71-2518. Lead poisoning prevention program; established; components; results of tests; reports required; department; reports; payment of costs.

(1) The Division of Public Health of the Department of Health and Human Services shall establish a lead poisoning prevention program that has the following components:

(a) A coordinated plan to prevent childhood lead poisoning and to minimize exposure of the general public to lead-based paint hazards. Such plan shall:

(i) Provide a standard, stated in terms of micrograms of lead per deciliter of whole blood, to be used in identifying elevated blood-lead levels;

(ii) Require that a child be tested for an elevated blood-lead level in accordance with the medicaid state plan as defined in section 68-907 if the child is a participant in the medical assistance program established pursuant to the Medical Assistance Act; and

(iii) Recommend that a child be tested for elevated blood-lead levels if the child resides in a zip code with a high prevalence of children with elevated blood-lead levels as demonstrated by previous testing data or if the child meets one of the criteria included in a lead poisoning prevention screening questionnaire developed by the department; and

(b) An educational and community outreach plan regarding lead poisoning prevention that shall, at a minimum, include the development of appropriate educational materials targeted to health care providers, child care providers, public school personnel, owners and tenants of residential dwellings, and parents of young children. Such educational materials shall be made available to the general public via the department's web site.

(2) The results of all blood-lead level tests conducted in Nebraska shall be reported to the department. When the department receives notice of a child with an elevated blood-lead level as stated in the plan required pursuant to subdivision (1)(a) of this section, it shall initiate contact with the local public health department or the physician, or both, of such child and offer technical assistance, if necessary.

(3) The department shall report electronically to the Legislature by January 1, 2013, and each January 1 thereafter, the number of children from birth through age six who were screened for elevated blood-lead levels during the preceding fiscal year and who were confirmed to have elevated blood-lead levels as stated in the plan required pursuant to subdivision (1)(a) of this section. The report shall compare such results with those of previous fiscal years and shall identify any revisions to the plan required by subdivision (1)(a) of this section.

(4) This section does not require the department to pay the cost of elevated-blood-lead-level testing in accordance with this section except in cases described in subdivision (1)(a)(ii) of this section.

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