On the heels of testifying before the Philadelphia City Council and hosting U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-PA) for a roundtable discussion on lead exposure in children, CHOP recently hosted the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee for a state hearing on the public health effects of lead exposure in Pennsylvania.

childhood lead exposure roundtable members The visit came at the request of Pennsylvania Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-7th District). Attendees included Sen. Hughes; Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-18th District), committee chairwoman; Sen. Anthony Williams (D-8th District); and Sharif Street, Democratic nominee for State Senate 3rd District. The meeting took place at the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pediatric Care Center.

Kevin Osterhoudt, MD, and Marsha Gerdes, PhD, along with city and state officials and leaders from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, and the Education Law Center, testified about the long-term effects of lead exposure and the importance of prevention. During the discussion, experts agreed that Pennsylvania’s primary source of lead contamination and exposure is in lead-based paint in old homes and schools — not in water — as is the case in Flint, MI.

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Photo caption: Top row: Daniel DeLellis, Office of Medical Assistance Programs, PA DHS; Michelle Figler, Deputy Secretary, Office of Child Development, PA DHS; Roy Christ, Department of Building and Housing, City of Harrisburg; Jerry Roseman, MScIH, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers; Kevin Osterhoudt, MD, Poison Control Center at CHOP; Maura McInerney, Education Law Center; Marsha Gerdes, PhD, PolicyLab at CHOP; Colleen McCauley, Public Citizens for Children & Youth; Caroline Johnson, interim commissioner of Health, City of Philadelphia, Department of Public health. Front row: Sharif Street, Democratic nominee for State Senate 3rd District; Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-18th); Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-7th); and Sen. Anthony Williams (D-8th).