An Innovative Approach to Address Social and Structural Determinants of Health through Housing

Expanding Jackson County Pathways to support housing-stable individuals with environmental health services

Full Project Name:An Innovative Approach to Address Social and Structural Determinants of Health through HousingPrimary Community Organization:Jackson County Public HealthPrimary Academic Partner:Leslie Ruffalo, PhD, MS, Family MedicineAward Amount:$250,000

Award Date

July2024

Project Duration:24 months

Project Summary:

Unsafe and inadequate housing conditions not only jeopardize physical health, but also exacerbate stress, trauma, and social inequities among residents.

This project will integrate the Pathways Community Hub model into Jackson County's Public Health Department to improve housing conditions and health outcomes. By pairing a community health worker (CHW) with the environmental health sanitarian (EHS), the project partners seek to address immediate housing issues, such as unsafe living conditions and health hazards, while also providing upstream support to prevent future challenges.

By enhancing collaboration between CHWs and EHSs, the project aims not only to mitigate housing-related health risks, but also to improve overall health outcomes for residents facing housing challenges.

Community partners: Great Rivers United Way, Servant Led Community Coalition, Black River Falls School District

Project Updates:

Achieved full integration of the hired community health worker (CHW) within the Jackson County Public Health's Environmental Health Services program to support clients experiencing housing instability
Refined workflows and collaborative processes between the Environmental Health Sanitarian (EHS) and CHW to strengthen coordination, streamline referrals, and improve service delivery
Completed Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Registered Apprenticeship Program by hired CHW which earned Journeyman status and formal CHW certification
Conducted stakeholder interviews with partners across multiple sectors who interacted with the hired CHW to better evaluate the perceived impact of the role in Jackson County and demonstrate value of the CHW role
Established JCPH as the "go to" agency for community members experiencing housing challenges with several organizations such as ADRC and the sheriff's office now looking to JCPH for guidance