ABOUT US
Our History
The Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning is an education and advocacy organization composed of hundreds of individuals and community organizations dedicated to eliminating childhood lead poisoning and other environmental home health hazards. Located in Rochester, NY our mission is to empower communities and their residents to prevent childhood lead poisoning by sharing information, educational materials and best practices, and working towards public policy change. The Coalition is comprised of members who share the following conviction: childhood lead poisoning can and must end.
Current Chair
Mary Eileen (Mel) Callan
Family Nurse Practitioner at Highland Family Medicine Center;
former staff to state Senator Rick Dollinger
HISTORY
Resources and Publications Documenting Rochester's Lead Law Progress
Updated October 14, 2021
In 2005, Rochester passed a code amendment adding lead inspections to the city’s existing Certificate of Occupancy inspections of pre-1978 rental housing. This law, the community-based process that gave rise to it, and evaluation of its implementation have been a useful model and resource for many other communities. People often find it helpful to talk with Rochester stakeholders to clarify details. As a starting point, many summaries and analyses have been written about Rochester’s law. This list is a selection of several reliable sources that offer an overview of Rochester’s experience.
Center for Governmental Research. 2008. An Evaluation of the City of Rochester’s
Lead Law: 2006-2008 http://nchharchive.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=6dsL5C402C0%3d&tabid=296
Dissell, R, and B. Zeltner. 2015. How Rochester responded to its lead poisoning problem: Toxic Neglect.
The Plain Dealer. www.cleveland.com/healthfit/2015/10/how_rochester_stopped_using_ch.html
Kennedy BS, Doniger AS, Painting S, et al. 2014. Declines in elevated blood lead levels among children, 1997-2011. Am J Prev Med 2014; 46: 259-264.
Korfmacher, K.S. 2008. Collaborating for primary prevention: Rochester’s new lead law. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. 14(4): 400-406.
Korfmacher, K.S. 2010. Boundary networks and Rochester’s “smart” lead law: The use of multidisciplinary information in a collaborative policy process. New Solutions. 20(3): 317-336.
Korfmacher, K.S., M. Ayoob, R.L. Morley. 2012. Rochester’s lead law: Evaluation of an environmental health policy innovation. Environmental Health Perspectives. 120(2):309-315
Korfmacher, K.S. 2019. Bridging Silos: Collaborating for Environment, Health and Justice in Urban Communities. MIT Press.
McDade, E. 2018. The Mission: End Childhood Lead Poisoning in Rochester. Shelterforce. Retrieved from https://shelterforce.org/2018/11/13/the-mission-end-childhood-lead-poisoning-in-rochester/
Trust For America’s Health. 2017. Rochester’s Efforts to Prevent and Respond to Childhood Lead Exposure https://www.tfah.org/story/rochesters-efforts-to-prevent-and-respond-to-childhood-lead- exposure/
Lead-based paint poisoning prevention: Rochester. Results for America. (2021, September 13). Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://catalog.results4america.org/program/lead-paint-abatement-programs/lead-based-paint-poisoning-prevention-rochester?issueArea=2228.
For more information and updates:
These are just a few available sources and may not answer all questions. Also, laws change, data is updated, new reports are written…check for the latest updates! Here are some good starting points:
City of Rochester lead programs: www.cityofrochester.gov/lead Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning: https://theleadcoalition.org/
Monroe County Dept. of Public Health Lead Program: www2.monroecounty.gov/eh-leadpoisoning.php University of Rochester Environmental Health Sciences Center: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/environmental-health-sciences/community-engagement- core/projects-partnerships/lead.aspx