PURPOSE: To implement the Plan to Eliminate Childhood Lead Poisoning in Rhode Island by decreasing the number of new cases of lead poisoning (> 10 ?g/dL) in children under six years of age in all RI communities without displacing children, decreasing screening rates or decreasing access to affordable housing. Statewide incidence rate for 2005 is 2.0%. SITE: The entire state of Rhode Island, which is a high-risk area composed of an aging housing stock with deteriorating paint. Approximately 70% of Rhode Island?s housing stock was built before 1978, with 30,000 of the state?s 300,000 pre-1978 housing units in urgent need of lead hazard reduction. JUSTIFICATION: Rhode Island has established a solid infrastructure to move forward with a healthy homes approach to the elimination of lead poisoning. In the past year, Rhode Island has developed a strong partnership with the Housing Resources Commission and has committed to coordinated activities that will further collaborative efforts between housing and health agencies in the state. Funding will allow the Program to maintain a strong case management, surveillance, public outreach, and enforcement system while expanding its housing-based primary prevention. APPLICANT: The applicant is the Rhode Island Department of Health, which has legal and program responsibility for lead control and prevention efforts in the State. There are no local health departments in the state. MAJOR PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: The RI CLPP Program is composed of staff from the Division of Family Health, the Division of Environmental Health, and the Health Laboratories. The RI CLPPP maintains significant partnerships and collaborative efforts with the Housing Resources Commission, the Rhode Island Attorney General?s Office, and the Department of Environmental Management. Key initiatives to be undertaken in the first year of funding include: 1. Supporting implementation of key strategic plans in the state of Rhode Island that will improve the health and housing of families in the state, including: the Comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Lead Hazard Mitigation Law, the Rhode Island Five-Year Strategic Housing Plan, Rhode Island?s Plan to End Homelessness, and the housing plans produced by local cities and towns under the 2004 Low and Moderate Income Act. The RI CLPPP will engage with stakeholders to ensure primary prevention efforts are undertaken in all rehab and development undertaken in the implementation of these plans. 2. Continue to utilize the Lead Elimination Surveillance System to identify high-risk neighborhoods and target interventions. In 2005 the RI CLPPP improved its surveillance to identify and ensure screening among all refugee children ages 6 months-16 years of age; 3. Working with the Housing Resources Commission to continue successful implementation of the preventative Lead Hazard Mitigation Law. Activities include working with cities and towns to improve code enforcement and minimum housing code standards, and working with the Attorney General to encourage a rapid response for cited hazardous properties. The RI CLPPP will also be working in this first year to lay the groundwork for our longer term prevention and sustainability strategies. Longer term goals for subsequent funding years include: 1. Successful development of a statewide housing database that will contain data on number of units, ownership type, and data collected from state home visiting agencies on environmental conditions within housing units; 2. Ensuring sustainability of lead poisoning prevention activities through partnerships with local and state agencies improving home environments for non-lead related issues, including asthma programs, weatherization programs, home visiting programs, and public housing authorities.
