Lead Group Gets Well-Deserved Reward

The joint Mpls/Hennepin Lead Poisoning Prevention Work Group, on which I serve with CM Glidden, has won the 2008 Community Health Service Award.

The Work Group exists to establish and monitor plans, align efforts and build capacity for eliminating lead poisoning. We've collaborated to help reduce childhood lead poisoning in Hennepin County by over 50% since the group’s inception in 2002. In 2001, 6% of children under six who were screened had elevated blood lead levels, while in 2006 this figure had fallen to 2%. During the same period, we screened significantly more kids: 5,487 more in 2006 than in 2001.



It's a good group, and it's great to see this welcome recognition of its work.