State health officials want more dollars for a lead poisoning prevention program, but lawmakers aren’t ready to endorse the idea. Health officials suggest using about 81-thousand dollars that was headed for a teen suicide prevention program. Senator Maggie Tinsman, a republican from Davenport, isn’t sure the switch should be made, but Tinsman’s not shutting the door, either. The Department of Public Health is asking for an overall increase of 300-thousand dollars for its lead poisoning prevention efforts. Lead poisoning among Iowa children is nearly three times the national average. That’s because many Iowa homes were built before 1950, when house paint was still laced with lead. The Department’s also asking legislators to force lead poisoning tests for all Iowa kids below the age of six, much like some immunizations are required for that age group.
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