History of the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning

The Coalition was founded in 1986 as Parents Against Lead by the Middle East Community Organization, the Southeast Community Organization and child health and housing advocates. Today, the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (the “Coalition”) is the recognized leader on the issues of lead poisoning prevention and healthy homes in Maryland, and widely considered to be one of the most successful organizations of its kind in the nation. The Coalition’s practical, methodical, yet inspired work has systematically altered the landscape of lead poisoning in Maryland by bringing new strategies, creative resources, and reliable leadership in lead affected communities to bear on this entirely preventable disease. The Coalition has a long history of working in partnership with communities, neighborhood-bases organizations, umbrella organizations, health care providers, tenants, and owners (both rental and owner-occupied) to forge partnerships that produce solutions.

The Coalition is credited as having a leading role in helping to achieve a 90% reduction in annual cases of lead poisoning (over 20ug/dL) and cases of elevated lead levels (over 10ug/dL) since 1994 in Baltimore and throughout the State. One of the Coalition’s strength’s is the organizations ability to identify the need for a policy change or resources, and then to create the program, the financial support or the political will to address those needs.

Examples of our work history:

1993	Coalition Founded
1994	Coalition creates Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention Partnership
1994	Coalition instrumental in passing Lead Risk Reduction in Housing Law; the first law mandating lead treatment by owners of rental homes.
1995	Coalition created first Lead Safe Housing Registry to help make families make smart housing choices
1996	Coalition begins HEPA-vacuum load program
1997	Created statewide legislation requiring all children attending pre-school have proof they we screened for lead
1998	Coalition chaired Enforcement Task Force to enforce Health Department Lead Violations
2000	Coalition leads effort in universally testing 1 and 2 year olds in all risk areas of Maryland
2000	Coalition pushes Maryland legislation to spend $50 million over three years to promote leads safe, healthy homes
2001	Executive Director co-chairs committee resulting in the acquisition of 15 relocation units to be utilized by occupants
2003	Coalition gets State to name Lead Poisoning Prevention one of the top priorities for the Departments of Environment and Health.
2003	Coalition helps pass legislation with paint retailers requiring they clearly post information on lead safe practices
2004	Coalition and Baltimore City pass legislation that all Section 8 units must comply with the Maryland Lead Risk Reduction in Housing Law
2004	Coalition assisted in the development of lead-safe deconstruction and demolition standards for the East Baltimore Development, Inc which later served as a national model for all urban demolition
2005	Coalition holds Summit for 2010, a community driven strategic event for how Baltimore, Maryland and the Nation can achieve the goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning by 2010

Maryland Non-Profits Standards for Excellence

Coalition to
End Childhood Lead Poisoning
2714 Hudson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21224-4716
410.534.6447
800.370.5323
Info@LeadSafe.org