News  Changes to the Lead Regulation for Pediatric Healthcare Providers

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) has amended its Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Regulation which will go into effect December 1, 2017. Notably, it lowers the blood lead level in the regulatory definition of Lead Poisoning, establishes a new Blood Lead Level of Concern category, and institutes additional screening guidelines for these blood lead levels. Details of these and other changes are found below. Please refer to our website or contact CLPPP with any questions.

Mandatory Screening Schedule Remains the Same

• Screen all children at 9-12 months and again at ages 2 & 3
• Continue to screen children 4 and over if High Risk
  • Lives in a High Risk Community: A list of these communities can be found at: mass.gov/dph/clppp: “Lead Research and Statistics”
  • Lives in a High Risk Environment: Other poisoned children in the same home or pre-1978 homes under renovation

Changes to Regulatory Blood Lead Level Categories

• Lead Poisoning: Venous Blood Levels ≥ 10 µg/dL (reduced from 25 µg/dL)
• Blood Lead Level of Concern: Venous Blood Levels 5 to <10 µg/dL (new regulatory category)

Changes to Screening and Reporting Thresholds

• Capillary tests ≥ 5 µg/dL now require venous confirmatory re-screening (recommended within 2 months)
• Continue to report all Blood Levels to CLPPP
  • BLL 10 µg/dL or greater (reduced from 25 µg/dL): Report within 3 business days of testing
  • BLL < 10 µg/dL: Report within 7 calendar days of testing
• Provide parents/guardians with proof of screening for entry into daycare and pre-K programs in addition to kindergarten.