California Department of Public Health offers numerous bilingual educational materials regarding childhood lead poisoning prevention.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development lead information

Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead also can be emitted into the air from motor vehicles and industrial sources, and lead can enter drinking water from plumbing materials. Lead may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children six years old and under are most at risk.

Approximately 250,000 U.S. children aged 1-5 years have blood lead levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, the level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated. Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead poisoning often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized. CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is committed to the Healthy People goal of eliminating elevated blood lead levels in children by 2010.

Mexican-made “lead-free” bean pots contain high levels of toxic metal.

Sage Words developed a pandemic flu brochure specifically for a small clinic on the Navajo Reservation. Though the illustrations are targeted towards this population, it is available in English and Spanish, and the information is general. It includes preventative measures, and is for low-literacy users. It’s designed to be easily photocopied or printed from computers and is available to anyone who might find it appropriate to use.

The recommendations provided in this report include specific action steps and new activities that will require additional funding and a renewed commitment by government and nongovernment organizations involved in domestic and international TB control efforts to be implemented effectively. The Federal TB Task Force will coordinate activities of various federal agencies and partner with state and local health departments, nonprofit and TB advocacy organizations in implementing this plan to control and prevent XDR TB in the United States and to contribute to global efforts in the fight against this emerging public health crisis.

Medicaid is a significant source of financing for oral health services, particularly for children and adolescents. Almost universally, however, Medicaid programs identify access to dental care as a significant and persistent problem for persons with Medicaid.  Oral health status and access to dental services are issues for all populations served by Medicaid.  This document from HRSA discusses some of the most critical issues in improving oral health access through Medicaid.  

Founded by singer/songwriter Paul Simon and pediatrician/child advocate Irwin Redlener, MD in 1987, The Children's Health Fund (CHF) works nationally to develop health care programs for the nation's most medically underserved population - homeless and disadvantaged children. CHF brings medical care and essential services directly to underserved children in rural and urban communities via Mobile Medical clinics (doctor's offices on wheels) and fixed site clinics. Moreover, CHF has become a major national advocacy voice on behalf of all children, and has inspired special federal legislation designed to help create innovative Children's Health Projects throughout the United States. The Children's Health Fund's website contains a lot of useful information, which would undoubtedly benefit your audience. 

Physician outreach efforts regarding West Nile Virus diagnosis. We have created a webinar that medical professionals can access for free. CME credits are part of the activity, which makes it even better. The webinar features Lyle Petersen, head of CDC’s vector-borne disease unit, along with Anne Kemptrup, from California Dept. of Public Health and Susan Little, executive director of the DEET Education Program. The program runs for one hour.

Informative website about pandemic and avian flu topics.

An Overview of Drinking Water Quality and Water and Sanitation-Related Disease by James VanDerslice, Ph.D. and Amy K. Liebman, MPA. The information for this article comes from presentations Jim VanDerslice made at recent MCN environmental health intensivesand an outreach program that both authors developed and implemented along the US-Mexico Border.

Also in this issue: Newsflashes, TB Education and Training Network and TB-Educate Listserv, Pizcando Suenos/Harvesting Dreams: The Voices of Mexican American Women.For more Streamline articles visit http://www.migrantclinician.org/news/streamline.html

Welcome to the HepTalk Listserv. For July, we offer two articles about immunizing adolescents. Adolescents are often seen by many of you in your clinics for a variety of reasons, from prenatal care to sports physical exams, presenting a good opportunity to see if they have had their Hep B shots.

There is convincing evidence that breastfeeding provides substantial health benefits for children and adequate evidence that breastfeeding provides moderate health benefits for women. This link provides a summary of the 2008 recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on counseling to promote breastfeeding.