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Lead Poisoning

Lead poisoning and the problems it presents continue to surface in new ways across Rust Belt cities. In Cuyahoga County, 15 percent of children tested under age 6 have been lead poisoned at some point in their lives.

In some Cleveland neighborhoods, it’s estimated as many as one in four children has an elevated lead level. In addition, many at-risk children are not being tested or not getting the help they need to combat the serious threat lead poses to their developing brains. In an effort to raise public awareness about these issues and give parents information they need to protect their children, ideastream has launched a media series on the web, radio and television.

WVIZ/PBS premieres  Be Well: Lead Poisoning, a half-hour documentary hosted by health reporter Sarah Jane Tribble. The program follows the struggles of local parents and their children who have been poisoned. It also features discussions with local experts who offer tips for parents, as well as solutions to navigate the challenges lead poisoning continues to pose in in Northeast Ohio communities. Watch on-demand above.

WCPN presents the  Be Well Special, “Lead: Crisis Abandoned” with  All Things Considered host, Tony Ganzer. This half-hour radio documentary explores the challenges of funding in Cuyahoga County and highlights how federal money to remove lead risks from homes ran out in May. It also takes a look at the impact of lead poisoning on local children and families, as well as efforts by community leaders to design solutions to help them. Listen on-demand now: