How to Run an Effective Healthy Homes Program with Positive Environmental Health and Public Policy Outcomes

The District of Columbia's Healthy Homes Program consists of a public-private partnership involving coordination between several government agencies and private-sector collaborators. Environmental health outcomes include asthma trigger reduction and the elimination of lead-based paint hazards. Public policy outcomes include an enhanced understanding of the nexus between housing conditions and public health. Tracking of environmental health threats identified through the District's Healthy Homes program results in a more cost-effective allocation of scarce resources and a more accurate assessment of the nature and extent of health hazards that are present in the District's housing stock. A focus on improved environmental health outcomes for children results in an innovative partnership between the District's medical community and the government's regulatory system.