HHS granted the Genesee County Healthy Start Program $15 million to address health issues linked to high levels of lead exposure in Flint, Mich., and its surrounding areas.
The program identifies children exposed to lead-contaminated water, assesses their needs and ensures their social and medical requirements are met. The program also provides health services for women and their families affected by the lead crisis.
"We understand the urgency of the situation, and this funding will help connect affected and at-risk Flint residents to comprehensive health and social services proven to mitigate the effects of lead exposure," HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, said in a statement.
The funding is intended to help address ongoing health risks for women and children stemming from elevated lead levels in local water. Women can carry lead in their bones for decades and expose children to lead through pregnancy and breast feeding, and infants exposed to lead can experience developmental delays.
The city switched its water source to the Flint River in 2014 to cut costs. Issues with the lead contamination in the water supply began to emerge, but the city did not switch back to the Detroit water supply until October 2015. Former President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Flint in January 2016.
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