Lake County reports increased blood lead testing; preschool and Head Start outreach credited

Lake County Public Health reported on May 9 that blood lead testing has increased this year, driven by targeted outreach to preschools, Head Start and parent-teacher events.

Staff reported 86 blood lead tests in 2024 and 56 tests so far in the current year. The county emphasized that testing primarily targets children ages 1 to 6 and pregnant and nursing people; adults with concerns can also be tested.

Public-health staff described a strategy of sending paperwork ahead of school visits and testing children while they are at school, which produced strong participation at Brightstar and during parent-teacher conferences. Staff said Head Start children are required to have blood-lead testing; the department used that connection to remove barriers and test nearly all preschoolers at recent events.

Officials said most elevated lead levels in Lake County have been low and linked to lead-based paint in older homes; the county focuses on prevention and education (hand-washing, dust control and cleaning) and will pursue home investigations and remediation when repeat or higher levels are found. The meeting noted state home-investigator resources and a local trust fund that can cover remediation costs when families need assistance.

Speakers told the board that venous confirmation testing by primary-care providers follows finger-stick screening when indicated and that when remediation is required the county and state resources are available to support families.