Children’s National: Overview

The Healthy Housing Virtual Home Visiting (VHV) Program provides coordinated health and housing expertise to families living in Washington, D.C.

The VHV project team consists of the Children’s National IMPACT D.C. Asthma Clinic and Child Health Advocacy Institute; Yachad, a nonprofit housing remediation organization; Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) D.C.; and the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI).

Using a telehealth platform on their smartphones, families connect with providers who conduct virtual medical and home assessments. Once housing conditions that trigger asthma, such as mold or pest infestations, are identified, families receive education and a remediation plan. The virtual home visits not only improve health care services, but also enable the indoor triggers to be remediated and improve housing conditions more efficiently.

This joint effort also aims to improve the quality of housing when landlords are made aware of poor housing conditions and instructed on how to make repairs.

The team has used its Fannie Mae contract award to:

Hire a full-time project coordinator.

Pay for remediation equipment and work, including HVAC filters and vacuums, mattress bedding, and roofing and plumbing repairs.

Write a paper evaluating the program using key performance indicators.

After six months, significant improvements in health and housing have been reported with 57 patients:

• Housing outcomes: Through the VHV Program, the project team identified multiple asthma triggers and remediation needs in the homes assessed. The project team was able to follow up and provide remediation repairs, with most of the homes receiving more than one repair.
• Health outcomes: The children living in these homes experienced improved health outcomes. The frequency of emergency visits, hospitalizations, and oral steroid courses dramatically decreased in the six months following the VHV, compared to the six months prior. By the end of the contract period, Children’s National expects to engage hundreds of families through the program and provide a variety of home remediations through its partner, Yachad