Meet our Lead Poisoning Prevention Program coordinator A Q + A with Kristen Milbrath
Kristen Milbrath leads the clinical team for the Marion County Public Health Department’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. She holds a master’s degree in public health and a bachelor’s degree in health and rehabilitation sciences from Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, and has worked in the pharmacy field and for the American Red Cross. We asked Kristen to share perspective on her quest to help people in Marion County, Indiana, live lead-free.
How are you making an impact on preventing lead poisoning? If people don’t realize they should be getting tested for something, odds are they aren’t going to be tested. That’s why we’re raising awareness. It’s our goal to get more children tested for increased blood lead levels. If we can catch lead exposure early and provide families with the necessary education, we hope to prevent long-term impairments. We’d also like to get more schools involved in having children tested for lead. We hope that schools, preschools and community organizations will use the Mission Unleaded site to schedule blood lead testing for children in their care and learn about resources to address the risks of lead exposure.
Why are you passionate about helping people live lead-free? I’ve been passionate about helping people for as long as I can remember. The more I’ve learned about the dangers of lead poisoning, the more passionate I’ve become about the need for testing and prevention. Lead primarily impacts children, who are especially vulnerable. Children don’t really have a say in where they live, and they can’t understand the lifelong consequences of lead exposure. That’s why we need to do all we can to reach the people who can help keep children safe.
Tell us about your goals. In a nutshell, I’d like to help more people understand what lead abatement is so they can be sure to take care of lead properly. Our goals are to help our partners, clients and the community:
- Learn where lead lurks in their homes, and the hazards of renovating
- Learn about health hazards associated with exposure to lead, especially for children
- Schedule blood lead testing
- Take steps toward remediation
The tips, tools and resources on the Mission Unleaded website can help with that. So can the Mission Unleaded app. (You can download the app via the Apple Store or Google Play.) We hope that sharing this information in an engaging way on the Mission Unleaded website and app will help us reach more people and organizations so we can encourage them to live lead-free.
How can people support Mission Unleaded? Get the word out! Let people know about the Mission Unleaded website. You can also tell people who may be at risk or have questions about potential lead exposure to contact us.
Tell us a bit about you. I was born in Munster, Indiana, which is 30 miles south of Chicago, and grew up in Dyer, Indiana, which is considered a southeastern Chicago suburb, though it feels like a small town. I moved to Indianapolis in 2012 when I began my undergraduate career at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). When I’m not at work keeping Marion County lead-free, I enjoy reading books, watching movies and TV shows, listening to podcasts and music, traveling and spending time with my family.
Contact Kristen at:
kmilbrath@marionhealth.org
317-221-3093
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Get the lead out. Children in first grade or younger are at the greatest risk for lead exposure. #MissionUnleaded offers free testing in your school or child-care facility.
Keep kids safe. Call 317.221.2155. missionunleaded.org
#MissionUnleaded
Get kids tested for lead. Fewer than 12% of Marion County kids get tested for lead exposure. Without diagnosis, children with elevated blood lead levels are at risk of anemia and slowed growth, among other adverse health outcomes. Get them tested! Call 317.221.2155. missionunleaded.org
#MissionUnleaded
Keep kids lead free. #MissionUnleaded supports healthy cognitive development with free blood testing for kids under 7 in Marion County. Get them tested! Call 317.221.2155. missionunleaded.org
#MissionUnleaded
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