Excellus and the Community Foundation

Fund Testing for Lead Poisoning

 

Herkimer HealthNet is placing LeadCare II Units in Herkimer and Oneida Counties thanks to a grant they received from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

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HealthNet has also been a partner with The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties in support of the Lead-Free Mohawk Valley Coalition. Early detection of lead poisoning in children is critical in identifying and providing needed support to children and families. 

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LeadCare II is a point-of-care finger prick lead testing unit that is a faster and less intrusive process for children and parents compared to a venous draw process. According to the NY State Department of Health in 2014, approximately one-third of children in Herkimer and Oneida Counties were not tested by ages one and two as required by NY State law.

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In 2018, HealthNet will facilitate the placement of LeadCare II Blood Level Testing Systems and start-up supplies in healthcare practices in Herkimer and Oneida County clinics and physicians’ offices to support point-of-care screening of children. The LeadCare II System is designed for the quantitative measurement of lead in fresh whole blood. 

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The grant’s total is approximately $50,500. HealthNet has been working with Herkimer County Public Health, the Oneida County Health Department, and the Lead-Free Mohawk Valley Coalition to identify healthcare practices willing to accept placement of the LeadCare II Systems.

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HealthNet is a 501(C)3 non-profit corporation. Its mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals. For More information, call HealthNet at (315) 867-1576.