The Maine Affordable Housing Coalition (MAHC)’s March 2019 report, entitled “Comparative Assessment of Lead Poisoning Screening Practices in Maine & New England,” provides an overview of lead poisoning rates and screening trends in New England in order to inform a more thorough analysis of state policy and the reforms necessary to protect children from exposure to lead, a debilitating neurotoxin. Data were collected from individual state databases and previously published lead testing annual reports. Maine data was collected from the Maine Environmental Health Public Health Tracking Network website. Where possible, national Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) databases were used to confirm trends and differences across states. Qualitative interviews were conducted with public health department officials in each New England state to provide additional context and identify screening trends and best practices. New England universal screening laws were compared and analyzed. State definitions of lead poisoning and their respective action thresholds were also included in the legal
assessment.
Read the Executive Summary and the full report for more information.