Tag: social determinants of health

A COVID Upside: It Pushed Organizations to Do Better

During the pandemic, community development organizations had to work double-time to adapt to residents' needs. For some, that work yielded important lessons about better helping their communities, permanently.

Where Missoula Built Sidewalks, A Health Equity Focus Followed

The Missoula City-County Health Department is working to expand health equity through a full-time government position, five years after a health initiative brought new sidewalks to low-income neighborhoods.

The Real Reason Why Babies at a St. Louis Public Housing...

When a St. Louis-based group convened public housing residents to talk about infant mortality, they discovered a serious housing issue that affected tenants’ health. To the organization’s credit, they didn’t turn away from the problem.

Access to Housing Can Reduce Infant Deaths

Housing may not be on the list of solutions for the maternal and infant mortality crisis. But research—and successful programs—shows that it should be.

Sealing the Cracks in Weatherization and Home Repair

Deferred home maintenance can lead to serious structural, safety, and health issues. A new program in Pennsylvania aims to fill the gaps in home repair and weatherization programs.

A New ‘Normal’: Nonprofits and the Next Phase of COVID

Two years after the pandemic began, community development organizations reflect on what’s changed and how they’re moving forward. Some are still in crisis mode; others are refocusing their work.

Helping Tenants with Mental Health Challenges Who Are at Risk of...

Support at all stages of an eviction could help vulnerable tenants navigate the process, avoid being removed from their home, or if they are evicted, help them catch their footing.

Getting Medicaid to Pay for Pest Control

For children who have asthma, pests like cockroaches and mice can trigger allergic reactions and lead to recurring and expensive hospital visits. Could insurers save money by investing in housing-based improvements like pest management services?

Why Wealth Matters to Your Health: A Webinar

How did the racial wealth gap begin? And why has it been so hard to fix? Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute and others discuss these topics in a webinar hosted by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.

How Much Time Does Trauma-Informed Community Building Take? It’s Complicated

Building trust takes time. How does that factor into project timelines, and what recommendations do housing development leaders have for others seeking to shift to more resident-centered practices.

Fannie Mae’s Financing Initiative Encourages Healthier Design, Stronger Resident Services

“I am so excited that Fannie decided to do this … For the first time, there has been recognition by a capital funder that the services that are provided matter.”

Living in a Bubble: Development When Community Doesn’t Matter

How suburban luxury high-rises are lowering everyone’s quality of life.

Lessons from Award-Winning Hospital-Community Partnerships

American Hospital Association's NOVA awards honor hospitals' success in addressing social determinants of health.

‘We-Making’: How Arts and Culture Build Social Cohesion

In Oakland, the Black Cultural Zone ties together art and community ownership to prevent gentrification and heal trauma.

What’s the Best Way to Judge How Well a City’s Housing...

CityHealth revamps its housing medal criteria, shifts away from inclusionary zoning to flexible funding and tenant protections. “We realized there is no singular policy intervention that can address the whole of affordable housing.”

Vy Le—A Resident Services Manager in Washington State

Vy Le’s perseverance as an immigrant, unbeknownst to her, was preparation for a later fight to remove barriers for others facing similar challenges.

How Affordable Housers Perpetuate Past Harms, and How They Can Do...

Some elements of affordable housing—from the development process to the way buildings are managed—are rooted in racist assumptions that dehumanize residents. Here are some simple ways you can be a better housing provider.

Blame Policies, Not Places, for Poor Health

Shifting blame from people to ZIP codes is not enough to create healthy communities. Here’s how to do better.

Trauma-Informed Practices Help Deliver Better Care to Clients and Staff

Poverty, violence, and racism can fuel toxic stress. It's critical that organizations respond with trauma-informed care. Here's how.

Getting Competitive Health Care Systems to Work Together For the Community

Although they were serving the same communities, Philadelphia’s nonprofit hospitals weren’t coordinating with each other. A yearslong process aimed to change that. How did the hospitals eventually come together and what lessons can be drawn to inform hospital collaborations elsewhere?