Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
State Blood Lead Testing Regulations
Pursuant to California Code of Regulations Title 17, healthcare providers are responsible for performing the following actions during periodic health care assessments on children aged 6 months to 6 years:
At each peridodic assessment from 6 months to 6 years. Under California state laws and regulations, all health care providers are required to inform all parents and guardians about:
- The risks and effects of childhood lead exposure
- The requirement that children enrolled in Medi-Cal receive blood lead tests
- The requirement that children not enrolled in Medi-Cal who are at high risk of lead exposure receive blood lead tests
Blood Lead Test
- All children in participating in publicly supported programs such as Medi-Cal, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Child Health and Disabilities Prevention (CHDP) should receive a blood lead test at both 12 months and 24 months of age.
- Perform a "catch up" test for children age 24 months to 6 years participating in a publicly supported program who were not tested at 12 and 24 months.
Assess
If a child is not participating in a publicly supported program:
- Blood lead test if the answer to the following question is "yes" or "don't know."
"Does your child live in, or spend a lot of time in, a place built before 1978 that has peeling or chipped paint or that has recently been remodeled?"
- Blood lead test if a change in circumstance has put the child at risk of lead exposure.
- Other indications for a blood lead test:
-Parental request
-Sibling, playmate, or other close contact has an increasaed blood lead level
-Suspected lead exposure
-History of living in or visiting a country with high levels of environmental lead
Lead Updates
Our provider
newsletter with important information and updates about childhood lead
poisoning prevention for health care professionals.
- Provider In-Services and Grand Rounds presentations on childhood lead poisoning are available for health care providers. Contact the County of San Diego Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to learn more.
For more information, contact the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (619) 692-8487 or send us an e-mail.
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