“This is an incredibly helpful gift as it will help families detect if there are dangerous yet invisible levels of lead dust in the home before children are poisoned,” said Paul Haan, Executive Director of the Healthy Homes Coalition.  “We know that it is the residual dust from old, lead-based paint that poisons the majority of kids.  Now parents will have a tool to know if it is lurking in their homes.”

The grant will underwrite lab costs and provide materials so that parents can take dust wipe samples in their home to know if hazardous lead dust is present.  The Healthy Homes Coalition will provide the kits to parents who participate in the CLEARCorps program—a program designed to assess homes for environmental hazards and to support parents in taking corrective action.  Healthy Homes staff will work one-on-one with parents to teach them how to use the kits provided by CareSource.

“We are thrilled to be offering this partnership with Healthy Homes,” said Monica Short, West Michigan Community Sales and Marketing Representative with CareSource.  “This project will prevent lead poisoning in the community and among our insured.”

CareSource is a Medicaid managed care plan that currently serves more than 800,000 across Michigan and Ohio. Lead poisoning is of special concern to Medicaid providers, as an estimated 80% of Michigan children with lead poisoning are on Medicaid.  “This project comes at the right time as open enrollment for Medicaid takes place in May,” said Short.

The Healthy Homes Coalition is an independent, local non-profit organization that seeks to ensure that all children have the opportunity to grow up in a healthy home that is free from environmental hazards.

To view a copy of the news release, click here.

www.caresource.com