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Cleveland officials form 'Lead Safe Cleveland Commission'

Officials provided their plans on combating lead poisoning in children

CLEVELAND — City of Cleveland officials scheduled a Tuesday news conference to discuss how they plan to address the city's lead exposure problem.

WKYC streamed it live on our site and on Facebook.

City leaders—including Mayor Frank G. Jackson and City Council President Kevin Kelley—were joined by community partners, business leaders and philanthropists. Following what they say was 10 months of collaboration, they announced the creation of the Lead Safe Cleveland Commission, which they say will "significantly reduce the number of children with lead in their systems."

Sustainable, systemic change is what is needed," Mayor Jackson said. "I believe we will get it done."

"We have to be invested into crafting a solution that fits for Cleveland," Kelley added. "There is no 'one size fits all' solution...We will know that we're successful when [there are] less children poisoned."

Here's what officials say has been accomplished to date:

  • Commissioned research on the effects of lead poisoning in Cleveland
  • Building on research to alert people of the risks of lead poisoning
  • Working with housing experts for policy development and to establish what will be known as the "Lead Safe Home Fund"
  • Attended national conferences to help figure out what plan works best for Cleveland

Much of the focus was on addressing "hazardous" housing situations in the city, and leaders believe the "Lead Safe Home Fund" will go a long way towards remedying that situation. They also hope to have the direct support of new Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and his administration.

"Lead poisoning is a public health problem with a housing solution," Mitchell Balk, President of the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation, said. "We must solve this problem for Cleveland's children today and for generations yet unborn."

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