Empire News 2-2-10

Federal grants to protect children from lead paint and other household hazards

NEW YORK – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Monday awarded almost $1 million in grants to two upstate communities and Columbia University to make homes healthier and to protect young children from lead poisoning.

The grants are part of more than $13 million awarded to 25 projects nationwide to conduct a wide range of activities that include eliminating lead and housing-related hazards in thousands of homes; training workers in lead and healthy homes interventions; supporting research to improve home safety efforts; increasing public awareness, and evaluating outreach on controlling housing-based hazards. New York State grantees are listed below.

The Broome County Health Department will be awarded $100,000 in Lead Hazard Control Capacity Building Grant Program funds to expand equal access to affordable healthy housing for local families, provide employment opportunities, enhance the sustainability of the county communities, and improve the quality of life for the citizens of the county.

The Broome County Health Department will be partnering with the City of Binghamton, Town of Union, Broome County Department of Social Services, BCHD Maternal & Child Health, Opportunities for Chenango, Broome-Tioga Workforce, Tioga Opportunities, Broome County Council of Churches, and the Family and Children's Society. Contact: Ms. Sarah Walker, Public Health Educator, Lead Primary Prevention Program Coordinator at (607) 778-2809 or email swalker@co.broome.ny.us.

The Niagara County Department of Health will be awarded $100,000 in Lead Hazard Control Capacity Building Grant Program funds to develop infrastructure, implement lead hazard control and complete the process of creating lead safe housing. The Niagara County Department of Health will be partnering with the Environmental Education Associates. Contact: Mr. James Devald, Director of Environmental Health at (716) 439-744 or email James.Devald@niagaracounty.com.

Columbia University will be awarded $799,947 in Healthy Homes Technical Studies funds to study household-related injury and illness as it relates to the nation’s growing population of elderly residents. Information on household hazards and their effects on the elderly is very limited. This project is a household hazards assessment and hazards reduction intervention study, using a pre/post-test design.

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