Section 845.55  Lead Testing

a)         Any physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches or health care provider who sees or treats children 6 years of age or younger shall test those children for lead poisoning when those children reside in or frequently visit an area defined as high risk by the Department.  Children residing in areas defined as low risk by the Department shall be evaluated for risk by the Childhood Lead Risk Questionnaire developed by the Department, and, if determined to be a high risk, shall receive a blood lead test. (Section 6.2 of the Act)  Medicaid enrolled children shall receive a blood test as required in the Healthy Kids' Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program.  Children who have elevated capillary results of 3.5 µg/dL or greater (on or after January 1, 2025, or 5 µg/dL through December 31, 2024) shall be confirmed by a venous sample.  All children with an elevated blood lead level that has been confirmed shall receive follow-up blood lead testing according to the schedule set forth by the Department.

1)         Children determined to be at high risk based upon the Childhood Lead Risk Questionnaire shall receive a blood lead test.

2)         Children who have elevated capillary results of 3.5 µg/dL or greater (on or after January 1, 2025, or 5 µg/dL through December 31, 2024)  shall be confirmed by a venous sample.

b)         Each licensed, registered, or approved health care facility serving children 6 years of age or younger, including, but not limited to, health departments, hospitals, clinics, and health maintenance organizations approved, registered or licensed by the Department, shall take the appropriate steps to ensure that children 6 years of age or younger be evaluated for risk or tested for lead poisoning or both.  (Section 6.2 of the Act)

c)         Physicians and health care providers should evaluate children 7 years of age and older, and pregnant persons, in accordance with the Childhood Lead Risk Questionnaire and Prenatal-risk Evaluation of Lead Exposure provided by the Department.

d)         Each day care center, day care home, preschool, nursery school, kindergarten, or other child care facility, licensed or approved by the State, including programs operated by a public school district, shall include a requirement that each parent or legal guardian of a child between one and 7 years of age provide a statement from a physician or health care provider that the child has been screened for risk of lead poisoning, or tested, or both.  This statement shall be provided prior to admission and subsequently in conjunction with physical examinations required by both the Healthy Kids Program and 77 Ill. Adm. Code 665.140 of the Department's rules titled Child and Student Health Examination and Immunization Code. (Section 7.1 of the Act)  Day care centers and day care homes licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services must also be in compliance with the drinking water standards found in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8, 407.370 and 408.30.

e)         Child care facilities that participate in the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) shall annually send or deliver to the parents or guardians of children enrolled in the facility's care an informational pamphlet regarding awareness of lead exposure. Pamphlets shall be produced and made available by the Department and shall be downloadable from the Department's internet website. (Section 7.1 of the Act)

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 12384, effective August 5, 2024)