What's the Purpose of the Healthy Homes Program?
The Healthy Homes Program addresses multiple childhood diseases and injuries in the home. The Initiative takes a comprehensive approach to these activities by focusing on housing-related hazards in a coordinated fashion, rather than addressing a single hazard at a time. The HHI builds upon HUD's successful Lead Hazard Control programs to expand its efforts to address a variety of environmental health and safety concerns including: mold, lead, allergens, asthma, carbon monoxide, home safety, pesticides, and radon. *Source: http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/index.cfm
Tips for a Green Home
A green home uses less energy, water, and natural resources and creates less waste than a standard home. It can also be healthier for the people living inside. *Source: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyhomes/GreenHome/index.html
Good Health Begins at Home
Learn what you can do to help yourself and your family to have better health at home. This site offers health and safety tips about the home structure and land and things you can do at home to protect your health and lower your risk for the leading causes of death. You can search for tips. *Source: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyhomes/
LEAD PAINT POISONING
MOLD
RADON
Click on any button to go directly to that website.
LEAD POISONING
-Lead is one of the most significant and widespread environmental hazards for children in Maryland.
-Children are at greatest risk from birth to age six while their neurological systems are developing.
-Sustained exposure to lead can cause long-lasting neurological damage or death. Effects of sustained exposure include learning disabilities, shortened attention span, irritability, and lowered IQ.
Protect Yourself from Mold:
-People with asthma, allergies, or other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to mold.
-If you or your family members have health problems after exposure to mold, contact your doctor or other health care provider.
-Controlling moisture in your home is the most critical factor for preventing mold growth.
-If you plan to be inside the building for a while or you plan to clean up mold, you should buy an N95 mask at your local home supply store and wear it while in the building.
-Radon is a colorless, tasteless, odorless, radioactive gas. It occurs naturally and is produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. It can also dissolve into our water supply.
-While most radon-related deaths are due to radon gas accumulated in houses from seepage through cracks in the foundation, 30 to 1,800 deaths per year are attributed to radon from household water. High levels of dissolved radon are found in the groundwater in some areas flowing through granite or granitic sand and gravel formations. If you live in an area with high radon in groundwater it can get into your private well. Showering, washing dishes, and laundering can disturb the water and release radon gas into the air you breathe.
Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning Offers:
Environmental Protection Agency provides:
Financial Assistance for Lead Hazard Reduction:
Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) provides:
National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network (NCHH) conducts:
Research to find scientifically valid and practical strategies for making homes safe and healthy.
Through its education and training programs, NCHH alerts families and those who serve them to hazards in the home environment.
NCHH's policy work translates its scientific and technical work into government and non-governmental standards, programs, and policies.
Mold and Tenants Rights
Landlord Tenant Laws and Statutes
Information About Mold Prevention and Cleanup
FACTS
All Children entering Child Care, Head Start, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and 1st grade must provide LEAD TEST results upon entering school.
During pregnancy LEAD poisoning can be passed from mom to the unborn baby.
It's the LAW!
Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renovating before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a room for interior projects or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces for exterior projects in housing, child care facilities and schools built before 1978
Beware of OTHER sources of Lead Poisoning:
Hobbies like Stained Glass and furniture Refinishing.
Folk Remedies like Greta and Azarcon, Childrens Jewelry,
Make Up like Surma, Imported Dishes / Pottery, Painted Toys
Bounce Houses or Jump houses,
www.cpsc.gov
For more information contact your child's Doctor, local health department or the Concumer Product Safty Commission (CPSC).
LOWER SHORE RRP TRAINING
In case you didn't know ... there is a training source close to home that will provide the EPA's 8 hour Certified Renovator course:
The Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule.
At EPA's website you will find Delmarva Home Inspections, Inc provides this training at the corner of Eastern Shore Drive and 106 Lee Street, in Salisbury. Classes are held most Wednesdays. Cost is $150 each. Photo diploma issued at conclusion of passing grade on examination. Certification is good for 5 years. Seating is limited and pre-registration is necessary.
Call John Nosworthy at 443-736-7085 and leave a message.
Email to www.inspector99_comcast.net to request the latest class updates.
Lead-Safe Renovation, Repairs and Painting Contractors Must Be Lead-Safe Certified
NOTE: Due to heavy demand, users may experience search delays. EPA regrets the delays and is working to improve the system.
-- How to become Lead-Safe Certified
-- Accredited training providers near you
-- Certified firms near you
-- Find out about EPA-recognized test kits
-- Find out if your state is operating the certification program instead of EPA
-- Answers to your questions, submit questions; printer friendly version (PDF) (73 pp, 229K, about PDF)
Contact Us
Donna Webster R.N.
Regional Lead Poisoning Prevention Manager
Wicomico County Health Department
108 E. Main St.
Salisbury, MD 21801
410-543-6958 ext. 12817
Website contains: Healthy Green homes, Lead Poisoning Prevention, Maryland Department of Environment, Center for Disease Control, CPSC recalls, The LAW, and financial resources.
