Flint Residents Get Help from Omaha Ally: UNMC

The Flint lead crisis has somewhat receded from the public eye, but that doesn’t mean that developments have slowed. In fact, a vital healthcare partner in the Omaha community, where PeopleService is headquartered, recently stepped up to offer some much-needed relief to residents.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy was instrumental in providing vital lead testing services (New Window link) to persons who may have been affected by lead poisoning in the wake of the Flint disaster.

The testing initiative sprang from a previous partnership between Michigan’s Ferris State University and UNMC. For a couple years now, UNMC has led the push for point-of-care flu testing at pharmacies, not just in Nebraska but in Michigan as well.

It was precisely this emphasis on in-pharmacy testing that made lead testing a viable next step. With a partnership already in place, UNMC was able to secure the purchase of test kits that could be shipped to pharmacies in the affected area. By expanding their ongoing point-of-care initiative to include lead testing, they created a jumping-off point for lead-positive residents to get the treatment they need.

We’re incredibly impressed with the lead prevention work, much of it unheralded, that our neighbor in the community has done. It showcases the solutions-based ethos and creativity of institutions throughout the Midwest.