Wisconsin Healthy Homes Program

About the Program

The Wisconsin Healthy Homes Program brings together partners from weatherization, public health, community assistance programs, clinical healthcare, and other health and housing service agencies to improve collaboration and decrease risk factors in the home that lead to illness, injury and death in Wisconsin.  By building a closer link between environmental public health services and housing services, Wisconsin aims to improve housing conditions that impact health.

Resources

The Wisconsin Healthy Homes Program has developed several tools, including a Healthy Home Assessment Form and Poster.  In additional, other agencies' links are included below.  We encourage you to use these tools and tailor them to your individual program needs.

• Healthy Home Assessment Form (Word document)

This one-page assessment form was designed to be used by non-environmental health staff during well-baby, asthma education, visiting nurse and social services-type home visits.  The form allows existing staff with limited environmental health training to:

• quickly assess for major healthy home hazards and risks; 

• provide low-cost, simple, interventions; and 
• connect clients with additional community services. 

• Healthy Homes Poster

This poster was originally designed to be used in doctors' offices to initiate dialogue between the clinician and patient on hazards in the home.  However, it could be useful in a variety of settings, including schools, day cares, public health department offices and clinics, or community centers.

The poster dimensions are 17 inches wide by 24 inches tall.  It can be downloaded in pdf or jpg formats.  You can personalize the poster for your own community by adding your agency logo and contact information at the top of the poster.  However, if you use the poster we ask that you acknowledge WI Division of Public Health as well.

PDF Format (661 KB)

JPG Format (1.1 MB)

• Program Guidance Manual

This manual, published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and in collaboration with other partners, guides you into how to develop a program in your community. 

The HUD Healthy Homes Program Guidance Manual pre-release draft is based on proven approaches and techniques, and the most current research. It is written for everyone interested in developing or expanding a Healthy Homes program. Substantial savings in health care costs and improved quality of life can be achieved by reducing health and safety hazards in the home.

The Manual focuses on the Seven Principles of a Healthy Home: Keep it: Dry, Clean, Safe, Ventilated, Pest-Free, Contaminant-Free, and Maintained. The Manual includes guidance, tools, and case studies to help establish and improve Healthy Homes programs.

• Healthy Home Hazards Chart

This one-pager (front and back) lists the top 29 hazards found in homes.  The Healthy Home Rating System (HHRS) is based upon the successful Home Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) developed by the United Kingdom (UK) for use in evaluating risks posed to residents from conditions found in the home.  

For More Information:

Brooke Thompson, Program Manager
Wisconsin Healthy Homes Program
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health
1 W Wilson St, Rm 150
Madison, WI 53702
(608) 261-9325
brooke.thompson@wi.gov