West Virginia

In West Virginia, 25% of children under the age of 6 lived in poverty during 2015, and 51% of West Virginia births were paid for by Medicaid. In 2015, the Centers for Medicare-Medicaid Services reported that 16% of Medicaid-eligible children under the age of six received a blood lead level test.

Using CDC funds, West Virginia Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (WVCLPPP) re-established their CLPPP Advisory Committee. The WVCLPPP Advisory Committee meets twice a year to identify strategies to improve population-based interventions. The committee includes members from federal, state, and local health and housing agencies as well as non-profit organizations, early educational service providers, and other stakeholders interested in preventing childhood lead poisoning.

The WVCLPPP promotes and attends community outreach activities in high-risk target areas, such as health fairs and community baby showers, to educate providers and parents about the adverse effects of lead poisoning and the importance of primary prevention, testing, nutrition, and cleaning.

The WVCLPPP worked with the West Virginia Home Visitation Program, Right From The Start (RFTS), and Early Head Start to add blood lead screening questions to assessment instruments for children under age six and for pregnant women. Based on the assessment results, referrals are made to the child’s physician for lead screening.

The number of children screened for childhood lead poisoning in West Virginia increased by 17% between 2013 and 2017 – with 12,325 children tested in 2013, and 14,400 tested in 2017.