2-1-1 Update Flint Water Response for Wednesday, April 13, 2016

This is the 2-1-1 update on the Flint Water Response for Wednesday, April 13, 2016

This update is produced by Michigan 2-1-1 three times a week (M-W-F) with special updates as needed.  Organization updates, information and announcements can be sent to tpage@uwmich.org.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• EPA Open House on Earth Day, Saturday April 16 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at UM-Flint in the Harding Mott University Center at 400 Mill St, Flint, MI 48503. The event will feature experts who can share information about progress in bringing clean water back to Flint.  See full details at flintneighborhoodsunited.org/event/epa-open-house-for-all-residents/ 
• Today’s U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on “Flint Water Crisis: Impacts and Lessons Learned” including testimony from MDEQ Director Keith Creagh, DHHS Director Nick Lyon, and Mona Hanna-Attisha can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=12lLyG30FSk.
• The Flint Water Crisis Community Partners Meeting: Thursday, April 14th, 3:00 p.m., Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
  Weekly meeting schedule:
  • Flint Community Resilience Group (FCRG) Mental Health Workgroup: TBA
    • Sub-workgroups
      • FCRG Data & Gap Analysis: Every Thursday, 1:30 p.m., Genesee Health System Board Room
      • FCRG Faith: Thursday, April 14th, 11:30 a.m., Genesee Health System, 5th Floor
      • FCRG Outreach to Special & Vulnerable Populations: Meeting on-line, via e-mail (to become part of this workgroup, please e-mail rkeswick@genhs.org).
      • FCRG Psychological First Aid (PFA): TBA (for more information, please e-mail nkirsh@genhs.org)
• Mobile Food Bank Schedule for the week of April 10, 2016
  • Thursday, April 14, at noon – Faith Gospel Temple, 1525 Kent. St.
  • Friday, April 15, at noon – St. Luke New Life Center, 3115 Lawndale.
  • Information about additional food distribution dates will be announced as they are scheduled. For more information, visit the Food Bank website at www.FBEM.org  or call 810-239-4441.
• Homebound and residents with limited mobility can dial 2-1-1 to arrange home delivery of bottled water and filters. To date 2-1-1 has arranged delivery for over 3,000 Flint residents.  The Red Cross and Genesee County EOC are coordinating regular water resource deliveries to over 1,000 households.
• The US District Court with jurisdiction over Flint has remanded (sent back) a lawsuit to Genesee Circuit Court filed against the State of Michigan on behalf of a girl in Flint alleging health problems resulting from exposure to Flint water. The ruling states the case belongs in a local court and also granted the plaintiff’s request for attorney fees to fight the state’s motion to move the case to federal court.  See attached ruling.
• $250 million for Flint stripped from Congressional energy bill due to opposition by Utah Senator Mike Lee who objected to how Flint aid was funded. Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow said, “It’s totally unacceptable that Sen. Lee continues to block a vote on our fully paid for, bipartisan agreement to help Flint…This is about something as basic as making sure families have clean water to drink and children with lead poisoning get the help they need.” Stabenow vowed, “We will not give up until this gets done using whatever legislative vehicle it takes.” The measure would have provided $250 million for repairs to water lines to address health effects.  Full story at 4029tv.com/politics/lawmakers-strip-flint-money-out-of-energy-bill/39013672.
• Michigan House and Senate approved a resolution to extend the Flint emergency declaration until Aug. 14, in line with the federal declaration. The state declaration was due to expire tomorrow.  See full story at 9and10news.com/story/31716680/legislature-oks-extension-of-emergency-declaration-in-flint.
• Low water use is slowing efforts to recoat Flint pipes according to Virginia Tech Professor Marc Edwards reported yesterday, “without more water use it could take months or even years to rid the system of contamination.” See full story at usnews.com/news/us/articles/2016-04-12/flints-latest-conundrum-people-arent-using-enough-water.

CALL VOLUME
2-1-1 call volume continues to be manageable within existing capacity.

SPECIAL NEEDS/REQUESTS

• RESOLVED from 4/11/16: 2-1-1 received a call today from a Flint resident asking about ZP Lead Testing. ZP stands for Zinc Protoporphyrin, a compound found in red blood cells that can used as a screening test for lead poisoning.  The caller’s understanding is that ZP Testing can indicate lead exposure longer than the one month timeframe screened by the test commonly used.
  RESOLUTION: “Per Michigan DHHS Chief Medical Executive and the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, the ZPP (Zinc Protoporphyrin) is not a test that is utilized. Venous blood lead level testing (BLL) is the most useful test for screening for lead exposure, as it is more accurate and reliable than other tests, including ZPP. “

 RUMOR/SCAM CONTROL
The Attorney General’s Office investigates reports of potential scams.   These can be reported to the Charitable Trust Section at ct_email@michigan.gov. The AG has tips on how to avoid falling victim to con artists at www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-164-17337_20942-375279–,00.html.

UNRESOLVED
There are no unresolved issues to track today.