Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA Director at Illinois Department of Public Health | Official website
Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA Director at Illinois Department of Public Health | Official website
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has expanded its list of high-risk ZIP codes, increasing mandatory lead exposure testing for children in these areas. This year, 148 new ZIP codes from 60 counties have been added, bringing the total to nearly 1,200.
“There is no safe level of lead in the blood,” stated IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “To better serve our children and build brighter futures for all of our residents, IDPH is acting to ensure that more children have access to the testing and interventions necessary to decrease the potential serious physical and developmental health concerns linked to lead exposure.”
Illinois law mandates automatic testing for children residing in high-risk ZIP codes at 12 and 24 months. Children up to six years old must be assessed for lead exposure through a pediatrician-administered questionnaire. Those identified as at risk are also tested.
High-risk ZIP codes are determined by an algorithm assessing various risk factors. The department aims to implement universal lead exposure testing across all Illinois ZIP codes by 2026. The expanded list took effect on July 1, 2024, and can be accessed online.
Under current law, blood tests showing lead levels above five micrograms per deciliter require public health intervention, including home inspections and education from public health nurses.
The newly-added ZIP codes come from numerous counties across Illinois including Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, and many others.
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