On July 17th, 2024, Governor Carney signed HB 401!
HB 401 requires the Delaware Division of Public Health to provide the results of lead screenings or tests to school nurses and require contracts or computer upgrades to include lead results.
School nurses are on the front lines of addressing the problem of childhood lead poisoning. Since 1995, Delaware’s school nurses have played an extremely valuable role in verifying all children entering kindergarten have received a blood lead screening.
For example, over 2000 students were screened for lead at kindergarten enrollment in FY 2023, 80 of whom had a blood lead level at or above the CDC’s Blood Lead Reference Value of 3.5 µg/dL.
Adding blood lead results to the information provided to school nurses will assist in making referrals for Individualized Education Programs, special education services, nutritional support, and improved health care within the school environment.
Tremendous thanks to Representative Larry Lambert, Senator Kyle Gay and Representative Sherry Dorsey Walker for championing this issue.
And special thanks to Delaware School Nurse of the Year Donna O’Connor, who has championed this issue for many years, as well as the Delaware School Nurses Association, Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), Delaware Nurses Association, Delaware PTA and the Learning Disabilities Association of Delaware for writing letters of support, testifying and advocating in Legislative Hall for the passage of this bill.
