American Academy of Pedicatrics - New Jersey Chapter - EPIC

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NJ PCORE
3836 Quakerbridge Road
Suite 106
Hamilton, NJ 08619

Phone: 609-588-9988
Fax: 609-588-9901

Fran Gallagher, MEd
Executive Director
fgallagher@aapnj.org

Harriet Lazarus
Associate Director of Programs
hlazarus@aapnj.org

Steven Kairys, MD, MPH, FAAP
Chair / Medical Director

Jeanne Craft, MD, FAAP
Vice Chair

Michael Segarra, MD, FAAP
Treasurer

Dahlia Hall, MD, MPH, FAAP
Secretary

Program Contacts

Harriet Lazarus, MBA
Associate Director of Programs
hlazarus@aapnj.org

Phone - 609-588-9988
Fax - 609-588-9901

Children's Futures
Medical Home
EPIC Obesity Prevention
EPIC Postpartum Depression Program
EPIC Lead
EPIC Asthma Chronic Care Management

EPIC - Lead Poisioning Prevention

Seven pediatric practices in Monmouth and Ocean counties participated in the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (EPIC - Lead) during 2007. The goal of the program is to educate the health care teams at pediatric practices about the high rate of childhood lead poisoning in New Jersey and the potentially serious effects of elevated blood lead levels on normal growth and development. The training focuses on the importance of screening children for lead poisoning and on educating families about sources of lead in their child’s living environment. During the one hour session, a medical trainer provides information on the following key components: state and local statistics and trends, screening methods, sources of lead, reduction of exposure and absorption, lead safe work practices, long term health effects, primary prevention, medical management, and reporting and case management. The training also provides the practices with an opportunity to partner with local organizations that work with families and the medical community to prevent and manage lead poisoning in the State. The Lead Coordinator from the Central New Jersey Regional Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition facilitates a discussion on the case management process, conducted by the county or local health department, which includes home visitation and an environmental investigation for families of children with elevated blood lead levels. Educational and abatement programs available for families in high risk communities are also discussed. A Health Educator from the Wipe Out Lead New Jersey Program (coordinated by the Southern NJ Perinatal Cooperative) discusses the distribution and use of free lead dust sampling kits, for pregnant women and/or families with infants and young children, as well as the outreach and follow up process and the assistance available to families who apply for lead abatement loans. Each practice received bilingual parent education materials to distribute to the families they serve and a toolkit with curricululm and additional resource information. Pre and post evaluations were used to evaluate the effectiveness, usefulness and quality of the program. The EPIC – Lead program was funded by a grant from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Family Health Services.

Educational Outcomes
Health Care teams who have completed the program, strongly agree as a result of participating they now…

•	Understand that childhood lead poisoning is a problem in NJ	35.4% Increase (84.4%)
•	Will make it a higher priority to assess and test children for lead poisoning	24.2% Increase (65.9%)
•	Will make it a higher priority in their practice to educate parents and/or caregivers about childhood lead poisoning prevention	26.3% Increase (65.9%)

(Note:: Pre N=48,Post N=44)

What did the Healthcare Teams Say About the EPIC Lead Training?
A few examples of the positive feedback noted on evaluation forms: “this training was very beneficial”, “I appreciate the availability of resources to help families of children with high lead levels”, “I found it important to learn about candies that contain lead”; “Very good cause…continue to work towards lead-free home.”