Kane County public health committee approves lead-testing equipment purchase and adopts 2024–2027 community health improvement plan

Kane County’s Public Health Committee on April 16 approved two resolutions by roll call: one to reallocate grant funds and purchase a portable, non-radioactive lead-surface analyzer for the county’s lead-poisoning prevention response, and one to adopt the county’s 2024–2027 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a planning document the committee said is required for state certification and national accreditation efforts.

Lead equipment

The committee unanimously approved a budget adjustment to shift grant money into an equipment line so the department can buy a SCIAPS X550 lead paint analyzer, described in the meeting as a non‑radioactive alternative to the x-ray fluorescence units previously loaned by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Michael Isaacson, executive director for public health, and other staff explained the machine will allow the environmental team to test surfaces in homes and other settings to help identify lead sources more quickly. “Prior to now, IDPH has lent us their equipment to use and it’s, radioactive… This one is non radioactive,” a department speaker said during the discussion.

Staff said the change in the CDC/state reference blood-lead level from 5 micrograms per deciliter to 3.5 has increased the number of children who meet the threshold for follow-up and that the county’s lead team needs portable testing capacity to respond. The committee recorded no objections and the chair announced the measure passed.

Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)

The committee also voted to adopt the 2024–2027 CHIP. Blair Aleman (presentation slides), the department’s presenter, described the CHIP as part of the Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs (iPLAN) and said inclusion in the county’s iPLAN is required for state certification and for national accreditation. The CHIP identifies four priority areas selected by a broad group of community partners: behavioral health, access to health care, housing access and food access.

Aleman summarized objectives that the health department will pursue over the next three years, including investigating the hiring of community health workers, expanding behavioral-health provider capacity through trainings, funding local food pantries and supporting a needs assessment by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) for housing needs. Committee members asked about data and program sustainability; presenters said much of the work will leverage community partnerships and that some initiatives are funded with ARPA behavioral-health allocations previously approved by the county board.

A roll-call vote adopted the CHIP with one member recorded as opposed. Commissioner David Young registered the lone "no" vote during the roll call; the resolution otherwise received majority support.

Other procedural items

The committee also approved the minutes from the March 19 meeting by unanimous consent and placed today’s reports on file by unanimous consent.