Michigan Health Department Offering Blood Lead Testing For Residents In Benton Harbor

BENTON HARBOR (CBS Detroit) -- The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is offering blood testing for Benton Harbor residents.

The test can help detect whether a person has lead in their system amid the city's water crisis.

The department held mobile testing Monday and Tuesday and will have another blood lead testing event 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at the InterCare Family Health Network.

An additional location for children is through the WIC program and the Berrien County Health Department by calling 800-815-5485 or visiting BCHDMI.org for more information.

"A blood lead test can tell you if you or your loved ones have recent or ongoing exposures to lead," Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, said in a press release. "Although blood lead tests cannot tell you if you were exposed to lead in the past, testing is particularly important for young children and pregnant persons because exposure to lead early in life has been shown to cause problems with learning, behavior, hearing and growth."

Meanwhile, the city and state will continue the free water distribution.

Thursday, Nov. 18

• Ebenezer Baptist Church, 214 E. Britain Avenue, 10 a.m. - noon.
• Southwest Community Action Agency, 331 Miller Street, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Self-service)

• Brotherhood of All Nations, 1286 Monroe Street, 4-6 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 19

• Southwest Community Action Agency, 331 Miller Street, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Self-service)

Saturday, Nov. 20

• Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor, 600 Nate Wells Sr. Drive, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.,
• Harbor of Hope Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 769 Pipestone Street, 4-6 p.m.

Sunday, November 21

• Abundant Life Church of God, 693 Columbus Avenue, 3-5 p.m.
• Brotherhood of All Nations, 1286 Monroe Street, 4-6 p.m.

Additional dates and locations for bottled water pick-up will be added to make sure community needs are met. Information will be posted on Michigan.gov/MiLeadSafe.

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