January 5, 2023
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has posted online its 2022 revision of the Childhood Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Minnesota.
The guidelines, which are endorsed by the MMA, were first released in March 2000. The new version was updated based on research and feedback from a multi-disciplinary workgroup consisting of healthcare and public health professionals, professional healthcare associations, and other relevant partners. Maria Starchook-Moore, MD, sat on the Childhood Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Minnesota Revision Workgroup, as an MMA representative.
These screening guidelines now recommend universal blood lead testing of all children in Minnesota at 12 and 24 months of age, and targeted blood lead testing for children ages 25 months through 17 years. The screening guidelines include both a three-page summary and a longer reference manual.
Along with the MMA’s support, the guidelines are endorsed by the Minnesota Nurse Practitioners (MNNP), Minnesota Chapter of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (MN NAPNAP), Minnesota Poison Control System, Region 5 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU), HealthPartners, UCare, Local Public Health Association of Minnesota (LPHA), Minnesota Environmental Health Association (MEHA), Sustainable Resources Center, Inc. (SRC), and East Side Neighborhood Development Company (ESNDC).
October 29, 2026
On October 28, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a new project called “Strengthening Rural Maternal Healthcare in Minnesota,” which is designed to propose solutions to the increasing problem of lack of nearby access to maternal healthcare, especially labor and delivery services for people in Greater Minnesota.
October 29, 2026
MN Community Measurement (MNCM) has announced plans to expand the scope of its work from quality measurement and reporting to broader health information exchange (HIE) services.
October 29, 2026
Next Tuesday, November 3, is Election Day. Make sure you have a plan to vote, if you haven’t already.