Cook County Department of Public Health

Lead Poisoning Prevention and Healthy Homes Unit

The Lead Poisoning Prevention Unit (LPPU) was established in 2001. LPPU strives for healthy families and communities in suburban Cook County by preventing, reducing, and eliminating the threat of environmental hazards in and around the home. LPPU assures healthy families and communities in suburban Cook County by creating a network of partners, advocating policy change, and building capacity to maximize resources. The LPPU focuses its resources on building and maintaining relationships with community partners and on primary prevention initiatives.

Lead poisoning affects children from all social and economic backgrounds, although children in low-income, urban and minority populations are at greatest risk because they reside in older housing. Children can be affected by even very low levels of lead. Lead is a toxic, heavy metal that affects children’s nervous systems and can cause long-term damage, such as seizures and learning disabilities.

The LPPU provides education and environmental lead inspection/assessment services to families of lead poisoned children in partnership with the Environmental Health Services Unit. Environmental inspection/assessment services are provided for children with elevated blood lead levels at and above 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) of blood that reside within the suburban Cook County’s jurisdiction. Children with blood lead levels greater than 10 µg/dL and/or upon a primary care physician’s request must receive an environmental lead inspection/risk assessment.

LPPU currently provides the following comprehensive services and/or activities throughout suburban Cook County aimed at combating this preventable disease:

• English
  • Intervention
  • Prevention
  • Renovation
• Spanish
  • Intervention
  • Prevention
  • Renovation

Healthy Homes

Currently the agency has a new program funded by HUD. The Cook County Healthy Homes Initiative’s mission is to protect children from housing-based hazards that are responsible for childhood diseases and injuries. The current service area is Alsip, Chicago Heights, Harvey, Riverdale & Robbins.Suburban Cook County residents who want to receive this home-based environmental evaluation and education can discuss their interest with their medical providers. For learning more about healthy homes and services offered by the Unit, please call 708/492-2076.