General Problem-----Hilltop Problem-----Increased Awareness-----Testing Children-----Identify Contaminations

Increase the Awareness of Toxic Lead Problems in the Neighborhood

During the Spring of 2004, VU COPC staff developed and distributed a questionnaire to Neighborhood residents to determine the extent of knowledge about lead hazard problems. The results indicated some degree of knowledge but that a good deal of misinformation exists and responses to most questions indicated that people just did not know a lot about problems related to lead hazards.

Nursing Student Contacts

Valparaiso University Nursing students with the assistance of professors from the VU College of Nursing, the Porter County Health Department, Porter Memorial Hospital, and Hilltop Medical Center selected appropriate materials on lead hazards. During this summer and fall of 2004, 47 nursing students (19 during the summer and 28 during the fall) went door to and contacted 302 addresses and distributed the literature and spoke personally to persons in each household in the Hilltop Neighborhood. Residents were given material from the Indiana State Department of Health and also a flyer developed by the College of Nursing explaining where residents could get various testing done.

Lead Hazard Informational Meetings

Caroline Shook, Director of Housing Opportunities, conducted a neighborhood informational meeting on how to identify lead hazards and to perform minor lead hazard remediations. One meeting has been held with neighborhood residents and a dozen persons were provided with information. These meetings will continue to be held periodically at Hilltop Community Health Center for Neighborhood residents.

Identify Non-resident Property Owners and Contact Them About Lead Hazards Problems

In the Hilltop Neighborhood over 80% of households rent and therefore it is critical to contact not only the residents but also the owners of this property. After a good deal of effort, Community Outreach Partnership Staff have identified all of the owners of more than 400 pieces of property in the Hilltop Neighborhood. Appropriate material has been developed and sent to these persons. The material was mailed out to all property owners in the fall of 2004. The material included not only a description of health issues relating to lead hazards but it also included offers to test their properties.

Contact pediatricians and child care providers on lead hazard problems

College of Nursing students, working with the Porter County Health Department, will distribute literature and make presentations to pediatricians and to employees of child care centers. VU COPC staff have identified all child care providers in the community and all pediatricians.