Environmental Health Watch Inc

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH'S MISSION IS TO CREATE HEALTHY HOMES AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES BY IDENTIFYING AND REMOVING HAZARDS, ENGAGING PEOPLE, AND ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS.

EHW HAS STRENGTHENED THE ORGANIZATION BY CONTINUING TO BUILD CAPACITY, ELEVATE OUR POSITION AS THOUGHT LEADERS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, HEALTH EQUITY SPACE AND LEAD POISONING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN CLEVELAND. DUE TO THE SUPPORT FROM THE GEORGE GUND FOUNDATION AND NATIONAL FOUNDATIONS, WE HAVE LEVERAGED OPPORTUNITIES TO BALANCE OUR FY 2018-19 BUDGET, REALIZING FINANCIAL AND STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS. WE HAVE SECURED LOCAL CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY OF CLEVELAND AND CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH HUD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION PROGRAMS. EHW IS EXPANDING AND BROADENING OUR FEE-FOR-SERVICE ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE; TRAINING, TECHNICAL CONSULTING, HOME HAZARDS ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SECOND YEAR OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING RESEARCH, PREPARING TO IMPLEMENT OUR EHW HEALTHY HOMES ASSESSMENT FEE-FOR SERVICE PROGRAM, FUNDED BY CLEVELAND FOUNDATION. RESULTS AND SUCCESSES-THROUGH OUR CORE HEALTHY HOUSING PROGRAM, WE WORK WITH HOMEOWNERS, TENANTS, LANDLORDS, HOUSING PROFESSIONALS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO IMPROVE QUALITY, MAKING HOMES SAFER AND HEALTHIER BY IDENTIFYING AND REDUCING HAZARDS, IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY, AND OTHER ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF HOUSING. FROM 2015-2019, EHW HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TWO NATIONAL MULTI-YEAR PROGRAMMATIC GRANTS UNDER OUR HEALTHY HOMES AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AREAS. KRESGE FRESHLO - FRESH, LOCAL AND EQUITABLE SUPPLEMENTAL AWARD A NEW INNOVATIVE PROGRAM DEVELOPING MODELS/PLANS MERGING FOOD, ARTS AND CULTURE INCORPORATING PLACE- MAKING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EQUITY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES WITH FOOD AS A PLATFORM. WE COMPLETED A VERY SUCCESSFUL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY BUILDING INITIATIVE WITH A CULMINATING FESTIVAL OF SCALE; FRESH FEST CLEVELAND URBAN FARM, FOOD, ARTS & CULTURE FESTIVAL. WE NOW CONTINUE TO ENGAGE YOUTH IN FURTHER DEVELOPING THEIR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE COOPERATIVE, REGIONAL JUICE.CO., PRODUCE A WEEKLY YOUTH-LED RADIO SHOW ON WOVU 95.9 FM AND HOSTS MONTHLY OPEN MICS AT THE RADIO STATION. LEAD SAFE CLEVELAND COALITION COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM (LSCC) A TOTAL OF THREE FUNDERS (LISTED BELOW) ARE SUPPORTING THE WORK OF EHW IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LEAD SAFE CLEVELAND COALITION COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, WORKING TOWARD RESIDENT LEADERSHIP CAPACITY BUILDING AND SYSTEMATIC POLICY CHANGES. WE HAVE FORMALIZE THE LEAD SAFE CLEVELAND COALITION INTO A WELL-STRUCTURED, LONG-TERM HEALTH AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM THROUGH THE LEAD SAFE LOAN FUND AND RESOURCE CENTER THAT WILL PRODUCE A CADRE OF COMMUNITY LEADERS (COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM) WHO CAN SERVE AS ON-THE-GROUND ADVOCATES FOR LEAD POISONING PREVENTION AND HEALTHY HOUSING IN CLEVELAND. THE CLEVELAND CITIZENS ACTION COMMITTEE ON LEAD & HEALTHY HOUSING (CCAC), IS LED BY A GROUP OF EXPERIENCED COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZERS, WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES AND WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR MANY YEARS. ONCE TRAINED IN POLICY AND ADVOCACY AS WELL AS HEALTHY HOMES, COMMUNITY LEADERS WORKED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WATCH AND THE ENTIRE LEAD SAFE CLEVELAND COALITION TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND SHARE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED IN CIVIC AND POLICY ACTION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS IT PERTAINS TO LEAD AND HEALTHY HOMES ISSUES.? THE WORKSHOPS IN GLENVILLE WERE CONDUCTED AND GROUNDED IN TRUSTED COMMUNITY SPACES IN?NEIGHBORHOODS HARDEST HIT BY THE LEAD POISONING CRISIS. THESE SITES WILL SERVE AS HOST SITES FOR THE OVERALL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THROUGH 2021. CLEVELAND HEALTHY HOMES DATA COLLABORATIVE (FORMERLY BUILDHEALTH CHALLENGE) CLEVELAND IS PROVIDING A NEW HEALTHY HOUSING DATA WEB-BASED APP HOUSING.HEALTH, GROUNDED IN NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WILL ENABLE PHYSICIANS, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS, AND RESIDENTS TO EASILY ACCESS HOUSING DATA AND REAL TIME INFORMATION TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES, WITH A FOCUS ON ASTHMA AND LEAD POISONING. EHW HEALTHY HOMES AUDIT TOOL- EHW IS EXPANDING AND BROADENING OF OUR FEE- FOR-SERVICE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING TRAINING, TECHNICAL CONSULTING, HOME HAZARD ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION. WE ARE IN THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING RESEARCH PHASE OF IMPLEMENTING OUR HEALTHY HOMES AUDIT TOOL (FUNDED BY CLEVELAND FOUNDATION) TO SERVE A BROADER RANGE OF CLIENTS, GENERATE NEW REVENUE TO SUPPORT EHWS PROGRAMS, AND BRING HEALTHY HOME INTERVENTIONS TO SCALE REGIONALLY. THE EHW HEALTHY HOMES MODEL IS A BEST PRACTICE PROTOCOL DEVELOPED WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS TO ADDRESS UNHEALTHY HOUSING IN COLLABORATION WITH RESIDENTS, LANDLORDS, AND RENTERS. EHWS PROGRAM-TESTED APPROACH TO HEALTHY HOME INTERVENTIONS INCLUDES: A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE HOME DURING A WALKTHROUGH OF THE HOUSE WITH A FAMILY BY A TRAINED HEALTHY HOMES ASSESSOR. IN-HOME EDUCATION INCLUDES COLLABORATION WITH THE FAMILY AND/OR LANDLORD TO ADDRESS HEALTH HAZARDS, SUCH AS ASTHMA TRIGGERS AND SAFETY CONCERNS AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE LOW COST EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND MINOR REPAIRS TO ADDRESS THE PRIORITY HEALTHY HOMES ISSUES IDENTIFIED DURING THE HOME VISIT. OUR PRIMARY GOALS ARE TO INCREASE SERVICE DELIVERY EFFICIENCY AND SIMPLICITY IN PRODUCT OFFERINGS, TAILORED TO MARKETS AND ALIGNED WITH POLICY DEVELOPMENT OF BASE AND ADD-ON SERVICES FOR SPECIAL MARKETS. WE ARE TAKING THE TIME TO DEVELOP A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE PRICING STRUCTURE ALIGNED WITH EHWS MISSION. ASTHMA HOME VISIT REIMBURSEMENT ADVOCACY- FROM 2017-2018, EHW, CARESOURCE AND CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH. THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT IS TO ASSESS THE PRACTICALITY AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF PROVIDING ASTHMA HOME VISITS TO CARESOURCE INSURED CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA FOLLOWING THEIR HOSPITALIZATION FOR ACUTE ASTHMA. TO DATE, WE HAVE POSITIVE PRELIMINARY RESULTS; NEGOTIATIONS/WORKING WITH INSTITUTIONS AND CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIPS. SOME PILOT RESULTS: EHWS ABILITY TO ENGAGE ENROLLED MEMBERS WAS EXEMPLARY AND KEY TO THE OUTCOMES. THIS PILOT DEMONSTRATED THE FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL OF MCO-COMMUNITY- HEALTH SYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS IN WORKING TOGETHER FOR A MEDICAID POPULATION. CLEARLY A 60% DECREASE IN THE TOTAL COST OF CARE (FOR BOTH ASTHMA RELATED AND OVERALL) FOR ENROLLED MEMBERS IS STRIKING. OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THE ED HAS SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME STEERING, DEVELOPING, LAUNCHING AND SUPPORTING THE BUILDHEALTH PROJECT, SETTING THE STAGE AND BUILDING TOWARD THE STRUCTURING THE LSCC COALITION. IN JULY OF 2019, THE CITY OF CLEVELAND PASSED ORDINANCE NO. 747-2019 SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS GRIFFIN, KELLEY, MCCORMACK, CLEVELAND, POLENSEK, HAIRSTON, BISHOP, ZONE AND MAYOR JACKSON. WE HAVE HAD MAJOR SUCCESS IN ADVOCATING AND PASSING THE LEAD SAFE POLICY FOR THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. THE ACTIVITY HAS RESULTED IN POSITIVE RESULTS TO DATE, MORE OPERATING DOLLARS ARE NEEDED FOR THE ED AND STAFF TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THE EXECUTION OF THE POLICY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. HEALTHY HOMES POLICY AND ADVOCACY- AS THE LEAD ORGANIZATION FOR THE BUILDHEALTH COLLABORATIVE, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR PROACTIVE RENTAL UNIT INSPECTIONS AND RENTAL REGISTRY ENFORCEMENT- IMPLEMENTED IN 2017 BY CLEVELAND BUILDING AND HOUSING. EHW LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF IMPLEMENTING HEALTHY HOMES SYSTEMATIC CHANGES WITHIN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND, ADVOCATING FOR A PROACTIVE INSPECTION POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE RENTAL REGISTRY FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. OUR LOCAL TEAM, CLEVELAND HEALTHY HOMES DATA COLLABORATIVE, IS A MULTI-SECTOR TEAM FOCUSED ON BOLD, UPSTREAM, INTEGRATED, LOCAL AND DATA DRIVEN SOLUTIONS FOR BETTER PUBLIC HEALTH FOCUSED ON OUTCOMES. IN 2017, WE SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE RENTAL REGISTRY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY OF CLEVELAND PROACTIVE HEALTHY HOME INSPECTION PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE RENTAL REGISTRY BY 20%. WE CARRY OUT OUR MISSION BASED ON HEALTH EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FRAMING OF THE ISSUES FOCUSED ON ROOT CAUSES TO MAKE GREATER IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES. KIM FOREMAN, ED, HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINES LEAD ADVISORY TASK FORCE. EHW HAS TURNED THE CORNER AND NOW REPORTS A POSITIVE FINANCIAL STANDING AFTER A SEVERE DEFICIT FROM 2014. WE HAVE SECURED AND MAINTAINED FEE-FOR- SERVICE CONTRACTS INTO 2021, RECEIVED FUNDING FROM MULTIPLE NATIONAL FOUNDATIONS, MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO REDUCE SPENDING AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY, STRENGTHENED AND DEVELOPED A BOARD STRUCTURE, RECEIVED LOCAL AND NATIONAL ATTENTION AS LEADERS IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH EQUITY. WE HAVE SECURED FUNDING FOR STAFFING, BOARD TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (CURRENTLY WORKING WITH BVU), EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND STAFF TRAINING. WE HAVE WORKED TOWARD BECOMING A SUSTAINABLE, EFFECTIVE AND GROUNDED ORGANIZATION TO SHAPE AND INFLUENCE SYSTEMS CHANGE, POLICY, HEALTH EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WORK IN GREATER CLEVELAND AND NATIONALLY.