Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Projects, State and Local Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Surveillance of Blood Lead Levels in Children

To (1) Develop and/or enhance a surveillance system that monitors all blood lead levels; (2) assure that children who are potentially exposed to lead receive follow up care; (3) assure awareness and action among the general public and affected profes

To Develop and/or enhance a surveillance system that monitors all blood lead levels; assure that children who are potentially exposed to lead receive follow up care; assure awareness and action among the general public and affected professionals in relation to preventing childhood lead poisoning in high risk areas in collaboration with other government and community based organizations.

Assistance will be provided to State health departments or their bonafide agents and the health departments of the following five local jurisdictions (or their bonafide agents)that have the highest estimated number of children with elevated blood lead levels : New York, NY; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Los Angeles County, CA, and Philadelphia, PA, or their bona fide agents. Also eligible are health departments or other official organizational authorities of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments. Competition is limited by authorizing legislation.

In addition to the eligible applicants, others who receive benefits from the program include infants and children from six months to six years of age who are screened for lead poisoning and family members who care for lead-poisoned children. Lead poisoning potentially affects all children, but disproportionately affects minority children and children of low-income families. Since the effects of lead poisoning can be long lasting, benefits of the program can also affect youth and adults, persons at all educational and income levels, and urban, suburban, and rural populations.

Awards are to be used by State and local government agencies to develop, improve, and expand their capacity to address the problem of childhood lead poisoning in communities with demonstrated high-risk populations. Recipients of awards are expected to: (a) write, implement and evaluate a jurisdiction-wide childhood lead poisoning elimination plan; (b) write, implement and evaluate screening plans to target resources to children at the highest risk for lead poisoning; (c) maintain a jurisdiction-wide childhood lead surveillance program, with an analysis plan for collected data, (d) conduct primary prevention activities for pregnant women and/or families with children at high risk for lead poisoning, (e) develop an assurance plan for timely and appropriate case management of children with elevated blood lead levels, (f) demonstrate strategic partnering with community organizations and with other state/local agencies involved in environmental and child health activities, (g) coordinate with organizations and agencies involved in lead-based paint hazard reduction activities and development of protective policy; and (h) evaluate programmatic impact on childhood lead poisoning within the applicant's jurisdiction. Awards cannot supplant existing funding for childhood lead poisoning prevention programs or activities. Grant awards may not be expended for medical care and treatment, or for environmental remediation of lead sources, however, there must be an acceptable plan to ensure that these program activities are appropriately carried out. The surveillance component of this grant is intended to assist State health departments in implementing or enhancing a complete surveillance system to track all PbB levels in children. This is essential for grant recipients to target interventions to high-risk populations and to track progress toward eliminating childhood lead poisoning.

Financial assistance is provided for a 12-month budget period with a period of performance of up to five years subject to the availability of funds and satisfactory progress of the recipient.

Applications will be evaluated on the review criteria described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcements (NOFOs). In general, the review and selection process of complete and responsive applications to the NOFO consists of determination of the scientific and technical merit by objective or peer review, availability of funds, and relevance of program priorities and the priorities of CDC.

After review and approval, a Notice of Award (NoA) will be prepared and processed, along with appropriate notification to the public. Initial awards provide funds for the first budget period (usually 12 months) and the NoA will indicate support recommended for the remainder of the project period, allocation of Federal funds by budget categories, award requirements, and special conditions, if any.

Check Grants.gov for any relevant NOFO information regarding processes for applying for assistance.

From two to three months.

Cooperative agreement period of performance is 1 to 5 years. After initial awards, and subject to availability of funds, projects may be continued non-competitively contingent upon satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports) and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.