26:2-137.4.Lead screening performed; requirements
3. a. A physician or registered professional nurse, as appropriate, shall perform lead screening on each of his patients under six years of age to whom he provides health care services unless the physician or registered professional nurse has knowledge that the child has already undergone lead screening in accordance with the requirements of this act. If the physician or registered professional nurse or his staff cannot perform the required lead screening, the physician or registered professional nurse may refer the patient, in writing, to another physician or registered professional nurse, health care facility or designated agency or program which is able to perform the lead screening.
b. A health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) which serves children and any other agency or program that serves children and that is designated by the commissioner to perform lead screening, shall perform lead screening on each child under six years of age that the facility, agency or program serves, unless the facility, agency or program has knowledge that the child has already undergone lead screening in accordance with the requirements of this act. If the health care facility cannot perform the required lead screening, the health care facility may refer the patient, in writing, to another health care facility, physician, registered professional nurse, or other designated agency or program which is able to perform the lead screening.
c. If a physician, registered professional nurse, or health care facility, agency or program receives laboratory test results that indicate that a child has lead poisoning, the physician, registered professional nurse, or health care facility, agency or program shall notify, in writing, the parent or guardian of the child about the test results and provide the parent or guardian with an explanation in plain language of the significance of lead poisoning. The physician, registered professional nurse, or health care facility, agency or program also shall take appropriate measures to ensure that siblings or other members of the household who are under the age of six are or have been screened for lead exposure.
d. A physician, registered professional nurse, or health care facility, agency or program shall not be required to conduct lead screening under this act if the parent or guardian of the child objects to the testing in writing.
e. The department shall specify, by regulation, the lead screening required under this act, including the age of the child when initial screening shall be conducted, the time intervals between screening, when follow-up testing is required, and the methods that shall be used to conduct the lead screening.
f. The department shall develop a mechanism, such as distribution of lead screening record cards or other appropriate means, by which children who have undergone lead screening can be identified by physicians, registered professional nurses and health care facilities, agencies and programs that perform lead screening so as to avoid duplicate lead screening of children.
g. The department shall conduct a public information campaign to inform parents of young children, physicians, registered professional nurses and other health care providers of the lead screening requirements of this act.
h. The department, to the greatest extent possible, shall coordinate payment for lead screening required pursuant to this act with the State Medicaid program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.) and other federal children's health programs so as to ensure that the State receives the maximum amount of federal financial participation available for the lead screening services provided pursuant to this act.
L.1995,c.328,s.3.
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Last modified: October 11, 2016