Kenosha County Public Health is highlighting its Live Lead Safe program during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The initiative, supported by federal funding, aims to help residents reduce lead paint hazards in homes built before 1978.
The program is available to both owner-occupied and rental properties where household income falls below limits set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides funding for the effort. Qualified participants may receive up to 85 percent of construction costs covered for activities such as lead removal, encapsulation, and sometimes replacement of windows, doors, or siding.
Priority is given to homes with children under age six, pregnant women, or residential daycare facilities. Mark Melotik, Environmental Health Manager at Kenosha County Public Health, said: “Even at low levels, lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral issues, or other health challenges. The Live Lead Safe program is a valuable resource for families that might not have the means to afford mitigation efforts to make their homes safer.”
Kenosha County Public Health administers this HUD-funded program for residents in both Kenosha and Racine counties. Those interested can find more details about eligibility requirements and an online screening questionnaire at www.kenoshacountywi.gov/lead.
The department also offers advice on reducing risks from lead exposure in older homes. Recommendations include regularly wiping down surfaces with damp paper towels and disposing of them immediately; mopping floors weekly; removing shoes upon entry; vacuuming carpets and upholstery—preferably with HEPA filters; carefully discarding loose paint chips; taking precautions during renovations; having professional testing for lead hazards; and ensuring blood level tests for children at specific ages.
Additional information about Kenosha County Public Health’s services can be found at https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/health.
In related local context, recent data show that Indian Trail High School and Academy had the highest enrollment among Kenosha County schools in the 2023-24 academic year with 2,001 students (https://dpi.wi.gov/). White students represented just over half of all students enrolled in county schools during that period (https://dpi.wi.gov/), while Hispanic students were the second largest group at roughly a quarter of the student body (https://dpi.wi.gov/). American Indian students made up only a small fraction of total enrollment (https://dpi.wi.gov/).
For more information on eligibility or applying to the Live Lead Safe program, community members are encouraged to visit www.kenoshacountywi.gov/lead or contact Kenosha County Public Health directly.
