Creation of a University-Community Alliance to Address Lead Hazards, (The): Three Keys to Success

Exposure to lead can be devastating for children, and federal regulations established in 2001 are forcing local governments to mitigate this risk. This essay discusses the creation of the Lead Alliance, a university-community coalition created to address lead hazards facing children from low-income households in South Bend, Indiana. Among the accomplishments of the Lead Alliance are a chemistry course at the University of Notre Dame and a Community Outreach Partnership Centers grant. After reviewing a number of examples of university-community collaborations to mitigate lead poisoning, the article focuses on how each partner in the Lead Alliance came to the table and describes the Alliance's activities. It identifies three key factors in the success of this coalition: the members' complementary community connections and knowledge, the efforts of a facilitator at the start of the process, and the personal commitment of each member. [author]