March 18, 2019
To promote the health of South Bend children, the City and the St. Joseph County Health Department, in partnership with the South Bend Community School Corporation and South Bend Medical Foundation, are providing free lead screening at Harrison Elementary on Thursday, March 21 from 3:30-6:30pm.
Free lead screening will be provided for any child between one and six years of age. Community health experts from the Health Department will be available to talk with parents about childhood lead poisoning risks and interventions. Children do not have to attend Harrison to receiving testing services.
This screening will provide parents with important information about their child’s health. Lead poisoning harms a child’s growth, behavior, and ability to learn. Children aged one to six years old are especially at risk because their brains are still developing. As a person with lead poisoning does not usually look or feel sick, a simple blood test is used to discover lead poisoning.
By providing lead testing to all young elementary children in South Bend, the City and County will be able to better understand the impact of lead and take steps to make the community healthy and lead-safe. Previous testing events have been held at Madison STEAM Academy and Muessel Primary Center.