Report 2019-105 Recommendation 12 Responses

Report 2019-105: Childhood Lead Levels: Millions of Children in Medi-Cal Have Not Received Required Testing for Lead Poisoning (Release Date: January 2020)

Recommendation #12 To: Public Health, Department of

To better ensure that children with lead poisoning are identified and treated, CDPH should prioritize meeting legislative requirements related to these issues, including doing the following by March 2020: Provide guidance to health care providers about the risks of childhood lead exposure and statutory requirements related to lead testing.

60-Day Agency Response

CDPH developed a revised Standard of Care Guidelines document which incorporates the California Health and Safety Code Section 105286 requirements. This same document also includes "Potential Sources of Lead: Educating Families to Prevent Childhood Lead Exposure," which was updated to include additional multiple lead risk factors cited in statute and risk factors identified during case investigations of lead-poisoned children. These updated documents were posted on the department website on August 15, 2019. (Documents attached)

In August 2019, CLPPB submitted an article notifying physicians of the updated version of "Standard of Care Guidelines on Childhood Lead Poisoning for California Health Care Providers" and "Potential Sources of Lead: Educating Families to Prevent Childhood Lead Exposure." for inclusion in the Fall 2019 California Medical Board Newsletter. The article is titled "Updates on the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program" and also provides information for California physicians regarding childhood lead poisoning prevention, screening, and management, including mandated requirements, information updates, and resources. The California Medical Board Newsletter is sent to all California physicians, and is expected to be published in a combined Fall 2019/Winter 2020 issue which will include the CLPPB-authored article.

CLPPB will continue to identify opportunities to provide guidance to medical providers throughout California about the risks of childhood lead exposure and statutory requirements related to lead testing. For example, CLPPB will be directly distributing the new guidelines and source information (along with a listing of free educational materials available for patients) to medical providers caring for children in California, beginning in March 2020.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Fully Implemented

CDPH met the requirements to provide health care providers with guidance about the risks of childhood lead exposure and statutory requirements related to lead testing based on the California Medical Board Newsletter article published for Fall 2019/Winter 2020.

All Recommendations in 2019-105

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.