NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTHY HOUSING RECEIVES $300,000 FROM U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

Funding Will Support New Healthy Homes Training Center
and Network

Columbia, MD -- The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) has been awarded a $300,000 cooperative agreement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network.

The National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network is the first effort to cross-train health and housing professionals.  NCHH will convene a team of nationally recognized experts in housing, environmental public health, and building science to develop the initial course offerings. When fully operational, the National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network courses will be delivered through universities across the country.

The new training center and network is aimed at educating environmental public health and housing professionals in the discipline of "healthy housing," a century old concept that is receiving renewed interest from researchers and practitioners alike.

"We are in the midst of a fundamental shift in health and housing policy," said NCHH director, Rebecca Morley. "Health professionals are moving away from treating environmental diseases to identifying their sources and preventing them. Likewise, cutting edge housing professionals are heading off liability, maintenance and repair costs by incorporating healthy housing principles into their practices. The goal of the National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network is to reinforce these trends and to build a workforce that will help bring these practices to scale."

"There is a growing awareness among public health experts that a coordinated and holistic approach to addressing multiple housing-related health hazards is more cost efficient and prevention effective than a categorical approach," said Dr. Henry Falk, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. "This initiative offers a first step for translating that recognition into action."

Housing-related health concerns include childhood lead poisoning caused by ingesting lead-based paint and dust; and asthma episodes triggered by exposure to dust mites, pets, and mold.  Cockroaches, rats, and mice also are significant problems that impact health and well-being. Exposure to pesticide residues and other indoor toxics, tobacco smoke, combustion gases, and particulates are also likely to be part of the course offerings. Unintentional injuries are also an important healthy housing issue as they are the number one cause of death for children and young adults in the United States.

The first universities to participate in the training center and network include: Eastern Kentucky University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Washington, and the University of Wisconsin.

NCHH is a supporting organization of The Enterprise Foundation and the Alliance for Healthy Homes. NCHH develops and promotes practical methods for protecting children from residential environmental hazards while preserving the supply of affordable housing.

 

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