Connect with us

Connecticut

Lead poisoning in Connecticut on the decline, but it disproportionately affects vulnerable communities

Published

on

Lead poisoning in Connecticut on the decline, but it disproportionately affects vulnerable communities


Youngsters in New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury, Hartford, and Meriden made up 49 p.c of circumstances between 2012 and 2020. And, though the numbers are typically bettering, lead poisoning disproportionately hits youngsters of colour — affecting psychological, behavioral, and academic well being.

“If you consider a preventable trigger for these kinds of delays and issues, lead is such an vital contributor,” mentioned Manisha Juthani, the commissioner of the Connecticut Division of Public Well being. “And, as we see, it impacts these most weak, our Black and brown communities and older housing inventory in our interior cities. And so that is actually additionally a problem of fairness.”

Lawmakers handed and Gov. Ned Lamont signed into regulation new measures that take impact in 2023. These embody growing testing necessities for main care suppliers so as to add annual lead testing for sure youngsters. It additionally lowers the brink for blood lead ranges that require state and native well being officers to take rapid motion.

These adjustments mandate reporting to the Division of Public Well being inside 24 hours.

Advertisement

“The set off for it to be inside a day needing to be reported is vital, as a result of in the event you then offers the potential to the state to work and inform native well being departments, who, then, would get these stories and be capable to begin the entire technique of abatement that may finally have to happen in a house,” Juthani mentioned. She famous that there’s $30 million in federal funding slated to additional assist with native abatement efforts.

Lastly, the regulation arrange a working group, which is able to report again to lawmakers by 12 months’s finish.

In a press launch when the invoice was signed into regulation, Lamont mentioned the strikes had been overdue.

“Childhood lead poisoning has catastrophic impacts on well being and growth, together with irreversible studying and developmental disabilities,” Lamont mentioned. “Particularly, this drawback has most deeply impacted minority households and people who stay in deprived communities. For too lengthy, the requirements for lead testing and remedy in Connecticut have fallen effectively behind one of the best practices, and I’m glad we’re making these long-overdue updates.”

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connecticut

Serious crash in downtown Stamford causes road closure

Published

on

Serious crash in downtown Stamford causes road closure


A serious car crash closed a busy road in downtown Stamford on Monday night.

The police department said Washington Boulevard is closed at the intersection with Bridge Street because of a serious crash.

Drivers are being asked to stay away from the area.

No additional information was immediately available.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Connecticut

Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans

Published

on

Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans


Immigration advocates say they’ve already been preparing for President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to ramp up deportations once he returns to the White House.

“We anticipate that they’re going to be very quick, very rapid, very massive efforts to grab as many people as possible and deport them,” National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos said during a rally outside the Capitol on Monday.

Matos said hers and other organizations began considering possible actions earlier this year in case Trump won.

Now, Trump is promising to deliver on his campaign pledge, taking to his Truth Social platform earlier in the morning to confirm he plans to declare a national emergency.

Advertisement

He also intends to try and use the military to support his deportation effort, his post confirmed.

Advocates said they’re trying to assume undocumented immigrants in Connecticut that their organizations will offer support.

“If families have to be separated, it defeats the point completely because people are trying to get to the United States to be with their families,” said Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of CT Students For a Dream.

Sookdeo said her family came from Guyana when she was a teenager and her grandmother, who was a U.S. citizen, was trying to help them also get permanent legal status.

Her grandmother died during the process, though, leaving Sookdeo’s family in limbo.

Advertisement

“Immigration is pretty complicated,” she said.

Democrats, meanwhile, said they won’t support federal deportation efforts.

Attorney General William Tong (D) pointed to the state’s Trust Act, which bars local and state agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

“Connecticut is going to care for our immigrant families and immigrant neighbors and friends,” Tong said.

There are some exceptions, including when an undocumented immigrant is convicted of a Class A or Class B felony. Tong wouldn’t say if that means Connecticut has to notify federal authorities of such a conviction.

Advertisement

“I’m not going to issue a legal opinion on the fly from this podium,” Tong said.

Connecticut Republicans were critical of Democrats, though, saying their policies don’t reflect what voters want.

Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-Minority Leader) said Connecticut spends too much money supporting undocumented immigrants, including with Medicaid, education and other assistance.

He also said voters are worried about public safety.

“It’s really out of step, I think, with what the residents and America wants, and that is, you know, safe borders, public safety and we have to get the cost of immigration under control,” Candelora said.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Connecticut

$25,000 Winning Lottery Ticket Claimed By Bridgeport Resident

Published

on

,000 Winning Lottery Ticket Claimed By Bridgeport Resident


BRIDGEPORT, CT — An unnamed Bridgeport resident is $25,000 richer this week after claiming a winning lottery ticket purchased in Norwalk, the Connecticut Lottery announced.

On Wednesday, the person claimed a winning 200X ticket that was bought at East Avenue Citgo on East Avenue.

The Connecticut Lottery publishes partial winner information as public record, according to officials.

The game, which costs $20 per ticket, began in February, and as of Monday, one grand prize of $1 million remained unclaimed.

Advertisement

More than 2.5 million game tickets have been printed, and the overall odds of winning are 1 in 3.21.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending