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Housing Is Working Group 2023-2024 Calendar

Join the Housing Is Working Group to discuss special topics related to cross-sector initiatives and programmatic considerations particularly focused on the intersections of housing, health, and education.

This year’s public webinars cover topics such as the mobility asthma project, trauma-informed approaches to housing, resident-focused racial equity work, out-of-school time, and how FCC grantees are supprting voucher holders.

View Calendar
 

Elements of a Successful Partnership

With generous support from the MacArthur Foundation, CLPHA developed an in-depth report on regional housing-education collaborations taking place at housing authorities across the Pacific-Northwest.

Read the Multimedia Report
 
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Publication
Community:
Aug 3, 2023
A Community Health Worker Program Development & Toolkit for Affordable Housing and Community Development Organizations

Authored by: NeighborWorks America
Topics: Health, Healthy homes, Housing
Shared by Camille Anoll-Hunter on Aug 3, 2023
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Interactive
Community:
May 1, 2023
Play is not only beneficial but essential for people of all ages. Today, there is increasing interest in the benefits of not only play itself, but specifically people from younger and older generations playing together. The built environment in our communities plays a critical role in facilitating this intergenerational engagement and play. Approaches such as Intergenerational Contact Zones (ICZs) introduce strategies for promoting social inclusion and belonging, employing novel ways of planning and designing public spaces to create intergenerationally enriched environments that provide mutual benefits as well as counteract ageism and age-related stereotypes.

Authored by: Stephanie Firestone and Julia Glassman for AARP Equity by Design- Principles in Action
Topics: Community development, Dual-generation, Exercise, Health, Seniors, Youth
Shared by Sandra Ware on Jun 8, 2023
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Interactive
Community:
May 24, 2023
Ever wondered what health centers are close to your public housing property? Check out this map to learn more.

Authored by:
Topics: Health, Housing
Shared by Camille Anoll-Hunter on May 24, 2023
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Interactive
Community:
May 2, 2023
Sesame Workshop and Quest Diagnostics as part of the Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative are working together to create a bilingual (English and Spanish), multimedia program that helps all families build healthy habits as a foundation for lifelong well-being. This effort addresses systemic barriers to health care and helps improve access to the critical resources every family needs to stay well. The latest materials showcase how there are many ways to support families in being healthy in both mind and body. The new resources include two videos and a digital storybook. Below you’ll find sample social media copy to share these resources with your community. We thank you for your commitment and support as we continue in our mission to help all children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.

Authored by: Sesame Street in Communities and Quest Diagnostics
Topics: Child welfare, dual-generation initiative, Early childhood, Family engagement, Health
Shared by Sandra Ware on May 2, 2023
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Policy Brief
Community:
Mar 28, 2023
Family separations and family detention have been used as part of immigration enforcement in the United States. These practices and policies are severely detrimental to child health and wellbeing and can cause lasting harm. This brief reviews the state of the research on the developmental, psychological, and physical toll of family separation and family detention on children and their caregivers. Grounded in this science, we provide a set of policy recommendations that protect child health and wellbeing.

Authored by: Kelly Edyburn, PhD & Shantel Meek, PhD for the Children's Equity Project
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Health, Immigrants, Legislation & Policy, Mental health, Youth
Shared by Sandra Ware on Mar 30, 2023
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Publication
Community:
Nov 3, 2022
In the newly released Stanford Social Innovation Review article, co-authors Jessica Mulcahy, Success Measures at NeighborWorks America; Vedette R. Gavin, Verge Impact Partners; and Stacey Barbas and Kate McLaughlin, The Kresge Foundation discuss their collaborative work on a three-year developmental evaluation to learn about the strategies and approaches grantees are using to advance health equity through housing. This article is part of the series “Collaboration for Housing Justice” sponsored by Funders for Housing and Opportunity to mark their fifth anniversary.

Authored by: Stacey Barbas, Kate McLaughlin, Jessica Mulcahy & Vedette R. Gavin, Stanford Social Innovation Review
Topics: Community development, Health, Housing, Place-based, Racial inequalities, Research
Shared by Camille Anoll-Hunter on Dec 15, 2022
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Policy Brief
Community:
Nov 29, 2022
Successful diabetes care for vulnerable populations demands a multi-prong approach, deploying direct health interventions, medications, and support from a range of community resources to address the social determinants, which impact diabetes. This brief will highlight, through case studies and program descriptions, the important role of non-clinical staff in both the health center and housing setting to support individuals and families struggling to prevent and keep diabetes conditions under control.

Authored by: CSH
Topics: Health, Housing
Shared by Sandra Ware on Nov 29, 2022

A Call for Reinforcements in Diabetes Care: Maximizing the Role of Non-Clinical Staff and Partners

Policy Brief
Nov 29, 2022
CSH
Successful diabetes care for vulnerable populations demands a multi-prong approach, deploying direct health interventions, medications, and support from a range of community resources to address the social determinants, which impact diabetes.
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Policy Brief
Community:
Nov 3, 2022
The series highlights the promising work of the EHS-CCPs to date, particularly related to pandemic recovery and stabilization, workforce support, and expanding access to holistic support for children and families, especially mental health support. The briefs highlight the many roles that states can play in establishing and expanding their own EHS-CCPs, including by using Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five funding and aligning CCDF quality funding with supports needed to establish and grow the Early Head Start model. The EHS-CCPs take many forms in states and communities across the country, but all provide resources to child care partners to deliver high-quality services aligned with the holistic Early Head Start model. This includes ensuring access to early learning for infants and toddlers; vision, hearing and developmental screenings; connections to health supports, including mental and dental healthcare; supports for families — including connections to prenatal care and economic, education, housing, and health supports; and coaching and access to credentials and higher levels of education for the workforce. In some states, the EHS-CCPs have prompted important policy changes that align standards across these two programs, reducing the burden for communities and providers. Check out the full series here and help us spread the word!

Authored by: Mario Cardona, Shantel Meek, Linda Smith, Yvette Fuentes, and Eric Bucher for Arizona State University Center for Child and Family Success
Topics: Child welfare, COVID-19, Health, Mental health, Workforce development
Shared by Sandra Ware on Nov 3, 2022

Building Supply, Enhancing Quality, and Advancing Equity: The Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Series

Policy Brief
Nov 3, 2022
Mario Cardona, Shantel Meek, Linda Smith, Yvette Fuentes, and Eric Bucher for Arizona State University Center for Child and Family Success
The series highlights the promising work of the EHS-CCPs to date, particularly related to pandemic recovery and stabilization, workforce support, and expanding access to holistic support for children and families, especially mental health support.
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Publication
Community:
Sep 23, 2022
NCHPH has catalogued promising practices on health center and housing partnerships that were identified during T/TA activities. Some promising practices in this publication include collaboration strategies to address COVID-19, flu vaccination efforts, smoking cessation, access to health care, and more.

Authored by: National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH)
Topics: Health
Shared by Gabe Castro on Sep 23, 2022
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Publication
Community:
Sep 23, 2022
Getting regular exercise can be a challenge, but there are many positive benefits, particularly for people with diabetes.

Authored by: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Topics: Exercise, Health, Healthy homes, Nutrition
Shared by Gabe Castro on Sep 23, 2022

How Health Centers Can Promote Benefits of Exercise to Diabetic Public Housing Residents and Promising Practices

Publication
Sep 23, 2022
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Getting regular exercise can be a challenge, but there are many positive benefits, particularly for people with diabetes.
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Publication
Community:
Sep 23, 2022
The Effects of ‘Food Deserts’ on Public Housing Residents Living with Diabetes

Authored by: National Center for Health in Public Housing
Topics: Energy, Exercise, Health, Healthy homes, Mobility, Nutrition
Shared by Gabe Castro on Sep 23, 2022
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Publication
Community:
May 1, 2022
This toolkit by NCHPH and NNCC provides information and resources for health center staff to partner and collaborate more effectively with their local housing authorities and with other providers serving residents of public housing and other low-income housing.

Authored by: National Center of Health In Public Housing
Topics: Health, Partnerships
Shared by Camille Anoll-Hunter on Sep 23, 2022

HEALTHY TOGETHER: A Toolkit for Health Center Collaborations with HUD Assisted Housing and Community-Based Organizations

Publication
May 1, 2022
National Center of Health In Public Housing
This toolkit by NCHPH and NNCC provides information and resources for health center staff to partner and collaborate more effectively with their local housing authorities and with other providers serving residents of public housing and other low-income housing.
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Publication
Community:
Aug 26, 2021
The National CLAS Standards are intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities by establishing a blueprint for health and health care organizations

Authored by: Think Cultural Health, an initiative of the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Topics: Communications, Health, Immigrants
Shared by Camille Anoll-Hunter on Aug 26, 2021

National Standards for Culturally and Linquistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care

Publication
Aug 26, 2021
Think Cultural Health, an initiative of the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
The National CLAS Standards are intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities by establishing a blueprint for health and health care organizations
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Publication
Community:
Jan 14, 2021
A Playbook for Local Health Department Strategies in the United States

Authored by: The National Community-Based Workforce Alliance
Topics: COVID-19, Health
Shared by Camille Anoll-Hunter on Aug 26, 2021
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Policy Brief
Community:
May 5, 2021
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many public housing authorities (PHAs) to quickly adjust their operational procedures to protect their staff while providing emergency assistance to residents. Many PHAs had to close their offices and convert to remote operations almost overnight, while staff focused on supporting their tenants by delivering them food, doing wellness checks for vulnerable residents, and ensuring they had access to and in some cases providing the technology needed for children to attend school remotely and isolated residents to remain connected to friends, family, and service providers. Moreover, as the economic crisis caused by the pandemic worsened, PHAs were under pressure to rapidly adjust rents for tenants who had lost income and process housing choice voucher (HCV) applications so people could use their vouchers to find housing. This brief provides insights into how public housing authorities used additional flexibilities that became available through a series of HUD-issued regulatory and statutory waivers, and makes the case for the potential benefits for added flexibilities for the HCV and public housing programs going forward.

Authored by: Monique King-Viehl, Elizabeth Champion, & Susan J. Popkin for URBAN INSTITUTE
Topics: Advocacy, COVID-19, Data sharing, Health, Housing, Safety, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on May 25, 2021
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Policy Brief
Community:
Dec 4, 2019
In California, more than 3.7 million students were eligible for free or reduced priced school meals in the 2017-2018 school year. For many of those students, school meals are the primary source of regular access to healthy food. When the bell rings at 3:00 or lets out for summer break, many of those students go home to nutritional uncertainty or high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. For many low-income families, the out-of-school-time food access gap increases family stress: limited budgets are stretched further to cover food, rent, utilities, transportation, medications, and chidcare costs. For very young children, food insecurity can negatively impact brain and physical development. For children of all ages, disrupted access to healthy food can impact behavior, increase risk of obesity, make it harder to concentrate, or exacerbate existing healthy conditions like type 2 diabetes. The impact is not limited to summer, and can lead to a rocky start to the school year, negatively impacting school attendance and students’ ability to effectively participate in school. Read the full brief to learn how public and affordable housing communities can address food insecurity for children and youth with the help of out-of-school-time USDA child nutrition programs.

Authored by:
Topics: Advocacy, Early childhood, Food insecurity, Health, Healthy homes, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Out-of-school time, West Coast, Youth
Shared by Linda Lu on Dec 4, 2019

Keeping Kids Healthy and Engaged When School is Out Through Public and Affordable Housing Communities

Policy Brief
Dec 4, 2019
In California, more than 3.7 million students were eligible for free or reduced priced school meals in the 2017-2018 school year. For many of those students, school meals are the primary source of regular access to healthy food.
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Publication
Community:
Oct 3, 2019
A majority of property managers report that a smoke-free policy is largely well followed and self enforced by residents and staff. However, it is not uncommon for a small minority of residents to struggle or refuse to comply by continuing to smoke or allowing their guests to smoke on the property. These resources and tools can assist management in promoting compliance and enforcing the policy when necessary. If you would like to consult on solutions specific to your situation, reach out to info@smokefreepublichousingproject.org.

Authored by: Clean Air for All
Topics: Health, Healthy homes, Smoke-free
Shared by Jackie Siewert on Oct 3, 2019

Smoke-Free Public Housing Compliance and Enforcement Toolkit

Publication
Oct 3, 2019
Clean Air for All
A majority of property managers report that a smoke-free policy is largely well followed and self enforced by residents and staff. However, it is not uncommon for a small minority of residents to struggle or refuse to comply by continuing to smoke or allowing their guests to smoke on the property.
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jun 4, 2019
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced its intention to roll back protections for transgender people experiencing homelessness. The newly proposed rule, which is in the early stages of the rulemaking process and has not yet been publicly posted to the Federal Register, would allow homeless shelters to discriminate based on gender identity, putting transgender people in danger of violence and further housing instability. This is part of a long string of attacks the Trump administration has directed toward the transgender community, such as implementing the infamous military ban, contributing to a pattern that legally perpetuates discrimination against transgender people in this country.

Authored by: Aastha Uprety for Equal Rights Center
Topics: Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Racial inequalities
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 13, 2019
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Publication
Community:
May 30, 2019
A more regional approach to care is needed – one that involves coordinated, person-centered healthcare with robust connections to social services and community resources. An innovative infrastructure to do just that is underway in four communities across New Jersey: Trenton, Camden, Newark, and Paterson. Efforts begun in 2011 under New Jersey’s Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Demonstration Project have evolved into four regional collaboratives that integrate, coordinate, and align all the disconnected programs aimed at making communities healthier.

Authored by: Kathleen Noonan and Jon Tew for Camden Coaliton of Healthcare Providers
Topics: Data sharing, East Coast, Health, Partnerships
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 13, 2019
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Publication
Community:
Jun 12, 2019
Zoning rules dictate more than just how we can use and build on land. They also shape our communities and our lives. Land use laws determine where we can find housing, schools, and parks—and who has access to them.

Authored by: Maya Brennan, Emily Peiffer, and Kimberly Burrowes for How Housing Matters, The Urban Institute
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Racial inequalities
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 13, 2019

How Zoning Shapes our Lives

Publication
Jun 12, 2019
Maya Brennan, Emily Peiffer, and Kimberly Burrowes for How Housing Matters, The Urban Institute
Zoning rules dictate more than just how we can use and build on land. They also shape our communities and our lives. Land use laws determine where we can find housing, schools, and parks—and who has access to them.
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Publication
Community:
This paper analyzes why SNAP benefits are inadequate, reviews the body of research showing positive effects from more adequate SNAP benefits, and offers key policy solutions to improve benefit adequacy.

Authored by: Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Topics: Food insecurity, Health, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 11, 2019

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Initiatives to Make SNAP Benefits More Adequate Significantly Improve Food Security, Nutrition, and Health

Publication
Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
This paper analyzes why SNAP benefits are inadequate, reviews the body of research showing positive effects from more adequate SNAP benefits, and offers key policy solutions to improve benefit adequacy.
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Publication
Community:
May 20, 2019
African-Americans are three times more likely to die from asthma as whites. In Philadelphia and elsewhere, how can outcomes improve with changes to housing quality and pollution control?

Authored by: Sophia Newman for Next City
Topics: Asthma, Health, Housing, Low-income, Racial inequalities
Shared by Housing Is on May 23, 2019
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Publication
Community:
May 22, 2019
In May 2018, Kaiser Permanente, the largest private integrated care system in the US, announced that it would invest $200 million through its Thriving Communities Fund to address the affordable housing crisis in California’s Bay Area. Then in 2019, Kaiser announced that it used the fund to purchase an apartment building in a diverse but quickly gentrifying neighborhood in Oakland with the express purpose of making repairs and upgrades to improve health in the building and to ensure affordability to current residents. If Kaiser wanted to improve health, why wouldn’t it focus solely on housing upgrades, which research shows can produce positive health outcomes (PDF)? Why would it include maintaining affordability in its mandate?

Authored by: Martha Fedorowicz for How Housing Matters, The Urban Institute
Topics: Health, Housing, Low-income
Shared by Housing Is on May 23, 2019

What's Bad for your Wallet Might Be Bad for your Health: The Negative Health Consequences of Spending Too Much on Housing

Publication
May 22, 2019
Martha Fedorowicz for How Housing Matters, The Urban Institute
In May 2018, Kaiser Permanente, the largest private integrated care system in the US, announced that it would invest $200 million through its Thriving Communities Fund to address the affordable housing crisis in California’s Bay Area.
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Publication
Community:
Apr 25, 2019
Research shows that clinical care is only one factor that impacts population health and that a collection of other factors – including the natural and built environment where people live, education economic stability, food, and community and social context – grouped under the term social determinants of health (SDOH), have significantly more influence on care utilization, outcomes, and population health. Together, these factors account for 60% of preventable mortality.

Authored by: Daniel Young for The Network for Public Health Law
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Health, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare
Shared by Housing Is on May 2, 2019

Addressing Social Determinants of Maternal and Child health through Medicaid Managed Care

Publication
Apr 25, 2019
Daniel Young for The Network for Public Health Law
Research shows that clinical care is only one factor that impacts population health and that a collection of other factors – including the natural and built environment where people live, education economic stability, food, and community and social context – grouped under the term social determinant
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Publication
Community:
May 1, 2019
Focusing on traditional neighborhood measures such as disadvantage and segregation rarely reveals how specific policies, powerful decisionmakers, and institutions built on racial hierarchy generate and maintain racial health disparities. To help researchers, policymakers, and practitioners consider how best to recognize and incorporate structural racism in the study of place-based health disparities, this literature review highlights four lessons researchers can use to more directly study the connection between structural racism and health.

Authored by: How Housing Matters for The Urban Institute
Topics: Health, Racial inequalities, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 2, 2019

Four Ways to Integrate a Structural Racism Lens into Neighborhood Health Research

Publication
May 1, 2019
How Housing Matters for The Urban Institute
Focusing on traditional neighborhood measures such as disadvantage and segregation rarely reveals how specific policies, powerful decisionmakers, and institutions built on racial hierarchy generate and maintain racial health disparities.