Running Head Outline 1, Outline 5, Flint, Cherod Jones 27 Ap ✓ Solved

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Policy Development Recommendations: Develop policies to ensure all children and adults living in the affected areas undergo lead screening. Expand Medicaid to cover children and women through the age of 22 who were served by the system. Provide federal assistance to the affected population. Ensure Flint residents receive free fresh water until the crisis is solved. Replace all lead pipes in the Flint water system immediately. Increase early childhood education resources in Michigan to mitigate cognitive, social, and behavioral developmental delays. Develop a policy to identify affected children and create individual educational plans for them. Ensure that the population has access to information and adequate resources. Mitigate the current state of the Flint water system. Increase civil penalties for state and local agencies that fail in their responsibility to ensure citizens consume clean water. Give more authority to the EPA to increase transparency.

Services/Resources to address the crisis include providing clean water to Flint residents, installing water filters in each household in the region, and providing disabled and senior residents in public housing with clean water. Provide National Dislocated Worker Grant to assist in recovery and humanitarian efforts due to the crisis. Build capacity through national service to address the water crisis. Increase financial resources for drinking water infrastructure. Conduct diagnostic lead sampling. Test lead filters in all households in Flint. Flush out water daily to reduce lead particles. Provide financial resources to schools to enable them to provide vegetable snacks and fresh fruits to students.

Paper For Above Instructions

The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safe drinking water and the profound effects on public health when that water is compromised. The recommendations outlined above are meant to address immediate needs, as well as longer-term structural changes necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of Flint's residents.

Policy Development Recommendations

It is critical that all children and adults in Flint undergo lead screening. Lead exposure can have lasting negative effects on health, particularly in children, who are more susceptible to cognitive and developmental issues. By implementing regular screening, health officials can identify affected individuals and address their needs promptly (Hanna-Attisha et al., 2016). Furthermore, expanding Medicaid coverage for children and women up to age 22 would provide essential healthcare access to those impacted by lead exposure, enabling them to receive medical interventions and monitoring necessary for healthy development.

The federal government must also take responsibility by providing supplemental assistance to affected populations. Support in the form of financial aid can help families cope with the immediate economic impacts of the crisis. Regarding water infrastructure, the replacement of all lead pipes must be prioritized. Lead in drinking water poses severe health risks, and the urgency of replacing contaminated pipelines cannot be overstated (Butler et al., 2016). Additionally, ensuring Flint residents have access to free fresh water while the crisis persists alleviates some immediate needs. This access to uncontaminated water is fundamental for health and well-being.

Early childhood education is another area where additional resources are needed. Investing in early childhood programs can mitigate some of the cognitive, social, and behavioral delays experienced by children who have been exposed to lead. Formulating personalized educational plans for identified affected children is vital to ensuring they receive the support and interventions they require. Furthermore, it is essential to develop a robust communication strategy that provides Flint residents with necessary information and resources regarding health and safety, as ignorance only exacerbates public health crises.

To strengthen oversight and accountability, increasing civil penalties for state and local agencies that fail in their duties to protect public health is crucial. Such measures would not only enforce accountability but also enhance compliance with safety regulations. Moreover, empowering the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with greater authority can increase transparency in public water systems, helping to rebuild trust between the government and the community (Olson et al., 2017).

Services and Resources to Address the Crisis

In addressing the immediate needs of Flint's residents, it is imperative to provide clean water solutions. Installing water filters in homes throughout Flint would help reduce overall lead exposure. Additionally, providing water access to vulnerable populations, including disabled individuals and seniors in public housing, is necessary to ensure that those most at risk receive adequate support.

National Dislocated Worker Grants must be utilized to aid recovery efforts and humanitarian needs resulting from the crisis. Building capacity through national service initiatives can foster community engagement and facilitate groundwater cleanup and restoration efforts. Increasing financial resources dedicated to drinking water infrastructure projects will ensure Flint can build a sustainable and safe water system in the long term.

Further, conducting diagnostic lead sampling and testing lead filters in households will offer valuable data to inform ongoing health interventions and public health strategies. Daily flushing of water can help minimize lead particle concentration and protect residents, ensuring as clean a water supply as possible during recovery efforts. Schools should also receive financial support to provide healthy food options, such as fruits and vegetables, which are vital not only for general nutrition but also for offsetting the negative health effects associated with lead exposure (Hanna-Attisha et al., 2016).

In conclusion, the proposals outlined above address both immediate needs for assistance and long-term structural changes required to resolve the crisis effectively and sustainably. Flint’s situation requires collaborative efforts among policymakers, health officials, and community leaders to ensure residents’ safety, health, and well-being for years to come.

References

• Hanna-Attisha, M., LaChance, J., Sadler, R. C., & Champney Schnepp, A. (2016). Elevated blood lead levels in children associated with the Flint drinking water crisis: a spatial analysis of risk and public health response. American Journal of Public Health, 106(2).
• Butler, L. J., Scammell, M. K., & Benson, E. B. (2016). The Flint, Michigan, water crisis: a case study in regulatory failure and environmental injustice. Environmental Justice, 9(4), 93-97.
• Olson, T. M., Wax, M., Yonts, J., Heidecorn, K., Haig, S. J., Yeoman, D., ... & Ellis, B. R. (2017). Forensic estimates of lead release from lead service lines during the Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 4(9).
• Additional references related to community health, policy impact on environmental justice, and public health surveillance.