California Childhood Blood Lead Testing — MDHHS Surveillance
What this means
Federal law (Medicaid EPSDT) requires every Medicaid-enrolled child to be tested for blood lead at ages 12 and 24 months, and any child with risk factors (older housing, recent immigration) at any age. The CDC blood-lead reference value is 3.5 µg/dL — children above that level get follow-up care. States run Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs (CLPPP) that surveil and respond at the county level; CDC aggregates the data nationally.
What you can do
- Free blood-lead test for any child under 6: call your county health department or your Medicaid plan.
- If you live in a home built before 1978, assume lead paint may be present — wet-wipe windowsills weekly, use a HEPA vacuum.
- Have your home tested: HUD's lead-safe directory has certified inspectors in every state.
- If your child has an elevated level: your county CLPPP coordinator manages follow-up and home assessments.
Official sources & resources
More health indicators