Worried about your family’s exposure to lead paint? It’s easy to test to find out

Many older homes in Hennepin County still contain lead paint. It wasn’t until 1978 that lead paint was banned.

Lead dust from paint that is still present in older homes continues to be a danger to children under six and to pregnant women as it is absorbed into their bodies. Ongoing lead exposure and even poisoning at high levels can create irreversible and lifelong developmental delays and learning issues.

The good news is that Hennepin County makes it easy for families to take the first step to address potential lead dust in their homes.

To determine if there’s a health risk, Hennepin County residents can turn to the Neighborhood HealthSource clinics as an accessible, affordable resource. The non-profit clinics work closely with the Hennepin County Lead Removal Program to provide free blood testing for families.

There are four Neighborhood Healthsource Clinics. The Sheridan and Central clinics are located in northeast Minneapolis, the Fremont Clinic is in north Minneapolis and there’s also a clinic in Coon Rapids. All provide free or low cost routine health-care services as well as testing for lead exposure.

“We are skilled to work with children. We help calm them while we do the test, which is just a quick capillary finger poke,” explained Erika Denham, community health educator and phlebotomist who conducts may of the tests. “The test is sent out for results. The entire process takes a few minutes and is just pretty easy.”

Once test results are in, the patients are contacted to determine next steps. Those who test positive are scheduled to meet with a medical provider.

They are also referred to the Hennepin County Lead Removal Program to set up a time to have their homes tested. If lead paint is confirmed, eligible homeowners can apply for a grant to replace old windows with new, lead-free, energy-efficient windows.

Now that it’s summer vacation time, Denham also offers a reminder to consider where young children are spending time and if they’re in homes built before 1978.

“This is so important, as children are out for the summer, and are spending more time in the house. They're visiting grandparents who have older homes. Or, they're in day care and maybe at a day care center for the first time,” she said. “We know parents want to make sure that their kids are safe.”

To schedule an appointment for lead exposure testing, contact any of the four Neighborhood Healthsource Clinics online here or call 612-588-9411.

“It doesn't take a lot of time. It's not going to be too taxing on the kids, but it needs to be done to make sure they are safe,” Denham said.