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Explore the efforts of the Lead Free Homes LA Program, which established an Evaluation Committee to enhance lead hazard reduction strategies, achieving impressive participant satisfaction and timely service delivery.
Establishing the Lead Free Homes LA Evaluation Committee to Enhance Program Effectiveness and Efficiency
The Lead Free Homes LA (LFHLA) Program in Los Angeles County is dedicated to reducing lead-based paint hazards in homes built before 1951, occupied by families with children under six and by pregnant women. Funded by a lawsuit settlement against a lead paint company, LFHLA provides free testing and remediation services, particularly targeting low-resourced communities. The program closely collaborates with the County's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) to prioritize homes where a child experiencing lead poisoning has been identified. However, LFHLA lacked a systematic evaluation framework, which hindered its ability to assess efficiency and ensure timely completion of referrals.
The LFHLA Evaluation Committee, formed in January 2023, is working on developing plans for a unified approach to reducing lead hazards. This committee is composed of representatives from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Development Authority. They meet monthly to identify key areas for evaluation and improvement. An ongoing evaluation process is crucial for continuous monitoring and improvement in mitigating lead hazards throughout Los Angeles County.
The committee established three primary goals: achieving at least 90% participant satisfaction on surveys, completing 80% of CLPPP referrals within six months, and ensuring that 85% of non-referral properties are completed within nine months. On behalf of the Los Angeles County CLPPP, the contracting firm Impact Assessment facilitated data collection and analysis and shared preliminary findings with committee members to foster discussions aimed at enhancing program processes. As of July 2024, the program received a satisfaction rate of 91%, exceeding the goal of 90%; met the goal of completing 80% of CLPPP referrals in six months or less; and completed 79% of non-referral properties within nine months, slightly below the goal of 85%.
By systematically addressing these priorities, the committee aims to refine strategies that will enhance service delivery and improve overall community health outcomes. Ultimately, these collaborative efforts underscore the importance of data-driven decision-making in public health initiatives focused on protecting vulnerable populations from lead exposure risks.