Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition to Share Important Updates at Public Convening

Mar 23, 2026

Quarterly Convening Planned for March 30 is Free and Open to the Public

CLEVELAND, OHIO—The Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition will share recent progress in its work toward addressing childhood lead poisoning – including promising early results of the Screening and Testing pilot program – at its quarterly Convening Monday, March 30, at 12:30 p.m. at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, 4515 Superior Ave., Cleveland.

The Coalition will provide encouraging updates on the initiatives of its nationally recognized Lead Safe Home Fund including:

  • The Lead Safe Home Grants program, which has awarded $7.2 million in grants to make 492 units lead safe.
  • The Lead Safe Certification Incentives program, which at its conclusion will have awarded more than $8.9 million in incentives for rental property owners who were proactive in achieving the city’s Lead Safe Certification.
  • The Lead Safe Resource Center, a one-stop headquarters for lead education and community outreach as well as training and support for over 875 lead-safe workers.
  • The Lead Safe Child Care program, which has awarded 16 grants to make center- and home-based child-care locations lead safe.

The Coalition also will report on the early successes of the Lead Safe Relocation Assistance pilot program and the Lead Screening and Testing pilot program.

The Screening and Testing pilot program, developed to increase the rate of lead testing in Cleveland children, already has had a notable impact. In the period between the program’s implementation on July 1, 2025, and February 28,2026, the number of children who attended a well visit and received at least one lead test by their second birthday increased nearly 6.5% from 69.3% to 75.7%.

“We’re encouraged by these early results,” said Robert Eick, MD, MPH, President and CEO of Better Health Partnership (BHP), which administers the program. “Screening and testing are essential components of a multi-faceted approach to addressing the lead poisoning crisis. We must identify when children have elevated blood lead levels so they can receive timely follow-up and the care and support they deserve.”

The pilot program focuses on expanding lead testing and follow-up as well as providing education to providers through medical residency programs, continuing education and Community Health Worker training.

“Pilot programs like this one illustrate the value of the Coalition’s work to develop and incubate ideas that, if successful, can be scaled to form the foundation for lasting, meaningful change,” said Ayonna Blue Donald, Vice President and Market Leader, Ohio Market, Enterprise Community Partners, and Coalition Executive Committee Member.

The Coalition Convening is an opportunity to learn more about the public-private partnership and how it serves the community-wide effort to eliminate the threat of lead exposure in Cleveland homes. The event will begin with lunch at 12:30 p.m., and the program will begin at 1 p.m. Register for the Coalition Convening here.

Even in tiny amounts, lead can damage a child’s brain and other organs, causing lifelong health and developmental challenges. Lead poisoning is a public health crisis in Cleveland, where more than 90% of the housing stock was built before 1978, when lead paint was banned by the federal government. Many of those homes are older rental properties concentrated in communities affected by disinvestment and redlining.

Since 2019, the Coalition has grown to more than 500 members, including over 150 different organizations as well as property owners, residents, lead safe workers and community leaders. Its Lead Safe Home Fund is a model for regional programs throughout the U.S. For more information, visit www.leadsafecle.org.

 

About the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition

The Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition was established in 2019 to address the City’s lead crisis, which particularly impacts children living in homes built before 1978 that contain lead-based paint. The Coalition’s programs aim to test ideas to improve lead testing and screening rates; help make environments lead-safe for Cleveland residents; and ease the financial burden associated with lead remediation. The Coalition’s work is made possible by philanthropic gifts, non-profit support and public funds. For more information, visit www.LeadSafeCLE.org.
 

Contact:

Candace Goforth DeSantis
Communications Program Manager
410.964.8239
cdesantis@enterprisecommunity.org

Know the sources. Prevent Exposure. Let’s build a lead safe Cleveland.

Join the Coalition