MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State University geography professor Kevin Turcotte was on the team responsible for the Indiana State Department of Health receiving an award for innovative use of information technology.

The National Association of State Information Resource Executives recognized the department for its development of a computer program for the Indiana Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.

Development of the program was a collaborative effort between the State Department of Health and Ball State.

The program analyzed approximately 200,000 lead records to locate children tested for lead poisoning. This analysis also identified the factors most associated with the areas where children with elevated blood lead were found.

The information was used to develop a modeling tool to predict the potential levels of elevated lead that could be found in communities throughout Indiana. The state shares the information with local health officials concerning those areas most at-risk for lead poisoning.

"This work is vital, since lead poisoning can reduce IQ and cause reading and learning disabilities and, at high levels, cause mental retardation, brain damage, coma and even death," said State Health Commissioner Richard D. Feldman.

The program was developed by Turcotte and three Department of Health staff.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Turcotte at (765) 285-1774.)