Credit Liz Kaye / Indiana University
A group of Indiana faith leaders has teamed up with IUPUI to provide free, anonymous lead testing kits in Indianapolis, Muncie and, eventually, statewide. The program aims to break down barriers for Black, Brown and other communities of color, and lower-income communities who are more likely to be exposed to lead at home.
Lead can affect kids’ ability to learn, cause behavioral issues and poor kidney function.
Ivan Douglas Hicks is the pastor of First Baptist Church in north Indianapolis and part of the Indianapolis Ministerium a group of faith leaders that advocates for causes affecting widows and children. He said Indianapolis’s high lead levels have rivaled Flint, Michigan, and several kids in the city have been misdiagnosed with other issues.