Lead Testing & Abatement

Project Description

The Lead Abatement and Prevention program mitigates lead poisoning in Harris County by assisting in the abatement of lead-based paint hazards in child-occupied facilities and owner- or renter-occupied, single-family housing units for the purpose of providing safe and decent housing for low- and moderate-income households. Additionally, the program is committed to reducing lead poisoning in at-risk individuals, including pregnant women and children under the age of six years old in communities throughout Harris County. Lead poisoning caused by elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) is a serious but preventable health threat to both children and adults in the United States. Primary (education) and secondary (lead screening) prevention of lead exposure is the most effective approach to reducing the risk of lead poisoning in children. The abatement program focuses on residential buildings and child-occupied facilities, like daycares and preschools, constructed before 1978. The Lead Abatement and Prevention Program operates mobile testing sites at schools and community events to increase testing among pregnant women and children under the age of six. Mobile testing sites increase awareness of lead poisoning and address concerns about access to transportation to testing sites in impacted communities.

The program aims to increase the number of home lead abatements, provide blood level tests, and provide lead screenings and education to at-risk individuals. The program tracks the number of outreach events, the number of children and pregnant women tested, the number of assessments of homes and child-occupied facilities, and the number of facilities abated. The goals of this program are to reduce exposure to lead, improve health outcomes, enhance quality of life, and increase awareness of lead concerns.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The program is collaborating with Harris County Precincts in “hot spot” areas to strengthen outreach and lead education initiatives, promote community involvement, build connections and develop trust with residents, and demonstrate a commitment to aiding Harris County neighborhoods through outreach events, presentations, home visits, and clinical lead screening visits. The outreach team leads community engagement by providing the community with information on lead-based paint hazards. The outreach team also aids the community with the application process to ensure families receive a free risk assessment of their homes. The outreach team works with low-income communities to provide equity to those who need it most.

TARGET IMPACT

Target Goals Include:

  • Reduce exposure to lead
  • Improve health outcomes
  • Enhance quality of life
  • Increase awareness of lead concerns

Primary metrics tracked include:

  • Number of outreach events
  • Number of assessments of homes and child-occupied facilities
  • Number of facilities abated

The program aims to conduct 20,000 blood lead screenings, bring 470 applications for lead abatement, provide risk assessments to 430, and remediate 270 homes of lead and 150 of any health or safety hazards. To reach these goals, the team aims to attend 1,100 outreach events and provide 50,000 educational materials to the public.

WEBSITE LINKS

USE OF EVIDENCE & PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a public health emergency that exacerbated many of the issues marginalized populations face and highlight the inefficiencies in the systems that respond to those issues. In the Final Rule, the Treasury indicated that social determinants of health, including the conditions of residential, neighborhood, and educational facilities, can impact health outcomes. Lead exposure is identified as a social determinant of health. The program focuses on the most vulnerable populations of Harris County, who often live in buildings built prior to 1978 and are at higher risk of containing lead-based paints. By focusing abatement efforts on child-occupied facilities, like daycares and preschools, and owner or renter- occupied single housing units, the program aims to reduce exposure for children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable populations. The Treasury’s Final Rule stated that eligible uses of funds include lead remediation efforts in existing facilities.

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