Lead is an environmental toxin that affects the brain, heart, bones, kidneys, and nervous system. Lead poses prenatal risks as well, such as miscarriage, malformations, reduced fetal growth, premature birth, stillbirth, and low birth weight. Even low levels of lead exposure can cause neurological damage and impact academic performance due to impaired memory and executive function, depression, anxiety, or hyperactivity.

Cleveland children under age 6 have elevated blood levels four times the national average. Because the effects of lead poisoning are irreversible, it is crucial to prevent childhood lead exposure before harm occurs by removing lead hazards. Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older buildings are by far the most common form of lead exposure for children in Cleveland.

Learn More About Sources of Lead Exposure

Learn More About Screening And Testing

• A government issued ID from the applicant
• Most recent 990 (non profit) or last two years of tax returns (for profit). 
• Property tax bill for property owners OR a signed lease agreement for renters
• Written property owner consent and contact information for renters 
• Rental registration certificate (for rental properties)
• Completed w-9
• Building blueprints or floorplan if accessible

You are eligible to apply if you operate a child care program (day care, pre-school, etc.) in the City of Cleveland that serves children aged 0-5 in a facility (home, storefront, commercial, etc) that was built prior to 1978.

Eligible repairs include lead interim control improvements, such as remediation and clearance. Remediation practices that are included in this work include repairs such as paint stabilization, surface treatments to minimize friction or prevent impact, floor treatment and coverings, and window and door replacements. 

Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) workers and/or Lead Abatement Workers will be hired by Starting Point to complete the lead safe work in these facilities. 

While the Lead Safe Child Care Program and other Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition Programs share the same funding source (the Lead Safe Home Fund), the Lead Safe Child Care Program is separate from the lead safe grants offered through Coalition partners (which are marketed to homeowners that are required to obtain a Lead Safe Certification from the City of Cleveland or want to make their homes lead safe).

If the child care program that you are applying for is located in a residential rental unit in Cleveland, the building owner will have to comply with the Lead Safe Certification Law. Learn more about the Lead Safe Certification Law here.

Providers that participate in the Lead Safe Child Care Program will not be eligible to participate in other lead safe grant programs that are supported by the Lead Safe Home Fund.

No, Starting Point will hire and manage contractors throughout this process.

Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) work typically includes lead safe interim controls that include specialized cleaning, repairs, maintenance, painting, and temporary containment. Some examples of work that may be done based on a lead risk assessment include:

• Window, door, and stair treatment: wet scraping peeling paint, paint stabilization, window and door replacement, replacing hinges, carpeting
• Drawer and cabinet treatment: replacing cabinet doors or paint stripping, rubber bumper installation at hinge points, re-painting
• Floors and other surface treatment: stabilizing paint on porches, decks, interior floors with abrasion resistant paint or polyurethane, carpeting or vinyl

Our goal in this process is to prevent this from happening at. We will explore solutions to this based on the typology of the facility. Some of the solutions include operating out of different spaces in the facility when feasible, completing the remediation on afternoons and weekends, or scheduling during a time the program is already scheduled to be closed. In the event these options are not feasible, we are prepared to offer stipends and/or temporary relocation costs and assistance to providers.

Yes. While the intent is to avoid the need for temporary relocation at all costs, there may be unique situations where this is necessary, in which Starting Point will offer support for relocation costs. 

It is our goal to prevent the need for providers to temporarily relocate their families during remediation periods. We will explore solutions to this based on the remediation needs of the home. Some of the solutions include limiting access to areas of the home being remediated when feasible, or scheduling during a time the residents will be away from home. In the event these options are not feasible, we are prepared to offer stipends and/or temporary relocation costs and assistance to providers and their families.

Providers will have access to training through organizations such as the Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association (OCCRA) that will increase their ability to identify lead hazards, understand mitigation, list support and resources available, identify impact on child learning development, and know what to share with parents. Throughout the pilot period, Starting Point will explore and add professional development opportunities to the program as they are identified. 

Scheduling for lead risk assessments will be on a case-by-case basis that will depend on the availability of staff and lead risk assessors. It is possible that lead assessments will be completed during operating hours. It is safe and within the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service (ODJFS) compliance to perform assessments and inspections during child care operating hours. Lead risk assessments are mostly visual and may include paint sampling in which an assessor collects paint chips and/or dust samples to be sent to a lead testing lab.