Texas Health Steps requires blood lead testing at 12 and 24 months; and up to the age of 6 years if there are no other tests on file.

• Healthcare providers can use tools like “Lead Risk Questionnaire (Pb-110)” or “Childhood Blood Lead Screening Guidelines (Pb-120)” to determine a child’s risk for lead exposure and if blood lead testing is necessary. 

A venous blood draw is preferred. Healthcare providers can perform a capillary blood draw but a follow up venous test may be needed for confirmation of the lead test result.

• Healthcare providers should use the “Reference for Blood Lead Retesting and Medical Case Management (Pb-109)” form to determine when to retest and if medical case management is necessary. 

• A Microtube for Automated Process (MAP) or a purple top Becton-Dickson (BD) K2EDTA tube can be used to test blood lead samples after they are collected.
• Healthcare providers can order supplies through the DSHS Lab using the form at dshs.state.tx.us/sites/default/files/lab/PDF/MRS/G-399-Form.pdf.

For further questions about supplies and blood lead testing please email clinicalchemistry@dshs.texas.gov or labinfo@dshs.state.tx.us.

Texas law requires the following to be reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services by the testing healthcare provider and lab:

1. the child's name, address, date of birth or age, sex, race and ethnicity; 
2. the child's blood lead level, test date, and name and telephone number of the testing laboratory; 
3. whether the sample is capillary or venous blood; and, 
4. the name and city of the attending physician. 

• Electronically
  • GlobalScape Secure File Transfer Protocol (sFTP)
    • Ideal for bulk reports or data files (e.g., LeadCareII, Electronic Health Records (EHR).
    • If the provider does not have LeadCareII or EHR, Blood Lead Surveillance Branch (BLSB) will provide form to providers.
• Hardcopy
  • Fax using the “F09-11709 Child Blood Lead Reporting” form.
  • The lab result report form with patient demographics.

Visit our sign-up page to report results electronically.