MT. GILEAD, Ohio — A family raising special-needs children may be forced to move because they cannot afford to clean up the decades-old lead around their house and yard, lead that is poisoning the children.

If the Klines lived in a big city like Columbus instead of Mt. Gilead, government money would have been available to help, 10TV's Lindsey Seavert reported.

Earlier this year, blood tests discovered high levels of lead in three of Joy Kline's adopted special-needs children. Further testing found the family's old, two-story house and the surrounding yard were contaminated.

Under Ohio's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, the family was given 45 days to clean up the contamination, but the $20,000 cost is more than the Klines can afford.

"I never imagined that my home would be harmful," Joy Kline said. "To know they were being poisoned by playing in my backyard just makes me ill."

Kline told 10TV News she sought financial assistance from state, county and federal agencies to help pay for the cleanup but was told no money was available for those living in small towns and rural areas.

"Funds seem to be available in the urban areas, not the rural areas," said state Rep. Thom Collier, R-Mount Vernon. "We are trying to introduce something (in the legislature) that if you mandate procedures, some dollars have to be available to these families."

The Klines have two weeks to make the deadline for getting the lead removed from their house and yard, but the family may receive an extension as they continue to search for funds.

Donations to assist the Klines in paying for the cleanup can be made at any Chase Bank in the United States under "Kline Family Fund."

Click here for more information on the state's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.

Stay with 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.

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Time Line of Events
There will be future development of this section. Hopefully we can add from the purchase of the home to the latest events. GranPa Chuck, Weekend WebMaster

**01/01/09- According to a recent post to our group, Joy stated the following: "Everything was tested, it's not our water...it's all our windows, the tiles in our fireplace, which is now covered  completely over until we can get it fixed, thresholds of 3 doors, ceiling of back porch, post on front porch, and barren soil area in my back yard were my children play or should I say used too. that's where it's located."

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