To Reduce Infant Mortality, Just Add Stable Housing

The Built For Zero program works to end homelessness by partnering with community organizations aimed at helping people experiencing homelessness — specifically veterans — access safe, affordable housing. The Detroit branch is one of the 105 cities nationwide participating in the program. Since joining in 2015, the city has reduced veteran homelessness by about 60%.

California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, is piloting a program that covers rental move-in costs for low-income people in need, specifically those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The goal is to keep people out of expensive institutions, like emergency rooms, by providing services like housing assistance and healthy food. So far, 20 locals have received Medi-Cal’s housing move-in assistance.

Operated by The Neo Child Initiative, the ReachOut Project provides nutrional counseling and screening to parents and their children in underserved communities, free of charge. Since 2015, the ReachOut Project has supported 20,000 people across 10 communities in the state.

First 5 — a group of public agencies created by California’s Proposition 10 tobacco tax — provide funding for preschools, homeless family housing, pediatric dental and mental health care and infant-mother home visits to help parents in need. Home visit groups funded by First 5, like Welcome Baby, serve more than 15,000 families a year and provide necessary supplies like cribs and car seats as well as check-ins for child development.

Teams of Shasthya Shebikas, female community volunteers, are spread across the country providing door-to-door healthcare services to those in need who often struggle to access care. This community healthcare system, in partnership with the local government and other area NGOs, provides free or low-cost care to about 80 million people each year and has seen dramatic health improvements in terms of infant and maternal mortality and vaccination rates.

Programs like the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program — or Section 8 — and the Fort Wayne Housing Authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program help low-income individuals and families afford quality homes through participating private landlords and housing developments. With the voucher program, the tenant’s financial obligation is capped at about 30% of their annual gross income, while the voucher covers the rest. In some cases, the voucher can cover up to 100% of the tenant’s rent.

Ward Development Committees are working toward a polio-free state educating community members and linking them to useful information and access to routine immunization. Over the past two years, the Committees have seen an increase in immunization, particularly in rural communities, as well as a reduction in maternal and child mortality.

The Fainbarg Chase Thrive Center allocated about $20,000 in emergency grants to provide students with temporary housing in partnership with local hotels that also cover utility bills and down payments. So far, the Center has supported 13 students financially, the majority of which were in need of long-term housing support after experiencing homelessness.

Community Health Workers in Richmond County work to reduce barriers - including employment, education, smoking, food security or housing - that may contribute to the likelihood of infant mortality. Using the Community HUB Pathways Model to minimize significant sources of stress in a woman’s life, they are helping drive down infant mortality rates in Ohio, particularly for women and babies of color.

As rents in Madison, Wisconsin, skyrocket, alternative housing options are emerging. One such option is cohousing, a form of community living in which residents live in multiple units. One unit, Linden Cohousing, has 75 members living across its 45 units, enjoying not only affordable housing but also the community aspect of cohousing. Madison currently has four active cohousing communities, with more on the way.