Moses and his colleagues have made if possible for Grand Rapids to complete five units and to move an additional 32 properties into production in nine short months.

Moses is leaving us to further pursue his other full-time job in ministry. With his ability to relate to others with compassion and respect, we know he will succeed.

Home Repair Services is seeking an employee to follow in Moses' footsteps. Bilingual (English-Spanish) abilities are strongly desired. Interested persons should contact David Jacobs, Executive Director at djacobs@homerepairservices.org.


5) Touchpoint Service Provider Training

In partnership with Michigan Family Resources, Get the Lead Out! continues to offer a comprehensive, half-day childhood lead poisoning prevention training for service providers who have contact with parents of young children. This training targets nurses, medical staff, social workers, community workers, faith community workers, early childhood staff, educators and others. Participants learn the causes of childhood lead poisoning, key prevention strategies, and local resources for parents. The curriculum is 100% applicable to local solutions.

We would welcome the opportunity to present this training onsite to you group. The training is designed for groups of 20-25 and is just short of four hours in length. Contact Paul Haan at gtlo@sbcglobal.net to discuss possibilities.

To register for the training, contact Sue Sipkema at Michigan Family Resources at (616) 453-4145 x282.

Special thanks to the Steelcase Foundation for underwriting this training.

6) Institutes for Healing Racism

Get the Lead Out! was founded in response to the significant racial and ethnic health disparities in the lead poisoning rates among our county’s children. Seeking justice and an end to environmental racism, the coalition seeks to eliminate these health disparities as it ends childhood lead poisoning.

Culturally competent care is one key to resolving these health disparities. One strategy for providing more culturally competent care is for all providers to be well informed and personally aware of the causes and effects of racism in our community and its institutions.

An excellent first step is to personally participate in an Institute for Healing Racism. The GRACE Racial Justice Institute has a number of offerings this fall, including a unique and accessible evening session. Following are the details:

2-Day Community Institutes for Healing Racism: Thursday (8:15am-5:00pm) and Friday (8;15am-4:00pm), October 14-15, November 18-19, or December 9-10 at the First Place Building, 207 E. Fulton, 3rd Floor, Grand Rapids.

8-Week Faith-Based Institute for Healing Racism: Monday Evenings (700-9:00pm) October 18 to December 6 at Madison Square Christian Reformed Church, 1441 Madison SE, Grand Rapids.

For more information or to register, contact the Racial Justice Institute at (616) 774-2321.

7) HUD Grant One-Year Party October 16

We’ve save the fun for last! Mark your calendar for a One-Year Anniversary Party for the Lead Hazard Control Program. A year ago in late October, the City of Grand Rapids received notification of its $5 million HUD award. The Hazard Reduction Team is inviting Get the Lead Out! partners to join them as they celebrate this opportunity and kick back from a year of hard work.

The celebration will be hosted by Bill Butts and will be on Saturday, October 16th. The fun starts at 4:00pm and continues until the last guest leaves. Save the date and contact either Bill or Paul to receive a detailed invitation.

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If you would like to be added or removed from this mailing list, please contact gtlo@sbcglobal.net.

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Paul Haan
Get the Lead Out! "Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning through Partnership"
Community Leadership Institute, Aquinas College
1607 Robinson Road SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506
phone: 616.241.3300
fax: 616.247.9556
email: gtlo@sbcglobal.net
www.cliaquinas.org

    

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