Gov. Snyder: Child Lead Poisoning Elimination Board will Help Protect Children Statewide From all Sources of Lead Exposure

Press Release

Gov. Rick Snyder today signed Executive Order 2016-9 creating the Child Lead Poisoning Elimination Board to develop a long-term, statewide strategy to help prevent some of Michigan's most vulnerable residents from being exposed to lead from all sources.

Snyder signed the order in Flint during a meeting of the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee.

"Childhood lead exposure is a problem across our state and people are rightly concerned about potential sources," Snyder said. "Protecting Michigan's children from lead exposure is a vital component for ensuring a healthier, brighter future for young Michiganders."

The 12-member board will include experts in the prevention and mitigation of child lead poisoning, and may include representatives from pediatric hospitals, local government, education, nonprofit and health agencies.

The new board will replace the Michigan Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Commission, which the independent Flint Water Advisory Task Force appointed by Gov. Snyder recommended re-establishing. That Commission ceased to exist in 2010 per the legislative sunset put in place when it was created in 2004.

Lt. Gov. Brian Calley will chair the new board that will be composed of seven gubernatorial appointees and the directors of four state departments or their designees.

"By looking at lead exposure through a statewide lens, we hope to identify and reduce the hazards and impact to protect all children," Calley said.

The group will make recommendations related to the testing of children for elevated blood lead levels, follow-up monitoring and services (including case management) environmental lead investigations, and remediation and abatement.

The board will be asked to provide the governor with a full written report by Nov. 4, 2016 on its recommendations for:

Improving the blood lead testing rate of children, especially in high-risk areas, for children younger than 6 years old.

Improving the percentage of families using follow-up services when a child tests positive for elevated blood lead levels and ensuring the adequacy of services.

Improving the availability of environmental lead investigations to families when a child tests positive for elevated blood lead levels, especially for children younger than 6 years old, and ensuring the adequacy of those investigations.

Improvements to current remediation and abatement efforts aimed at reducing child lead poisoning dangers throughout Michigan and in high-risk areas, including individual homes.

Improvements to the existing collection, maintenance, sharing and reporting efforts regarding child lead poisoning data, including recommendations for the implementation of dashboards, websites, apps and other channels of communication.

The full list of responsibilities of the board can be found in the Executive Order.

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