Division of Disease Control and Health Protection

BUREAU OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

BUREAU PROGRAMS

• Aquatic Toxins
• Birth Defects Registry
• Chemical Disease Surveillance
• Chronic Disease
• Disease Reporting
• Environmental Public Health Tracking
• Food and Waterborne Disease
• Health-Care Associated Infections (HAI)
• Hazardous Waste Site Health Risk Assessment
• Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention
• Indoor Air
• Influenza Surveillance
• Occupational Health
• Pesticide Poisoning Surveillance
• Rabies
• Radon
• Surveillance and Investigations
• Toxicology
• Vector-borne Disease
• Zoonotic Disease

PUBLICATIONS

• Epi Update
• Florida Annual Morbidity Statistics Report

TRAINING & QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

• Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service (FL-EIS)
• Quality Improvement
• Training Section

QUICK LINKS

• Communicable Disease Frequency Reports
• Florida CHARTS
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What's New and What's Next?

• The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Announces New, Lower Limit for Lead Content in Children's Products (7/18/11)
• The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) went into effect on April 22, 2010: RRP requires lead safe work practices training and RRP certification for professionals who perform renovation or repairs in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978. RRP also requires contractors follow lead safe work practices during certain activities. For more information go to EPA's RRP Website or The Lead Free Kid's RRP Page (<1 MB, pdf). (5/2/11)
• The national Green and Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) is implementing a cost-effective and integrated approach to housing interventions by combining federal and philanthropic investments in weatherization, energy efficiency, health and safety in certain cities. Lead poisoning prevention is a priority area under this initiative. To learn more visit The Green and Healthy Homes Website. (5/2/11)

Did you know? (5/2/11)

• In children, even low levels of lead exposure can result in damage to the brain and nervous system, and cause behavior and learning problems.
• Exposure to lead-based paint is the leading cause of lead poisoning in the United States.
• Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that contains lead (called lead-based paint). Lead from paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly.
• Home renovation and repair activities that disturb lead-based paint can put children at great risk for exposure to hazardous lead dust if not done properly.
• Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.
• Adults who work with lead in their job or hobby can also be exposed. In addition, they may contaminate their homes by accidentally carrying home lead dust on their clothing, shoes and equipment. These types of activities are referred to as "Take-home" exposures.


Lead poisoning is entirely preventable! Read more to learn about lead poisoning and simple steps to protect yourself and Florida's children.

About the Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (9/15/11)

Florida's Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program conducts surveillance of blood lead testing and poisonings in the state, promotes blood lead screening for high-risk populations, and provides information to health care providers, individuals and businesses on lead poisoning prevention.  The program has expanded its efforts to address a variety of housing-related illnesses and injuries among vulnerable populations in high-risk counties.
The program activities include:

• Surveillance and Epidemiology
• Lead Poisoning Investigation
• Healthy Homes Initiative
• Primary Prevention
• Coordination of Care
• Lead Safety and RRP (Renovation, Reporting, and Painting)
• Strategic Partnership

Information for:

• Parents and Caregivers
• Healthcare Providers
• Renovators and Contractors

Funding to support these activities comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the State of Florida.

The program is authorized under the following state and federal rules and / or statues.

• The Florida Lead Poisoning Prevention Screening & Education Act, section 381.985.
• The United States Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988
• The United States Toxic Chemical Control Act
• The United States Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X)

Contact Information

If you have a question about services related to lead poisoning in your community, contact your County Health Department.

For questions about the state program contact the Florida Lead Poisoning Prevention Program