Healthy Homes Introduction
Introduction
What is the Healthy Homes program about?
Healthy Homes highlights the connection between health and housing, and how to take a holistic approach to identifying and resolving problems that threaten the health and well-being of residents. Healthy Homes is a multi-dimensional concept that spans the historically separate domains of housing, public health and environmental health. The seven principles of Healthy Homes are:
- Keep it dry
- Keep it clean
- Keep it ventilated
- Keep it pest-free
- Keep it safe
- Keep it contaminate-free
- Keep it maintained
Healthy Homes has been adopted by several federal agencies, and is supported by the CDC, EPA and HUD. Many lead poisoning prevention programs are transitioning to Healthy Homes, expanding on their success in controlling lead poisoning in homes. Healthy Homes usually brings together multiple agencies – public health departments, housing inspectors, visiting nurses, weatherization agencies, health care providers, non-profit and community organizations, etc. – to address housing conditions. HUD has been active in promoting IPM in public housing.
The primary sponsor of Healthy Homes has been the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH); for more information, visit the NCHH website, which has many resources, including policy documents and training materials.
The PA IPM program is a training partner of the NCHH, and conducts training regularly.
We conduct trainings in:
Essentials of Healthy Homes for Practitioners – two-day flagship workshop
Healthy Homes for Community Health Workers – one day workshop for staff who conduct home visits.
IPM for Multi-family Housing – IPM for apartments and row homes; for residents, property managers, facilities staff, and pest control operators.
You may download our training brochure here.
We also conduct other workshops for specific situations – child care centers, schools, foster families, immigrant populations, and many others. Please inquire: pscip@psu.edu.
Other resources for Healthy Homes information include:
Housing and Urban Development
Environmental Protection Agency
