Lead Free Kids GR

Want to learn more about efforts to end childhood lead exposure and poisoning? Below are some reports:

• 2016 Data Report on Childhood Lead Testing and Elevated Levels: Michigan(PDF, 4MB)
• Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission Action Plan(PDF, 236KB)
• Child Lead Poisoning Elimination Board Final Report(PDF, 683KB)
• Ending Child Lead Exposure in Kent County Report(PDF, 4MB)
• Health Impact Project (HIP) Childhood Lead Poisoning Report(PDF, 7MB)
• TACTIC Project - Final Report for the City of Grand Rapids, MI(PDF, 335KB)

Mayor Bliss assembled Lead Free Kids GR to work on the lead issue in Grand Rapids. The committee will focus on reviewing, assessing and providing guidance on City housing and lead remediation procedures, plans and programs.

Their key objective is to guide strategic thinking to possible solutions that will provide an aggressive, comprehensive plan to dramatically reduce the number of children poisoned by lead in our community.

Lead Free Kids GR will:

• Review statewide and county data, reports and recommendations
• Assess the strengths and gaps in current City procedures, plans and programs
• Make recommendations for changes and enhancements to City procedures, plans and programs
• Identify best practices to implement in Grand Rapids
• Make recommendations with clear, strategic action steps to enhance the City's work in eliminating lead hazards in homes and neighborhoods
• Examine state legislative interventions to support a Lead Free Grand Rapids

On June 12, 2018, Mayor Bliss sent out formal invitations to now-committee members to join the advisory committee. Check out her letter to prospective committee members here(PDF, 314KB).

City Elected Officials

Mayor Rosalynn Bliss

Commissioner Senita Lenear

Commissioner Kurt Reppart

Committee Chair

Karyn Ferrick, Legislative Manager, City of Grand Rapids

Partner Organization Members

Kimberly Baron, Director of School Health Services, Grand Rapids Public Schools

Matthew Beresford, Executive Director, Elementary Instructional Support, Grand Rapids Public Schools

Chandra Colley, Childhood Lead Poison Prevention Program Manager, Kent County Health Department

Sarah Edgington, Parents for Healthy Homes

Ken Fawcett, Vice President - Healthier Communities, Spectrum Health

Paul Haan, Executive Director, Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan

Candy Isabel, Community School Coordinator, KSSN (Southwest Community Campus)

Cle Jackson, President, NAACP

Ken Klomparens, Executive Director of Facilities, Grand Rapids Public Schools

Alex Markham, Parents for Healthy Homes

Raven Odom, Grand Rapids African American Health Institute

Clay Powell, Director of Development, RPOA

John Smith, Attorney, Legal Aid

Shannon Wilson, Director, Medicaid Outreach & Quality

Robert Womack, Kent County Commissioner

City Staff

Connie Bohatch, Managing Director of Community Services

Louis Canfield, Development Center Manager 

Laura Olson, Assistant to the Mayor 

 October 15, 2019

 Meeting Agenda(PDF, 65KB)

August 20, 2019

Meeting Agenda(PDF, 66KB)

June 25, 2019

Meeting Agenda(PDF, 158KB)

Lead Hazard Control Program Update #5(PDF, 486KB)

National Center for Healthy Housing Presentation(PDF, 416KB)

April 16, 2019

Meeting Agenda(PDF, 69KB)

Lead Hazard Control Program Update #4(PDF, 14MB)

Update on Kent County Epidemiologist Data Presentation(PDF, 6MB)

February 5, 2019

Meeting Agenda(PDF, 68KB)

Data Presentation from MDHHS(PDF, 165KB)

Kent County Epidemiologist Data Presentation(PDF, 6MB)

Lead Hazard Control Program Update #3(PDF, 4MB)

December 18, 2018

Meeting Agenda(PDF, 68KB)

October 23, 2018

Meeting Agenda(PDF, 60KB)

Lead Hazard Control Program Update #2(PDF, 2MB)

Kent County Community Health Advisory Council Presentation(PDF, 1MB)

August 28, 2018

Meeting Agenda(PDF, 55KB)

Lead Hazard Control Program Update #1(PDF, 2MB)

What Does the Data Say?(PDF, 2MB)