The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is urging parents, healthcare providers, and caregivers to have children tested for lead exposure in an effort to prevent lead poisoning. The Colorado Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program focuses on raising awareness about the dangers of lead exposure and emphasizes that a simple blood test is an important step in identifying children at risk.
The program provides education to families, healthcare providers, and communities about the need for blood lead testing. Staff members review blood test results, and when a child’s result exceeds 3.5 micrograms per deciliter, they offer free in-home environmental investigations to help families find possible sources of lead.
“Lead is still a problem in many communities. We want families to learn about lead exposure, and if their child is at risk, they should get a blood test to find out if their child has lead poisoning,” said Megan Snow, Colorado Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program manager. “Lead exposure can slow growth and development, and cause learning and behavior problems. Increasing parent and provider awareness is critical to increasing Colorado’s testing rates.”
To address this issue, the program is conducting several initiatives:
– In-home investigations are offered to all children with confirmed blood lead levels above 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. Since July 2024, 68 such investigations have been completed, resulting in an overall 41.4% reduction in blood lead levels among participating children.
– During these home visits, staff also provide a free spice swap program. Some imported spices may contain lead, so they are tested and exchanged for safer alternatives.
– The program has distributed twenty LeadCare II analyzers to areas with high risk and low testing rates. Additional testing kits were sent to local public health agencies and clinics to increase access.
– A webinar series was conducted for 90 healthcare providers to improve early identification of blood lead poisoning and guide post-exposure care.
– The program developed Colorado’s first Lead Exposure Prevention Curriculum for parents and children in grades K–5. Outreach efforts include an artwork contest for elementary students to raise awareness about preventing lead poisoning.
The department’s Test and Fix Water for Kids Program also supports public schools and licensed child care programs by providing free training, testing, remediation, and technical assistance to reduce lead in drinking water. Over 1,700 schools, 2,400 child care facilities, and 400 child care homes have been tested. More than 90% of required remediation actions—such as replacing faucets or posting “handwashing-only” signs—have been completed. The program aims to protect over 700,000 children from lead exposure in drinking water at schools and child care sites across Colorado.
For more information on preventing lead poisoning, visit CDPHE’s Lead and health and Lead testing webpages.
