A community-based approach to improving lead safety in snohomish county - childhood lead poisoning is arguably one of the most persistent and deleterious environmental hazards in the united states

Our region is unfortunately home to numerous lead hazards, including an industrial waste site contaminated with lead and other toxins and a significant number of homes built prior to 1978. Despite the irreversible effects of lead poisoning on a child?s growth and development, little work has been done to prevent lead exposure or to address lead-related health inequities in snohomish county, washington. A long-term shift in awareness and attitudes about lead safety is urgently needed in our community. As the snohomish county health district, our mission is to spearhead efforts to protect, promote, and advance the collective health of our community. We recognize that there is a significant need in our jurisdiction to 1) continue to ensure that children with elevated blood lead levels (ebll) are linked to appropriate services, and 2) to coordinate cross-sector partnerships aimed at lead hazard identification and removal, particularly in environments were children at highest risk live and play. In alignment with component b of CDC-RFA-EH21-2102, we will achieve this through meaningful partnerships with health care systems, local housing authorities, child care providers and regulators, government agencies, and the communities most affected by lead exposure. Program activities will encompass direct linkages to services, community-wide awareness and education, sustainable implementation of lead-safe policies, and support for lead hazard identification and removal. Through this comprehensive approach, we aim to produce a sustainable increase in the rate of children with eblls who are linked to recommended services and to decrease ebll disparities.