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Healthy Kids Minnesota
The Healthy Kids Minnesota program is working to better understand and take action to prevent children’s exposures to chemicals that may harm development. In partnership with school districts, local public health, and tribal nations, the program uses biomonitoring to measure chemicals in preschool-age kids across the state. Results help inform families, address community concerns, and promote policies that reduce childhood exposures.
How the program works
Healthy Kids works with partners to offer voluntary participation to families of three- to six-year-old children who are already coming in for their Early Childhood Screening appointments.
In a five-year cycle, the program rotates around the state and works in one non-Metro and one Metro region per year. Healthy Kids is offered to families in a handful of counties and school districts in the selected regions. See the Healthy Kids Minnesota FAQs for specific location information.
After families agree to participate, they answer survey questions and help their child collect a urine sample. The MDH Public Health Laboratory tests children’s urine samples for six types of chemicals of concern for children’s health: metals, pesticides, phthalates, flame retardants, environmental phenols, and air pollution chemicals.
Families receive a gift card to thank them for their time. They receive their child’s results along with information on ways to reduce exposure. In the case of high-level exposure to certain chemicals, families are connected to the appropriate services. All families are also offered a free private well testing kit.
Funding for the program comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s State Biomonitoring Cooperative Agreement and the Minnesota Legislature.
Program-wide results
Recruited 1,800+ children with a urine sample collected.
Worked with 33+ partners in school districts, local public health agencies, and tribal nations.
Tested urine samples for 69+ different chemicals.
Followed up with 107 families of kids with unusually high levels of 3 priority chemicals to support them in reducing their child’s exposure.
Gave out 288 free private well test kits.
Mailed 3,164 results packets to families with their child’s individual results
Yearly results
| Year | Kids with urine sample collected | Well test kits given out | Chemicals tested | Follow-up cases | Partners |
| 2021 | 454 | 42 | 13 | Southeast Minnesota
Minneapolis
| |
| 2022 | 541 | 76 | 69 | 40 | Northeast Minnesota
St. Paul
|
| 2023 | 360 | 71 | 69 | 18 | Central Minnesota
West / Southwest Metro region
|
| 2025 | 458 | 141 | 79 | 36 | Northwest / West Central Minnesota
East / Southeast Metro
|
*In 2024, Healthy Kids Minnesota did not have a partner cohort.
Healthy Kids Minnesota 2026
This year, Healthy Kids Minnesota is being offered in Southwest Minnesota and the North Metro. We are establishing partnerships and recruitment has begun in some areas.
Related topics
Minnesota Chemicals of High Concern to Children's Health
About Biomonitoring
Biomonitoring Reports
Minnesota Environmental Public Health Tracking
Biomonitoring (on MN Public Health Data Access portal)
CDC National Biomonitoring Programs