Florida Childhood Blood Lead Testing — MDHHS Surveillance
What this means
Florida law requires every Medicaid-enrolled child to be tested for blood lead at ages 12 and 24 months, and any child with risk factors (older housing, recent immigration) at any age. The CDC blood-lead reference value is 3.5 µg/dL — children above that level get follow-up care. The Flint Water Crisis put Florida's lead-testing infrastructure under a national microscope; testing rates have risen since 2016 but remain below state targets.
What you can do
- Free blood-lead test for any child under 6: call your county health department or Medicaid.
- If you live in a home built before 1978, assume lead paint may be present — wet-wipe windowsills weekly, use HEPA vacuum.
- Have your home tested: certified lead inspectors at https://www.michigan.gov/mileadsafe
- In Flint: free home water filters, certified bottled water, and lead testing are all available via the Genesee County Health Dept.
Official sources & resources
More health indicators