Dutchess County Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Program (CLPPPP)

The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) has been providing technical assistance and evaluation support to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Program (CLPPPP) since the inception of the initiative in 2007. Each of the 15 grantee programs operates within a unique local landscape that impacts the distinct challenges they face and successes they accomplish.
As a CLPPP Program grantee, the Dutchess County CLPPPP program seeks to achieve five goals:
1. Identify housing at greatest risk of lead-based paint hazards.
2. Develop partnerships and community engagement to promote primary prevention.
3. Promote interventions to create lead-safe housing units.
4. Build lead-safe work practices (LSWP) workforce capacity.
5. Identify community resources for lead-hazard control.

Since 2008, Dutchess County CLPPPP has worked with has worked with property owners to remove lead paint hazards from housing in the target area of Poughkeepsie within the 12601 ZIP code. Within this area, the program prioritizes multifamily dwellings built before 1978. The Dutchess County Department of Health (DCDOH) refers properties to code enforcement for inspection. These referrals are based on requests from owners or tenants, program staff’s observations of deteriorated exterior paint, and community partner recommendations following home visits. Properties where a child with a blood lead level from 5–14 μg/dL resides and multifamily dwellings where a child with an elevated blood lead level resides are also considered when making referrals.

The program’s inspections are conducted by a City of Poughkeepsie building inspector, who conducts a visual inspection of all accessible interior and exterior areas and determines whether paint conditions are in compliance with the Property Maintenance Code of New York State. The inspector uses the standard of intact versus deteriorated paint when assessing surfaces. The inspector is responsible for follow-up inspections until compliance is achieved. Properties that are not compliant are referred to the DCDOH for prioritization, investigation, and enforcement. Investigation and enforcement includes a lead assessment, using the x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, of interior and exterior painted surfaces by EPA-certified risk assessors from the DCDOH. The Dutchess County Department of Health also reviews the lead dust clearance test results following remediation and notifies the City of Poughkeepsie whether the results meet current standards.

Lead paint dust created during renovation work can substantially increase children’s exposure to lead. Dutchess County works to address this problem by training landlords, homeowners, and contractors in lead-safe work practices. This training focuses on reducing the amount of dust generated during paint-disturbing work, containing any dust generated, and thoroughly cleaning the jobsite after work to remove any lead-contaminated dust. Through a partnership with BOCES Adult Education program, Dutchess has been able to offer classes in both English and in Spanish. Additionally, in cooperation with Dutchess County BOCES, the program also offers a window and door replacement class. This course, which began in 2013, educates homeowners and landlords in lead-safe work practices when addressing these friction and impact surfaces.