The Child and Adolescent Health Program of the Division of Family Health Services of the Public Health Services Branch of the Department of Health and Senior Services (Department) is proposing to readopt without change N.J.A.C. 8:51A, the rules governing the screening of children for lead poisoning. 

N.J.A.C. 8:51A sets forth requirements for identifying individuals to be screened for lead poisoning; health care providers responsible for conducting the screening or referring individuals to other health care providers for screening; the screening schedule; and parental refusal.  N.J.A.C. 8:51A also establishes standards for specimen collection, laboratory testing, test result reporting and medical follow-up of elevated blood lead levels.

The notice of proposal appears in the January 18, 2011 issue of the New Jersey Register.  LexisNexis® provides free on-line public access to the New Jersey Administrative Code and the New Jersey Register at http://lexisnexis.com/njoal.

Persons who wish to comment on the proposal must submit written comments by regular mail addressed to Ruth Charbonneau, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360.  All submissions must be postmarked on or before the close of the public comment period, which is March 19, 2011.  The Department will not accept telefacsimiles or electronic mail messages as official comments on the notice of proposal.

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