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Tag: asthma

DC Healthy Homes Collaborative Creates Videos and Materials to Keep Families Healthy

Posted on by Kady Pecorella

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–July 16, 2020

Home Tips to Keep Families Healthy

As families enter their fourth month home with children, the DC Healthy Housing Collaborative (DCHHC) knows one of parents’ top concerns is how to keep homes clean and pest-free. For parents of children with asthma, this can be even more concerning. The more time their child is exposed to asthma triggers in the home, the more likely the child may need to go to the hospital at a time when that can cause an increase in COVID-19 exposure.

To respond to these concerns, the Collaborative developed a suite of materials to help families take small steps to keep pests out of the home and reduce the presence of other allergens that can trigger asthma.

“We know families are facing a lot of stress and worry right now,” said Dr. Janet Phoenix, MD, MPH of the DC Asthma Coalition. “Our hope is these resources offer a few simple steps that make everyone in their home breathe a little easier.”

The relationship between poor housing conditions and certain health problems such as asthma and lead poisoning is well-documented. In D.C., one’s race, income, and neighborhood too often predict the potential for poor housing conditions that can negatively influence health.

In the videos, Children’s Law Center family outreach worker, Kayla Brandon, walks viewers through two tutorials, one focused on how to take small steps to keep asthma under control in a home and the other on how to keep mice and roaches away.

The resources are being shared with nonprofit partners and medical providers so that families, especially those who have asthma, can keep on top of housing issues during a time when landlords may not be able to fix them quickly or easily.

For more information and to access these resources, visit http://bit.ly/DCHealthyHousing.

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About the DC Healthy Housing Collaborative

The DC Healthy Housing Collaborative is a multi-sector coalition seeking to address substandard housing conditions that contribute to significant health issues affect District of Columbia residents.

The relationship between poor housing conditions and certain health problems such as asthma and lead poisoning is well-documented. In D.C., one’s race, income, and neighborhood too often predict the potential for poor housing conditions that can negatively influence health. The DC Healthy Housing Collaborative (DCHHC) convenes a broad range of partners representing government agencies, healthcare, public health, health insurance providers, housing services, legal services, policy advocacy groups, financial institutions, and many others, united in pursuit of policy and systems changes that will lead to healthier housing conditions.  IPHI is a core member of the DCHHC and serves as the Collaborative’s backbone organization.

We envision a DC where all housing promotes health, wellness, safety, and is affordable. DC will be a city where all are welcome and can thrive in powerful resilient and well-resourced communities.

Members include AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia, DC Asthma Coalition, Children’s Law Center, Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED), IMPACT DC (Children’s National Hospital), Institute for Public Health Innovation, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC DC), and Yachad.

For more information on the DC Healthy Housing Collaborative, contact Abby Charles, Program Director at the Institute for Public Health Innovation, at acharles@institutephi.org.

IPHI Celebrates 19 Graduates of the CHW Core Skills Training

Posted on by Kady Pecorella

IPHI is excited to congratulate 19 Community Health Worker (CHW) Core Skills Training graduates facilitated from July through August in Richmond this summer. On August 29, 2018, community health workers from across Virginia completed a rigorous CHW training course that covered the foundations of health equity, public health knowledge, communication skills, care coordination, teaching & capacity building, health education and promotion, outreach strategies, advocacy, wellness, legal and ethical issues, and data collection and documentation. During this interactive and participatory class, students had the chance to learn more about these topics through guided discussions, group activities, and reflection on the health problems in their own communities. After finishing this course, each graduate was a step closer to getting the new CHW certification in Virginia.

Several CHWs spoke of how this training provided them with the skills needed to succeed as CHWs. Read their statements below.

Sean Reid: 

“My name is Sean Reid and I formally became a CHW because I truly believe that environmental and social factors can have a profound effect on an individual’s overall health. My role as a community health worker will be to bridge the gap between the population in which we serve, the health care system, and community resources. Being a community health worker means having the compassion, empathy, and capacity to relate and connect with individuals on a level which makes relationships organic. The training I’ve embarked on has been nothing less than amazing. I’ve been blessed with knowledge and understanding of various topics that prior to this training I was totally unaware and ignorant to. I’m now well equipped to perform my duties as a community health worker at an elite level.”

Greisy Fernandez Gil: 

“Being a Promotora de Salud and volunteering for different organizations that help the Spanish-speaking population living in Richmond and neighboring areas has allowed me to do outreach work and participate in several community events. While doing so, I could notice the needs a lot of people have and the fact that, even though there are many available resources, sometimes people just seem not to know where to go and look for help. That was, primarily, my motivation to become a CHW.

I find helping others very motivating and heartwarming. I believe it gives my life a deeper feeling of purpose and fulfillment. I also love learning and IPHI has offered me the opportunity, not only to do something I enjoy doing but to learn and grow as a professional. I am grateful for that.

In our training, I have met many CHWs and Outreach workers with a noticeable team-work spirit and enriching personal and professional experiences. For me, it has been a real joy to be a part of this process. Besides, the dedication our trainers put in all the work they do is very encouraging as well. I am so excited and willing to use all the skills I’ve learned so far, for the benefit of my clients.”

Celita Washington

“Growing up I have always found myself assisting others. In my early teens, I realized that it was something that I actually enjoyed doing! When you get to see the results and a smile on that person’s face is one of my greatest rewards. That’s when I realized that it was my calling to work with individuals and the community altogether to create, see and be a positive impact on other’s lives. I became a CHW because it gave me a chance to help people on a more professional level. The CHW training courses were nothing short of amazing and have allowed me to maximize on the amount of knowledge I have gained in addition to previous experiences to add to my current skill set. Having the opportunity to service the community and be one of the leading causes in change to see a rise in successful cases and positive growth within the health system in the years to come is what I seek to accomplish as a CHW. It’s of significant meaning to me to have become a CHW to help my clients hone in on addressing the social determinants and seek out healthier lifestyles for the greater good of each individual and humanity as a whole.”