Biddeford Lead Hazard Reduction: Education & Outreach

The Biddeford Lead Hazard Reduction: Education & Outreach project is a community-centered initiative focused on preventing childhood lead poisoning across Biddeford and neighboring Saco. The work is implemented through the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC), which engages families, landlords, property managers and community partners to raise awareness of lead risks, offer practical testing resources, and support safer home environments. Central to the project are educational campaigns and distribution of materials from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, designed to inform caregivers and property stakeholders about the sources and health consequences of lead dust and the steps they can take to reduce exposure.

A primary service provided by the program is free home lead-dust wipe test kits and facilitated in-home lead dust wipe testing conducted in partnership with Head Start and Maine Families in York County. These free tests enable households to identify potential lead dust hazards in living spaces and to take timely corrective actions. The CHCC also offers guidance on how to request a free home test, and it supports both homeowners and renters through outreach that explains testing procedures, results interpretation, and next steps for remediation or precautionary measures. By making testing accessible and easy to use, the project lowers the barrier for families to assess their home environment and act to protect children's health. Beyond testing, the initiative emphasizes engagement with landlords and property managers, recognizing the role of rental housing stock in lead exposure risk. CHCC works directly with property owners to distribute resources, explain regulatory expectations, and promote maintenance practices that minimize lead dust generation.

The coalition’s outreach targets the full range of stakeholders who influence living conditions—maintaining a dual focus on individual household education and systemic prevention strategies in the rental market. Communications and outreach activities include awareness campaigns about the health risks of lead dust, clear instructions for performing dust wipe tests, and curated resource collections for parents, home and property owners, and healthcare providers. These resources are intended to support prevention, early detection, and informed referrals when additional intervention is needed. The program leverages established local relationships—such as those with Head Start and Maine Families—to reach families with young children, a population especially vulnerable to lead’s developmental harms. The project is grounded in practical prevention: providing free test kits, teaching people how to use them, distributing authoritative educational materials, and fostering partnerships that extend testing and follow-up into homes and community services.

Through these combined efforts, the Biddeford Lead Hazard Reduction: Education & Outreach project aims to reduce childhood lead exposure by increasing testing rates, improving knowledge among  and promoting safer living environments. Contact and program information is made available to the community through CHCC channels at their Biddeford office, ensuring accessible points of entry for those seeking support, resources, or testing to protect children’s health in the region.