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EPA Lead Program Grant Fact Sheet

EPA's Targeted Lead Grants

EPA's Targeted Lead Grant Program funds projects in areas with high incidences of children with elevated blood-lead levels in vulnerable populations. In 2007 the Agency awarded more than $5.2 million in grants under this ambitious program. These targeted grants are intended to address immediate needs of the communities in which they are awarded, and will also highlight lead poison prevention strategies that can be used in similar communities across the country.

EPA's lead program is playing a major role in meeting the federal goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning as a major public health concern by 2010, and the projects supported by these grant funds are an important part of this ongoing effort. According to the Centers for Disease Control in 1978 there were 13.5 million children in the US with elevated blood lead levels. By 2002, that number had dropped to 310,000.

St. Louis, Missouri - Lead Safe Homes for Children

EPA has selected Grace Hill Neighborhood Health Centers, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri, for a Targeted Lead Grant.

In 2003 the city of St. Louis was ranked sixth in the nation for total number of childhood lead poisonings.

The goal of the project is to serve 6,000 families of pregnant women by making their homes lead safe. Children are tested for lead poisoning and those identified as high-risk or with elevated blood lead levels are referred for a lead-based paint risk assessment of their homes. Lead remediation scopes of work are developed for units with lead hazards present.

The $100,000 grant will provide funding for 120 risk assessments for lead poisoned patients of Grace Hill Neighborhood Health Centers and other children "at risk" for lead poisoning. Priority will be given to children in need of environmental intervention to eliminate the hazards and prevent further exposure. This project is part of a larger project targeting the city's highest risk neighborhoods and would leverage funds from a HUD-funded lead remediation and prevention project and other assistance programs available through the city of St. Louis.

Grace Hill provides prenatal and pediatric case management to high risk mothers and babies in St. Louis and serves low income and uninsured minority and refugee populations.

For more information about EPA's Lead Program, visit www.epa.gov/lead or call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.


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