Friday, May 3, 2024
5/3/2024
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Bureau of Laboratories (BOL) and the MDHHS Division of Environmental Health (DEH) will design and conduct a state-wide human biomonitoring surveillance for various organic compounds and heavy metals to establish exposure reference levels specific to the residents of Michigan. Additionally, we will focus on a target population of residents who have potential exposure to PFAS compounds in their required work activities to determine their exposure levels after a known event has occurred. Lastly, the laboratory will collaborate with the state’s poison control center to improve laboratory capability to assist in public health emergencies by developing a rapid response screen comprised of organic compounds and heavy metals to meet Michigan’s areas of concern. The BOL is one of ten state Level 1 Laboratories funded by the National Center of Environmental Health to serve as surge capacity for the CDC in the case of intentional or unintentional release of chemical agents dating back to the 1960’s. Furthermore, the BOL’s CLIA and CAP accreditation certificates encompass biomonitoring methods currently performed within the laboratory. The DEH houses the expertise and capability to implement biomonitoring study protocols to recruit and protect participants, track personal information, and generate scientifically valid results. The purpose of MDHHS’s proposed projects are to: assess human exposure to environmental chemicals in the general adult population of Michigan; identify targeted populations and assess exposure to environmental chemicals after a known event has occurred; assist in public health emergencies; provide health education to Michigan residents enabling them to make informed decisions to protect themselves and their families from the potential adverse health effects of environmental exposures; identify and assess the effectiveness of public health options; develop protocols to guide public health decision making in response to an environmental release of harmful chemicals. MDHHS BOL will continue and expand successful collaborations and partnerships established in previous projects including targeted stakeholders that represent at-risk populations. MDHHS BOL will collaborate with the Michigan cooperative agreement under the “ATSDR Partnership to Promote Localized Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposures”, with state epidemiologists and toxicologists to identify and assess the effectiveness of public health options, with the state’s poison control center to improve the laboratory’s capability to assist in public health emergencies, and with the MDHHS Bureau of Emergency, Trauma, and Preparedness, the lead agency responsible for implementing the CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness program. Lastly, MDHHS BOL will participate in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Biomonitoring Network. The Outcomes of MDHHS’s proposed projects include: improved data and increased knowledge on Michigan-specific chemical exposures among Michigan’s residents; enhanced ability to track Michigan-specific exposures; develop targeted methods and programs to interdict harmful exposures to environmental contaminants; improve risk communication plans and guidance on the part of public health officials responding to chemical exposures; contribute to a network of biomonitoring programs in an effort to advance the science and quality of biomonitoring nationwide; overall contribution to reducing the US populations’ exposure to harmful environmental chemicals (Healthy People 2020).
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
