January 7, 2019
To promote the health of South Bend children, the City and the St. Joseph County Health Department, in partnership with the South Bend Community School Corporation and South Bend Medical Foundation, are providing free lead screening at Madison STEAM Academy on January 10 from 3:30-6:30 p.m.
To highlight this event, Councilmember Tim Scott, Health Department Deputy Health Officer Dr. Mark Fox, and Madison STEAM Academy Principal Deb Martin will host a press conference at the school at noon on Tuesday, January 8..
Free lead screening will be provided for any child between one and six years of age. For the convenience of parents, the lead screening event will be held at the same time as parent-teacher conferences at Madison STEAM Academy. Community health experts from the Health Department and Near Northwest Neighborhood will be available to talk with parents about childhood lead poisoning risks and interventions. Children do not have to attend Madison to receiving testing services.
This screening will provide parents with important information about their child’s health. Lead poisoning harms a child’s growth, behavior, and ability to learn. Children aged one to six years old are especially at risk because their brains are still developing. As a person with lead poisoning does not usually look or feel sick, a simple blood test is used to discover lead poisoning. By providing lead testing to all young elementary children in South Bend, the City and County will be able to better understand the impact of lead and take steps to make the community healthy and lead-safe.
This event continues the City’s commitment from the Mayor’s 2018 State of the City address to partner with the South Bend Community Schools and the County Health Department in making testing available for every child enrolled in South Bend public schools. Muessel Elementary hosted a testing event in October. Madison and Muessel were chosen as the first schools for screening because of children tested for lead in the last 15 years, those living near these schools had some of the highest blood lead levels in the County. More information about testing and remediation can be found at southbendin.gov/leadsafesouthbend.
Event details:
Who: Common Council President Tim Scott, Health Department Deputy Health Officer Dr. Mark Fox, Madison STEAM Academy Principal Deb Martin
What: Free lead testing for South Bend children aged one to six years old
When: Tuesday, January 8 at noon for press conference; Thursday, January 10 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. for testing
Where: Madison STEAM Academy – 832 N. Lafayette Blvd
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