March 22, 2005
March 22, 2005
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the following recent appointments to the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Commission:
Carole Ann Beaman, Ph.D., LLP of Detroit, disability services/mental health coordinator for Project Head Start/Detroit Public Schools. Dr. Beaman is appointed to represent the general public from a city with a population of 750,000, or more, for a term expiring July 1, 2007.
Denise O. Chambers of Rochester Hills, county director for the Family Independence Agency. Ms. Chambers is appointed to represent the Family Independence Agency for a term expiring July 1, 2007.
Joan R. Dyer of Grand Rapids, program supervisor for the Kent County Health Department. Ms. Dyer is appointed to represent Get the Lead Out! for a term expiring July 1, 2007.
Bruce C. Jeffries of Mason, environmental review officer for the Michigan State House Development Authority (MSHDA). Mr. Jeffries is appointed to represent MSHDA for a term expiring July 1, 2007.
Robert D. Sills of Lansing, toxicology specialist for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Mr. Sills is appointed to represent DEQ for a term expiring July 1, 2007.
Laurel R. Sproul of Bear Lake, maternal child services supervisor for the Muskegon County Health Department. Ms. Sproul is appointed to represent local health departments located in counties with populations of 170,000, but not more than 200,000, for a term expiring July 1, 2007.
Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D., M.S. of Southfield, Surgeon General of Michigan. Dr. Wisdom is appointed to represent the Michigan Department of Community Health for a term expiring July 1, 2007. She will also serve as chairperson of the commission.
“I have tremendous confidence that these individuals will work hard to protect the citizens of Michigan, especially our young people, from this deadly toxin,” said Granholm. “Their experience and knowledge will be critical as we work to ensure the health and safety of our families and children.”
Senator Martha Scott, sponsor of the bill, said, “Lead poisoning remains a very real threat to our young people, particularly our lower-income minority children in urban areas. As sponsor of the legislation creating the commission, I am thrilled with the level of experience and expertise of each of the appointees. I look forward to working with them in protecting our most vulnerable citizens – our precious young children.”
Lead is a toxin that builds up in the body when it is ingested. Children often are exposed to lead through cracking and peeling, lead-based paint in older buildings. Lead-based paints were banned more than 30 years ago, but many older homes and buildings still have remnants of the paint on walls or trim. People of any age can be adversely affected by lead exposure, but young children are especially vulnerable, because their brains are still developing.
In Michigan, the highest incidences of lead poisoning are in the counties of Wayne, Kent, Muskegon, Berrien, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Genesee, Ingham, Saginaw, and Oakland. Cities of particular concern are Detroit, where 63 percent of the houses were built prior to 1950, and Grand Rapids, which has the highest concentration of lead poisoning in the state.
These appointments are subject to Article V, Section 6 of the Michigan State Constitution of 1963. The appointments stand confirmed unless disapproved by the Senate within 60 days.
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