Rules proposed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) that will increase e number of children identified with lead poisoning and trigger earlier intervention were approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) today.  The rules lower the level at which public health interventions are initiated for children with blood lead levels from 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) to 5 µg/dL, the same lead reference level used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rules will become effective in the coming weeks and will be available in the Illinois Register on the Illinois Secretary of State website.