Milwaukee Health Commissioner resigns after failure to notify families of children with elevated blood lead levels

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In a press conference Friday afternoon, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he is "angry and disappointed" that the Milwaukee Health Department failed to notify families of kids with elevated blood lead levels.

Mayor Barrett said letters will be sent to families of 8,000 kids who have tested high for blood lead levels over the past three years. Many of these families have already received notification and the Mayor says this is being done out of "an abundance of caution." 6,000 of the children tested for the lowest elevated levels.

After a discussion with Mayor Barrett, Health Commissioner Bevan Baker resigned Thursday.

In 2017, the City of Milwaukee, City Health Department, and Milwaukee Water Works launched the "Lead Safe Milwaukee" campaign. For more information about lead and water safety, please click here. 

See our previous coverage on this topic here: 

• Children on Medicaid in Wisconsin not getting tested for lead poisoning
• "Worse than Flint:" Milwaukee works to address lead lateral problem
• UPDATE: Milwaukee Alderman, Health Department at odds over lead water issues
• Lead Task Force Launches as Milwaukee Poisoning Levels are Higher than Flint