CBO Spotlight: Green & Healthy Homes Initiative

  • 18 Jul 2024

CTC-RI's primary care transformation efforts often include the support and partnership of community-based organizations (CBOs) statewide. We are spotlighting a different CBO each month to recognize and appreciate their work in our communities. This month, we're spotlighting the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, dedicated to addressing the social determinants of health and racial equity through healthy housing.

What ways does your organization uniquely support Rhode Islanders?       

The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative is a national non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the social determinants of health and advancing racial and health equity through the creation of healthy, safe, and energy-efficient homes. Out of our office in Olneyville, GHHI uniquely supports Rhode Islanders by offering a comprehensive range of services designed to break the link between unhealthy homes and families. Through targeted healthy housing services and equitable energy efficiency initiatives, GHHI aims to support low-income and underserved communities in accessing healthier, safer, and more sustainable home environments. Moreover, GHHI recognizes the critical role of weatherization and energy efficiency in supporting health. GHHI collaborates with Rhode Island Energy to improve equitable access to weatherization and energy efficiency services, ensuring that homes are not only energy-efficient but also contribute to the overall health and well-being of residents.

Through partnerships with the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and Integra Community Care, GHHI offers the following to eligible households with asthmatic kids aged 2-17 to reduce asthma triggers and other home health hazards:

  • Free Whole-Home Health Assessments & Healthy Housing Interventions: Eligible households will receive free healthy home assessments to identify and remediate asthma triggers and home health hazards including mold, pests, rodents, and poor ventilation.
  • Personalized Home Health & Asthma Education: All household members will receive in-home asthma and healthy homes education on asthma management and healthy living practices, including identifying the specific asthma triggers in their home and understanding their child’s Asthma Control Plan
  • Free Asthma & Healthy Homes Kit: Each kit includes a HEPA vacuum, green cleaning supplies (mop, buckets, environmentally friendly cleaning solution, gloves, and a sponge), and mattress/pillow covers 
  • Additional Support & Resources: If needed, eligible households will be referred to supporting program providers, including the City of Providence and the RIHousing’s Lead Hazard Reduction Programs and CAPP’s Weatherization Program

How can a partnership with primary care providers strengthen your work?

A partnership with primary care providers is essential to our mission as it enhances our ability to identify families in need of our assistance. By collaborating with primary care providers, we can provide targeted healthy housing interventions including lead paint remediation, asthma trigger reduction (e.g., allergens, mold, pests/rodents, and other unsafe housing conditions), and energy efficiency improvements that directly address health issues caused by housing conditions.  

In particular, GHHI is looking to better connect with children aged 2-17 suffering from poorly controlled asthma. With funding and a goal to work with 200 households through October 2026, GHHI needs the help of primary care providers to identify and refer these children to our services. By further enhancing partnerships with primary care providers, GHHI can more effectively reach vulnerable populations and families in need of healthy housing services and make a significant impact on health outcomes. 

What's something you'd like the primary care community to understand about your organization?

Housing is a key determinant of someone’s health. By creating healthier home environments, families can expect an increase in quality of life, improved asthma control, and reductions in asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and missed school and workdays. This not only saves families money but also allows primary care providers to focus more on preventive care and overall health. In addition, the evidence for healthy home interventions is strong:

  • Comprehensive in-home asthma interventions produce a return of $5-14 to society for every $1 invested, a median decrease of 0.57 acute healthcare visits annually per child, and a decrease of 12.3 school absences annually per child on average. 
  • GHHI Baltimore’s Asthma Programs resulted in a 66% reduction in asthma-related hospitalizations, a 62% increase in asthma-related perfect school attendance, and an 88% increase in parents never having to miss a day of work due to their child’s asthma episodes.

GHHI is eager to partner with the primary care community to improve both health and outcomes for their patients and urges the primary care community to explore existing innovative models for the health sector to fund home interventions that reduce hazards for those with asthma, lead poisoning, etc. 

Want to get in touch? Contact Bryan Evans, Program Manager, at bevans@ghhi.org or 401-400-8423.