Huge hurdles remain in Michigan's drive to eliminate childhood lead poisoning. Over 3,100 of our children were lead poisoned last year, and more than 19,000 others were found to have blood lead levels high enough to cause brain impairment and significant educational deficits. And only 15% of children under age 6 were tested.

In 2005, the Michigan Lead Safe Partnership, which includes MEC, will stress:

• Monitoring implementation and effectiveness of new laws and services;
  
  
• Proposing or supporting additional legislative initiatives to:
  - Incorporate lead poisoning data in the Michigan Childhood Immunization Registry so that medical providers can readily determine from their computer screens when treatment or testing is needed;
  - Prohibit conversion of structures built pre-1978 to rental residential properties without risk assessments and lead hazard removal if needed;
  - Develop a 10-year strategy to eliminate lead poisoning hazards in all dwelling units built before 1978;
  
  
• Ensuring that the recently-authorized lead safe registry is robust and has sufficient capacity to assist families seeking lead safe housing and to support private and public sector efforts to expand lead safe housing opportunities;
  
  
• Augmenting resources for local health departments to ensure effective statewide services for expanding lead poisoning caseloads resulting from increased blood lead testing;
  
  
• Development of a multi-year funding program through state appropriations and/or through bonding similar to that recently provided by Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) Bonds.

Concerned individuals or organizations are invited to learn more about lead poisoning at www.bridges4kids.org/lead.html.