Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program - Project Title: Dent County Health Center’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Applicant Name: Dent County Health Center Address: 1010 E Scenic Rivers Blvd, Salem, MO 65560 Project Director Name: Zachary Moser, Administrator Phone Numbers (voice): (573) 729-3106 E-Mail Address: zmoser@dentcohealth.org Web Site Address: https://dentcountyhealthcenter.org Dent County Health Center's (DCHC) program is intended to help families avoid the dangers of lead from multiple sources, increase access to lead screening and testing, and teach about the dangers and educate the community how to access services. DCHC has trusted ties with its local community and will carry out the activities of the program with partners from the community. These partners are located in Dent County and also have historically served the underserved. This project will specialize its relationships with the healthcare provider community, childcare providers, five elementary schools, housing authorities, and others. The project will also have a special population, women – prenatal women and women who work with lead. DCHC will also ensure all families of children who receive a positive result; screening or testing, will receive follow-up care. History. DCHC is a non-profit public health center that serves Dent County, Missouri. Founded in 1963, the health center serves a 755-square-mile region in southeast Missouri. The mission of DCHC is to improve and protect the health of Dent County residents. Its vision is that the DCHC will be the community leader in preventative healthcare, the authority on best health practices, and a trusted and respected community partner in improving the lives and health of all Dent County residents, regardless of their background, financial status, criminal status, or otherwise. Community. The Southeast Missouri Lead District alone, which includes Dent County, ensures Missouri's position as the leading national producer of lead and is now known as the “new lead belt” region. Dent County is the project’s target area and is located in south-central Missouri and covers approximately 752.7 square miles with a total population of 14,585, including 822 children under the age of five (5.64% of the county population). Target Population. This project will focus on serving children and families of Dent County, who have higher chances to be exposed to lead. The following is a summary of these families. The median household income for the area is $45,700, which is significantly lower than the median household income for the state ($61,043) and the nation ($69,021). Approximately 16.88% of residents (and a striking 26.9% of children under age 18) live below the federal poverty level and has had a historical persistent poverty rate. An estimated 16.15% of the population over the age of 25 has not completed high school, and less than 16% have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher education. Nearly a third of residents rank at basic or below basic for health literacy. Around 14.77% of the total civilian non-institutionalized population is uninsured. This is higher than the state rate of 32.0%. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Health Professional Shortage Areas Database, 44.55% of the population are living in an area affected by a primary care HPSA with 99.9% being underserved, compared to 24.03% of the U.S. population being affected by a primary care HPSA and 53.33% are underserved.
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).