Lead Poisoning Prevention
Guidelines

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MDH has published several guidelines to aid health care professionals and physicians in identifying lead poisoning in children and adults and how to treat it.

Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Minnesota (March 2000)

The Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Minnesota were officially released in March 2000. They recommend physicians order blood tests for 1) children residing in specific geographic areas that have a high rate of elevated blood lead cases, and 2) children matching specific demographic groups that have a high rate of elevated blood lead. The guidelines are endorsed by the Minnesota Medical Association (MMA), the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP), and BlueCross BlueShield BluePlus of Minnesota.

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Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Pregnant Women in Minnesota (June 2004)

In June 2004, MDH developed Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Pregnant Women in Minnesota. They are designed for OB/GYN physicians, nurse practitioners, and midwives to assist them in screening and treating pregnant women for elevated blood lead levels, thus ensuring that both the women and their children receive intervention to reduce their lead exposure. They are endorsed and supported by the Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The guidelines have been sent to all OB/GYN physicians, nurse practitioners, and midwives in Minnesota.

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Childhood Blood Lead Case Management Guidelines for Minnesota
(June 2001/Revised June 2006/Revised March 2011)

The Childhood Blood Lead Case Management Guidelines for Minnesota were officially released in June 2001. In 2006, the guidelines were revised to reflect current state statute, and the knowledge gained in the previous five years of implementation. As part of the revision, the full report title was changed to, Childhood Blood Lead Case Management Guidelines for Minnesota - Reference Manual to more accurately reflect the document's purpose, while the condensed version's title (Appendix C below) did not change. The documents are intended as tools that case managers can use to provide consistent and comprehensive case management.

Appendix C can be used for quick verification of what interventions are recommended for each blood lead level. The reference manual is more comprehensive and includes recommended qualifications for the case manager, protocols for the home visit, a list of referrals for services and information, action plans for various blood lead levels (ranging from non-detect to emergency medical situation), a review of case closure thresholds, and a glossary of commonly used lead terms. The guidelines were endorsed in 2001 by the MMA, the Minnesota Chapter of the AAP, the MAFP, and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA).

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Childhood Blood Lead Clinical Treatment Guidelines for Minnesota (July 2001, updated March 2011)

The Childhood Blood Lead Clinical Treatment Guidelines for Minnesota were officially released in July 2001. They represent the consensus opinion of eight physicians experienced in treating patients with an elevated blood lead level. The issue discussed the most in the work group was the efficacy of chelation therapy, and the blood lead level above which chelation is appropriate. The guidelines are endorsed by the MMA, the Minnesota Chapter of the AAP, the MAFP, and the MNA.

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Protecting Families from Lead: The Lead Poisoning Prevention Workshop Manual

The "Protecting Families from Lead: The Lead Poisoning Prevention Workshop" manual was prepared to assist lead case managers and health educators in spreading the word about childhood lead poisoning prevention. The target audiences for the workshops are professionals/groups that work with families with young children, e.g. rental property owners and day care providers. The manual describes the workshop strategy and provides basic information on the preparation, implementation, and evaluation of a lead prevention workshop. The manual includes a set of seven appendices which provide support materials for workshop hosts, including frequently asked questions and answers about lead, a draft workshop agenda, sample demonstrations that can be performed during a workshop, and sample evaluation tools.

The PDF documents listed below are large. If you have problems downloading the documents or questions about the manual or the workshop strategy, please contact the Minnesota Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Manager (see list on the Contact Us web page).

For more information about Lead Training go to HUD's training site.

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Updated Wednesday, 16-May-2012 08:26:59 CDT