August 2003 News

Michigan Surgeon General to Hold Lead Poisoning Prevention Town Hall Meeting Tuesday in Benton Harbor - August 28

Aging Director to tour Grand Traverse Pavilion Thursday - August 28

Michigan Surgeon General to Participate in HIV/AIDS Summit at Ford Field Today - August 28

Ticks that can transmit Lyme disease identified in Southwest Michigan; Area residents, visitors and dog owners urged to take tick precautions - August 26

Sharon Gire to Award Senior Citizen of the Year Awards Monday in Detroit - August 25

Michigan Surgeon General to Hold Lead Poisoning Prevention Town Hall Meeting Monday in Grand Rapids - August 21

MDCH Releases Updated Public Health Consultation for Dacthal Groundwater Contamination in Coloma Township - August 14

Department of Community Health Releases St. Clair Shores Final Public Health Consultation - August 14

Office of Services to the Aging Director Gire to Throw Out First Pitch Thursday at Detroit Tigers Game - August 8

Michigan Leaps to Sixth in the Nation in Immunizations - August 1

Michigan Leaps to Sixth in the Nation in Immunizations

August 1, 2003

Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, today announced that Michigan’s childhood immunization rates have increased nearly 12% from 2001 to 2002.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Immunization Survey places Michigan sixth in the nation for the percentage of children vaccinated against deadly diseases. Michigan has increased from a 70.0 percent immunization level in 2001 to 81.6 percent in 2002 for children aged 19 to 35 months. The national average is 74.8 percent.

“This is outstanding news for the children and families of Michigan,” said Governor Granholm. “There was a time when Michigan was last in the nation when it came to immunizing children. I am proud to say those days are over and the Surgeon General will remain committed to increasing these immunization rates even further.”

In 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranked Michigan last in the nation with an immunization level of 61 percent. The 2002 figures reflect children protected with 4 doses of DTaP, 3 doses of polio, 1 dose of MMR, 3 doses of Hib, and 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccines (4:3:1:3:3 series).

“Michigan’s comprehensive immunization program and strong collaboration with local health departments and health care providers have played important roles in this dramatic increase,” said Dr. Wisdom. “Our dedicated and talented staff have been committed to improving immunization rates in this state and this success is a result of their outstanding work.”

The Michigan immunization program has applied many well-planned initiatives to increase immunization levels and provide vaccine through a network of public and private health care providers. Providing enhanced educational services and technical consultation to public and private providers have also been essential to increasing immunization levels.

The nationally recognized Michigan Childhood Immunization Registry (MCIR) has been developed and implemented with grass-roots support from all immunization partners. The registry provides all physicians with quick access to immunization records and allows them to more effectively follow up with children who are behind in their immunizations.

Through the registry, the State now has the ability to look at immunization levels and determine who is in need of further immunizations. The MCIR has also integrated information from the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) and Medicaid to better focus immunization efforts for the most-at-risk populations. The Department of Community Health has also used the registry to encourage an increase in immunizations among people who receive coverage through a Medicaid health plan.

Over the past two years, the Department of Community Health has been working closely with immunization partners at the City of Detroit and the Wayne County Health Department to plan and implement ways to increase the immunization levels in this priority area. As a result of this, and many local efforts, immunization rates in the City of Detroit have increased 11 percent from 2001 to 2002.

Michigan has developed and implemented several Immunization Nurse Education (INE) modules covering eight different vaccine-related programs. The intention of these modules is to conduct educational visits to provider offices and update providers and their staff on current immunization practices and activities. Michigan has also developed a peer education program for physicians across the state through the use of grand rounds, conferences, and individual consultations.

Michigan has also increased the number of health care provider practices enrolled in the federal Vaccines for Children program, which provides vaccine to clinics serving eligible children.

The National Immunization Survey can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/coverage/default.htm.

Office of Services to the Aging Director Gire to Throw Out First Pitch Thursday at Detroit Tigers Game

August 8, 2003

Michigan Office of Services to the Aging Director, Sharon Gire, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Detroit Tigers game on Thursday, August 7, 2003 at 1:05 p.m. in honor of DTE Energy Senior Day. Individuals from the Senior Alliance will also sing the National Anthem before the game.

The Office of Services to the Aging is an autonomous agency within the Michigan Department of Community Health. Its mission is to promote independence and enhance the dignity of Michigan's older persons and their families through advocacy, leadership, and innovation with efficient and effective policies, programs and services.

For more information on aging services in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/mdch and click on “MiSeniors.net”.

Department of Community Health Releases St. Clair Shores Final Public Health Consultation

August 14, 2003

The Michigan Department of Community Health has released a Final Health Consultation for the Ten Mile/Lange/Revere Drainage System in St. Clair Shores. The consultation addresses public comments on the Draft Health Consultation issued December 20, 2002. The consultation finds that the levels of PCBs, lead, and other chemicals of interest in the Ten Mile/Lange/Revere sewer systems, Wahby Pond, and the Lange/Revere Canal posed no apparent public health hazard due to the fact that exposure is expected to have been infrequent. Soil levels of arsenic in two residential yards bordering the canal remain an indeterminate health hazard.

Testing of canal sediments prior to proposed dredging of the Lange/Revere canal revealed high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The resulting investigation found that the storm water sewer of the Ten Mile/Lange/Revere Drainage System, which discharges to the canal, was contaminated with these chemicals. Water and sediment samples from the storm sewers, catch basins, sanitary sewers, and the canal had PCBs and lead at levels of concern. Water sampled from Wahby Pond, which occasionally receives water from the canal, showed a high concentration of PCBs. Soil testing of residential yards irrigated with canal water did not show PCBs at levels of concern, but did reveal concentrations of arsenic above the state clean-up criterion in two yards.

In the Draft Health Consultation, the Department of Community Health recommended that regulatory authorities address the contamination of the drainage system and canal so that further environmental degradation would not occur. Recommendations included further analysis of residential yard soils as well. Consistent with these recommendations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted an emergency response clean-up of the sewers and canal, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has more definitively characterized residential soils. The DEQ is continuing its evaluation of two properties.

Copies of the Health Consultation are available to the public at the City of St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 Eleven Mile Road, at the St. Clair Shores City Hall at 27600 Jefferson Circle Drive, on the city’s website at http://www.stclairshores.net/ and on the Department of Community Health website at www.michigan.gov/mdch and by clicking on “Providers” and then on “Communicable and Chronic Diseases” or by clicking here.

The Department of Community Health conducted this consultation under a cooperative agreement with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Information on the health effects of exposure to environmental contaminants such as PCBs, lead, and arsenic can be found on the ATSDR web page at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html.

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MDCH Releases Updated Public Health Consultation for Dacthal Groundwater Contamination in Coloma Township

August 14, 2003

The Michigan Department of Community Health has released an updated Public Health Consultation for the Dacthal Groundwater Contamination in Coloma Township, Berrien County. The consultation considers new toxicological information on the primary chemical of interest, the di-acid metabolite of Dacthal, a pre-emergence herbicide. The contamination of the groundwater poses an indeterminate public health hazard.

The Department of Community Health had released a previous health consultation on the groundwater contamination in June 2002 and concluded then that the contamination posed a public health hazard. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is supplying bottled water to residents with impacted wells and coordinating an alternative long-term drinking water supply with the township. The Michigan Department of Agriculture has cancelled the state registration of the pesticide.

The manufacturer of Dacthal contends that the contaminant of interest is the di-acid metabolite of Dacthal and that the di-acid is less toxic than the parent compound. The manufacturer provided toxicological data on the di-acid to the Departments of Community Health, Environmental Quality, and Agriculture. Upon reviewing the data, the Department of Community Health concluded that the public health hazard posed by the contaminated groundwater is indeterminate. Preliminary analytical data indicate that the contaminant is the di-acid, however there is no EPA-approved laboratory method that distinguishes between the mono and di-acids metabolites of Dacthal. As well, the toxicological data on the di-acid might be insufficient in quality and quantity to develop a screening level for the compound.

The Department of Community Health recommends that an EPA approved laboratory analytical method be developed to determine if the chemical detected in the water is the mono-acid compound or the di-acid metabolites. The Department further recommends that state and federal regulatory agencies establish a screening level for the di-acid, since only a screening level for the parent compound currently exists. It may be necessary for the manufacturer to conduct additional toxicological testing of the di-acid for the database to be considered adequate.

The health consultation is available to the public at the Coloma Public Library, 262 N. Paw Paw Street, at the Coloma Charter Township offices, 4919 Paw Paw Lake Road, on the township website at http://www.colomatownship.org/dcpa_water_contamination.htm and on the MDCH website at www.michigan.gov/mdch and by clicking on “Providers” and then on “Communicable and Chronic Diseases” or by clicking here. Questions on the consultation may be directed to Christina Bush at 1-800-648-6942 or bushcr@michigan.gov.

The Michigan Department of Community Health Division of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology conducted the Public Health Consultation for the Dacthal Groundwater Contamination under a cooperative agreement with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

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Michigan Surgeon General to Hold Lead Poisoning Prevention Town Hall Meeting Monday in Grand Rapids

August 21, 2003

Michigan Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, and the Get the Lead Out! coalition will hold a town hall meeting on childhood lead poisoning in Grand Rapids Monday, August 25, 2003 at 6:00 pm at the Eastern Avenue Church of Christ, 658 Eastern SE.

“Governor Granholm has made it clear that her administration would take immediate actions to help prevent lead poisoning in Michigan’s children,” said Dr. Wisdom. “I look forward to Monday’s town hall meeting in Grand Rapids as we work cooperatively with communities across Michigan on the solutions to childhood lead poisoning.”

Prior to the town hall meeting, Get the Lead Out! will conduct lead poisoning screening for the first 50 children, ages 9 months to 6 years, who have not been screened in the previous 12 months. Eastern Avenue Church of Christ is located between Thomas and Dunham streets.

Lead poisoning is one of the most common environmental child health problems in the United States and affects as many as 20,000 children under the age of six in Michigan. If undetected, lead poisoning can cause permanent developmental disabilities, brain damage, even death. Children encounter lead by ingesting lead paint chips, dust from household remodeling projects, or through lead contamination found in water and soil.

The “Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: A Call to Action” plan identifies short and long-term strategies to detect and reduce lead poisoning in Michigan, including nine strategies the state will undertake immediately. Included in the immediate strategies are a package of legislative bills and four initiatives to be undertaken in cooperation with state government. The plan can be found at www.michigan.gov/mdch and includes initiatives such as:

A new lead testing initiative spearheaded by the state’s Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom. The initiative will provide lead testing education information to each new parent. Additionally, a letter from the Surgeon General will be sent to children’s health care providers, explaining that the state expects all health care providers who treat children in high risk areas or in the Medicaid program to perform lead testing based on the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A new focus on funding for lead abatement. The Department of Community Health will refocus its current efforts to assist Michigan’s communities in writing successful grants to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), other agencies, and private foundations for lead testing and abatement activities.

Increased loans for lead abatement activities in homes and apartments. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority will modify its current Property Improvement Program (PIP) loan program to assist in the cleanup of lead hazards. The PIP is designed to help homeowners and landlords make improvements to their homes or small apartment buildings.

Improved risk assessment. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will establish a pilot program in the Detroit area to determine if sites that are contaminated with lead pose an increased risk of exposure to children in the area. The DEQ will screen available databases and information, inspect and sample sites, prioritize the sites that pose unacceptable risks to children, and take action to clean up those sites. The DEQ will share this information with the City of Detroit, MDCH, Detroit Lead-Safe Partnership, community organizations, residents in the vicinity of the identified sites, and other interested stakeholders.

The Governor also called upon the Legislature to be a partner in this effort by passing legislation to:

Create a lead-safe housing registry. The registry will inform families of those houses that have been inspected and found to be lead-safe and recognize rental property owners that have made effective lead abatement efforts.

Provide state civil/criminal penalties and fines for rental agencies, rental property owners, managers, and owners who knowingly fail to remediate lead-based paints, paint chips, and contaminated soils and then re-rent or sell housing to Michigan’s families.

Require electronic reporting by all laboratories providing analysis of blood lead samples from Michigan citizens. The current rules strongly encourage, but do not mandate, electronic reporting.

Create a multi-agency/multi-stakeholder task force with a specific charge to develop, within six months, a “Michigan Strategic Lead Poisoning Prevention Action Plan” for making all Michigan families lead-safe. The plan will specifically identify needed changes in health policies and legislation and establish concrete proposals for funding lead testing, remediation, and abatement.

Require fee-for-service and Medicaid-managed care plans to increase the percentage of Medicaid covered eligible children tested in each plan so that, within three years, every plan would reach at least 80 percent of all children who should be tested according to federal regulations.

The action plan was developed by a lead abatement workgroup organized by the Governor to reduce lead poisoning in young children. The workgroup included participants from the MDCH, MSHDA, DEQ, DIT, and DMB.

In addition to the nine immediate action steps, the plan also outlines additional short and long-term steps the state will take to further reduce lead poisoning.

The state estimates that roughly 50 percent of all children under the age of six are either Medicaid-eligible and/or live in high-risk neighborhoods where there are a significant number of older homes with lead-based paint. It is estimated that more than 400,000 children should be tested for lead poisoning and that as many as 14,600 additional children are afflicted with lead poisoning but have not been tested.

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Sharon Gire to Award Senior Citizen of the Year Awards Monday in Detroit
August 22, 2003

Michigan Office of Services to the Aging Director, Sharon Gire, will join John Hertel, Director of the Michigan State Fair, Elwin Johnson, Chair of the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging and local dignitaries to present the 2003 Senior Citizen of the Year awards at the Michigan State Fair on Monday, August 25, 2003.

“I am so pleased to announce that Georgia Bradford will receive the Service Award and Deborah Nelson Snow will receive the Leadership Award as the 2003 Senior Citizens of the Year,” said Gire. “We honor them and the countless other senior citizens who are working to improve their communities throughout the state of Michigan.” Both winners will be presented with a $250 check from the Commission.

Georgia Bradford, has been a tireless advocate for seniors and their families, spending the past 18 of her 82 years working with the Senior Alliance in Western Wayne County as an information and assistance specialist. Through her efforts within the agency and in collaboration with other human services agencies, Ms. Bradford has provided tens of thousands of Wayne county residents with information about services to assist seniors. She has helped countless individuals link up with programs to pay for their medicine, manage the complexity of Medicare and health insurance benefits, arrange transportation, raise grandchildren, and find affordable housing.

As secretary of the Sumpter Progressive League she helps organize and raise money for summer youth programs. Ms. Bradford is the President of her church's Mission Society which ministers to the needs of her community and provides companionship to the sick and homebound. A member of the Wayne Metro Community Action Agency Advisory Council, Ms. Bradford has championed the needs and concerns of the poor in her community. The United Foundation has recognized her with its Door Bell Award and Project Able has bestowed upon her their Ability Is Ageless award.

“Georgia has shown that a deep abiding love of life, God and community can sustain and uplift each of us, even in our bleakest time,” said Gire. “Like Grandma Moses who began a career in art late in her life, Georgia Bradford took up the professional calling of service and caring at a time in life when most people are looking to retire. She is truly an inspiration who deserves our recognition.”

Deborah Nelson Snow, is a long time activist and decorated teacher, who took the lead in revitalizing the Senior Citizen Senate of Kent County. Renamed the Advocates for Senior Issues, this group's monthly meetings grew in size from 40 members to 300 under her direction. Last fall both gubernatorial candidates presented their senior platform to the Senior Advocates right before the general election. Tom Czerwinski, Director of the Area Agency of Western Michigan credits Deborah and the Senior Advocates with helping to reopen the MiChoice Waiver Program. This program has allowed thousands of older frail adults to remain in their homes rather than enter nursing homes.

As a Coach for the academic competition, We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution, Ms. Snow has worked with more than 10,000 students over the years. Her teams have won state titles in this competition 13 times.

Ms. Snow supported the Kent County senior millage campaign in 1998 as both a spokesperson for the initiative and fundraiser for the campaign. Her efforts have helped thousands of people every year and their caregivers who now benefit from services paid for through these millage dollars.

Her work as a teacher has brought her widespread recognition. Her awards include the Education Commission of the States Outstanding Teacher Award, Michigan Teacher of the Year Runner Up Award, Michigan Law Related Education Teacher of the Year, and 7 time Teacher of the Year awardee of the East Kentwood High Schools.

"True leaders are those dedicated and selfless persons who teach us how to advocate for ourselves. Deborah Snow is just such a leader,” said Gire. “It is with gratitude that we add the Senior Citizen of the Year Award in Leadership to a list of honors that recognize the wisdom of leading through teaching."

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Ticks that can transmit Lyme disease identified in Southwest Michigan; Area residents, visitors and dog owners urged to take tick precautions

August 26, 2003

Ongoing surveillance for tick-borne illnesses in Michigan has identified pockets of ticks that can transmit Lyme disease in Allegan, Berrien and Van Buren counties, officials with the Michigan State University (MSU) and the Michigan Departments of Agriculture (MDA) and Community Health (MDCH) today announced.

Lyme disease is transmitted to people and animals by the bite of a tick infected with a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, that can cause Lyme disease. Studies show that the infected tick must be attached to its host for at least 48 hours for the bacteria to be transmitted. In humans, the illness progresses through flu-like symptoms, with an unusual bull’s eye rash that typically appears within three days to one month after the bite of an infected tick. Lyme disease caught in the early stages can be successfully treated and cured. Left unchecked, the disease can cause chronic problems with the nervous system, heart, joints, and other parts of the body. Numerous wildlife species and domestic animals, especially mammals, can also be exposed to the tick and, through tick bites, the Lyme disease bacteria. Dogs are highly susceptible to clinical symptoms of Lyme disease, which may include sudden pain or lameness, loss of appetite, fever and lethargy. The disease has also been diagnosed in horses.

According to Dr. Edward “Ned” Walker, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at MSU, 16 of 73 wooded sites in Southwest Michigan (including several state parks and game areas), had Ixodes scapularis ticks, more commonly known as deer or black-legged ticks. More than 200 of these ticks have been tested for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Of those, 40 to 50 percent of the ticks at six of the 16 different sites in the three counties have been determined to be infected. Several rodents have also been found carrying the bacterium. No human cases of Lyme disease have been yet diagnosed, though several dogs from the area appear to have contracted the disease.

Prior to this discovery, the only area in Michigan confirmed to be at high risk for Lyme disease was southern Menominee County in the Upper Peninsula. A population of ticks had been previously identified in several counties of northern Indiana so it’s probable that migration of these infected ticks into Southwest Michigan occurred.

Based on this information, MDCH Director Janet Olszewski and MDA Director Dan Wyant urged all Southwest Michigan residents to take precautions to protect themselves and their pets from tick exposure and reduce their risk of contracting Lyme disease.

They offered these tips:

Avoid tick habitats. Ticks favor moist, shaded environments, especially areas with leaf litter and low-lying vegetation in wooded, brushy or overgrown grassy habitats. Whenever possible, avoid entering these areas, particularly in spring and summer when ticks feed.

Use personal protection measures. For people, wear light-colored clothing so that ticks can be spotted more easily and removed before becoming attached. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and tucking pants into socks or boot tops may also help keep ticks from reaching your skin. Ticks are usually located close to the ground, so wearing high rubber boots may provide additional protection. The risk of tick attachment can also be lowered by applying an insect repellant that contains the active ingredient DEET (always following the manufacturer’s directions for use) to exposed skin or clothing. For dogs, a Lyme disease vaccine is available. Consult your veterinarian about the appropriateness of vaccinating your pet and also to discuss other possible recommendations and preventative measures, including suitable and/or recommended insect repellants like baths, dips, and flea/tick collars. Brush your dog after each outing.

Perform tick checks and remove attached ticks. Because studies show that an infected tick must be attached for at least 48 hours before transmission can occur, conduct daily checks for ticks after being outside, especially in brushy or grassy areas, and promptly remove any that are found. Embedded ticks should be removed using fine-tipped tweezers. Do not use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish, or other products. Grasp the tick firmly and as closely to the skin as possible. With a steady motion, pull the tick’s body away from the skin. The tick’s mouthparts may remain in the skin, but do not be alarmed as the bacteria that cause Lyme disease are contained in the tick’s midgut or salivary glands. Cleanse the area with an antiseptic.

Ensure early diagnosis and treatment. Persons should promptly seek medical attention if they develop any signs and symptoms of early Lyme disease. The early diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease are important strategies to avoid the costs and complications of infection and late-stage illness.

Take actions to reduce tick abundance. The number of ticks in impacted areas may be reduced by removing leaf litter, brush and woodpiles around houses and at the edges of yards, and by clearing trees and brush to admit more sunlight and reduce the amount of suitable habitat for ticks, rodents and deer.

For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/mda and click on “Consumer Information,” then “Human Health,” and finally “Tick Borne Illness” or visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/.

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Michigan Surgeon General to Participate in HIV/AIDS Summit at Ford Field Today

August 28, 2003

Michigan Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, will be a speaker at the HIV/AIDS Summit today, Thursday August 28, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Ford Field in Detroit.

“While we have seen success over the years in the fight against AIDS, there is much work that remains to be done, which is why this Summit is so important,” said Dr. Wisdom. “Early detection of HIV is vital in our fight against AIDS. For the estimated quarter of a million Americans who are infected with HIV but don’t know it, knowing their status could save their lives.”

The Summit, sponsored by the Michigan AIDS Fund and the Metro Health Foundation in Detroit, is to address the latest HIV/AIDS developments, issues and solutions. Dr. Helene Gayle, Director of HIV, TB and reproductive health for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be the keynote speaker and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is also scheduled to speak at the event.

“Knowledge is power,” said Wisdom. “Get tested, get the results.”

Individuals looking for additional information on HIV/AIDS can call the Michigan AIDS Hotline toll free at 1-800-872-2437

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Aging Director to tour Grand Traverse Pavilion Thursday

August 27, 2003
Michigan Office of Services to the Aging Director, Sharon Gire, will be in Traverse City on Thursday, August 28 to tour the Grand Traverse Pavilion. Rick Marion who served on the Michigan Commission for Services to the Aging and Greg Piaskowski, Director of the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan will accompany Director Gire. The tour with start at 11 am.

Director Gire notes that the Pavilion is a model for other communities to follow in developing community-based, person centered, quality driven long-term care systems. Said Gire, “The range of service options that the Pavilion offers to caregivers, children, and adults of all ages with disabilities reflects an impressive vision for the future of long term care in our state.”

Long term care services available through the Pavilion, which is county-owned and operated, include:

Skilled nursing care for 210 residents with a dementia unit for persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease,

day care for both children and seniors which provides opportunities for intergenerational programming,

overnight respite care for caregivers,

assisted living, and

therapeutic and restorative services.

The Pavilion incorporates the principles and practices of the Eden Alternative in its programs and services. The Eden Alternative assures that the services available are resident-centered and focus on eliminating loneliness, helplessness, and boredom, which account for many of the problems experienced in long term care.

Local area agency director, Greg Piaskowski said of Director Gire’s visit to the region, “The Area Agency On Aging of Northwest Michigan, along with its many service providers, looks forward to working with the new administration in addressing the many and varied needs of our older population. There are many solutions and innovations that we are capable of achieving and this can be most efficiently accomplished through working hand in hand.”

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Michigan Surgeon General to Hold Lead Poisoning Prevention Town Hall Meeting Tuesday in Benton Harbor

August 28, 2003
Michigan Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom will hold a town hall meeting on childhood lead poisoning in Benton Harbor Tuesday, September 2, 2003 at 6:00 pm at the Family Investment Center, 301 Martin Luther King Drive, Benton Harbor.

“Governor Granholm has made it clear that her administration would take immediate actions to help prevent lead poisoning in Michigan’s children,” said Dr. Wisdom. “I look forward to Tuesday’s town hall meeting in Benton Harbor as we work cooperatively with communities across Michigan on the solutions to childhood lead poisoning.”

Lead poisoning is one of the most common environmental child health problems in the United States and affects as many as 20,000 children under the age of six in Michigan. If undetected, lead poisoning can cause permanent developmental disabilities, brain damage, even death. Children encounter lead by ingesting lead paint chips, dust from household remodeling projects, or through lead contamination found in water and soil.

The “Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: A Call to Action” plan identifies short and long-term strategies to detect and reduce lead poisoning in Michigan, including nine strategies the state will undertake immediately. Included in the immediate strategies are a package of legislative bills and four initiatives to be undertaken in cooperation with state government. The plan can be found at www.michigan.gov/mdch and includes initiatives such as:

Require electronic reporting by all laboratories providing analysis of blood lead samples from Michigan citizens. The current rules strongly encourage, but do not mandate, electronic reporting.