lead poisoning

Governor Ned Lamont announced Wednesday the launch of Lead Free CT, a new campaign overseen by the Connecticut Department of Public Health with the goal of protecting children from the harmful health impacts of lead and creating a lead-free Connecticut.

Its objectives of include:

• Making older homes where children or pregnant people live lead safe;
• Collecting information on all known lead service water lines in Connecticut;
• Replacing lead pipes that bring water to homes, childcare centers, and schools;
• Supporting families who find lead in their home or water;
• Offering funding to get Connecticut communities lead-free;
• Having all Connecticut children tested for lead;
• Raising awareness of lead testing and safety among parents; and
• Educating communities, contractors, and landlords on lead laws and safety.

A key component of the Lead Free CT campaign includes the launch of a lead abatement program, which is providing homeowners and landlords with the opportunity to make older homes lead-safe by removing lead paint hazards at no cost. Funded by $20 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, this limited-time program will help in the safe removal of lead hazards from homes, including family childcare settings. Participation in this program is entirely voluntary and free of charge to homeowners and landlords. The Connecticut Department of Public Health is partnering with the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center to administer the program.

To view eligibility details and apply, visit leadfreect.org. This is a limited-time program, so those who are interested are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

“Every year, more than 1,000 Connecticut children are impacted by lead,” Governor Lamont said. “Lead poisoning can affect our children by causing health and brain changes that may impact them through school years and beyond – causing behavior problems, poor performance, and a risk of long-term, negative impacts. Based on the data of children tested in Connecticut, where blood lead levels trigger the requirement for environmental testing of the home, lead-based paint and lead dust in pre-1978 homes are the largest contributors to childhood lead exposure in homes.”

“Harmful lead exposure should not happen to any child,” Connecticut Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, said. “It is 100% preventable. The Department of Public Health is investing in our communities so that every child can grow up safe from lead. Children under age six, and especially those aged one to three, are most vulnerable to lead exposure. In Connecticut, children of color and children from neighborhoods with high poverty rates are disproportionately impacted by these risks.”

“Connecticut has many beautiful houses, many of which were built prior to 1978,” Connecticut Public Health Deputy Commissioner Lisa Morrissey, MPH, said. “In these homes, windows, doors, walls, baseboards and railings were coated with lead-based paint. This is a unique opportunity to remove lead hazards before a child is exposed at home or in a childcare setting. The funding will ensure that children can grow up in a lead safe environment.”

“I am thrilled that we are partnering with the Connecticut Department of Public Health to help keep our children safe from lead exposure,” Jim Shmerling, DHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Connecticut Children’s, said. “This initiative allows Connecticut residents to make their older homes lead safe. It’s a big step forward in protecting our kids and ensuring safe, stable homes for all families in our communities.”

“This $20 million initiative will ensure that more Connecticut families are growing, playing, and learning in safe, lead-free homes,” U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said. “Lead poisoning can cause devastating and irreversible damage, especially to children, and I am thrilled to see federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars being used to tackle this critical health hazard. I applaud Governor Lamont and Commissioner Juthani for championing this program and making a real difference in the lives and health of Connecticut families.”

“We passed the American Rescue Plan in Congress to ensure states and communities had the resources they needed to recover from the pandemic and bolster public health,” U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) said. “Lead is far too commonly found in historic New England homes, leaving Connecticut’s children especially vulnerable to lead poisoning. I applaud Governor Lamont, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and Connecticut Children’s for using this funding to assist homeowners with the removal of dangerous lead paint and take on the challenge of protecting our kids from lead poisoning and other dangerous toxins.”

“I applaud Governor Lamont’s efforts to rid Connecticut of harmful contaminants and mitigate fears of lead poisoning for children,” U.S. Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) said. “I am especially heartened that federal dollars provided by the American Rescue Plan Act will help state officials deliver this smart, comprehensive solution for Connecticut’s families.”

The Connecticut Department of Public Health plans for subsequent phases of the Lead Free CT campaign to include community engagement for lead service line replacement and testing drinking water for lead at daycares and schools.

For more information, visit leadfreect.org.