We're thrilled to help unveil a new resource in New Hampshire: Lead-Free Kids NH. Our partners at the Conservation Law Foundation have launched this resource for New Hampshire Families; we hope you'll check it out.
Other activities going on: Join U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro for a Twitter Chat on what we can do together to end childhood lead poisoning. Tomorrow, October 25th, 3:00-4:00 pm EST, Follow @HealthyHousing and use #LeadFreeChat to join the conversation!
The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) kicked off National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week events at its sites across the country to raise awareness of lead poisoning and launched its national campaign to end childhood lead poisoning as a major public health threat within five years.
More than 500,000 children living in the United States have elevated blood lead levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Impacted children enter school with diminished reading and learning abilities and drop out of school at a rate 7 times greater than their peers. Additional effects include hearing loss, speech delays, aggressive even violent behavior and long term health impacts on the kidneys, heart and brain costing the U.S. over $50 billion a year in medical, special education, lost earnings, and criminal justice costs.
GHHI has developed a five year strategic plan to end childhood lead poisoning - a set of broad policy recommendations to strategically marshal the financial resources and regulatory tools to end childhood lead poisoning as a major public health threat in the next five years. Norton will present the strategic plan in a national webinar to policy makers, stakeholders and the public on October 27th.
Finally, public comments are due by October 31 on the new proposed HUD rules on the Requirements for Notification, Evaluation and Reduction of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Federally Owned Residential Property and Housing Receiving Federal Assistance; Response to Elevated Blood Lead Levels. We hope you'll take a look at the proposal, which sets new, aggressive action levels when children with elevated blood lead levels are located.