Mayor Walsh, Public Health Officials Congratulate Graduates of Housing Program for New Parents in Need

Mayor Walsh, Public Health Officials Congratulate Graduates of Housing Program for New Parents in Need

Mayor Walsh, Monica Valdes Lupi Celebrate 19 Graduates of Healthy Start in Housing Program

BOSTON - Friday, May 6, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh joined the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) and Boston Housing Authority (BHA) leaders in celebrating the graduation of 19 new parents Thursday evening from Healthy Start in Housing, a program that helps ensure safe, secure housing for high-risk pregnant women experiencing homelessness or housing instability, and families raising young children with complex conditions that require specialty care. "The success of this program demonstrates the positive impact we can make in the lives of our residents when we take action to address health and housing stability," said Mayor Walsh. "By working across agencies to achieve health equity, the Healthy Start in Housing program is improving lives and serving as a model for cities across the nation." Healthy Start in Housing has housed more than 100 families since its inception in 2011. The program is a collaborative initiative of the Boston Public Health Commission's Healthy Baby, Healthy Child Program, which provides home visits and counseling to pregnant and parenting families with a child under the age of five, and the Boston Housing Authority. "We're proud of the parents graduating from Healthy Start in Housing, whose hard work and dedication is an inspiration to me personally," said BPHC Executive Director Monica Valdes Lupi, JD, MPH. "Ensuring secure housing for some of our most vulnerable populations is a key to bolstering health and health equity for all of Boston's residents." "Securing housing for families lays the foundation for healthy, thriving children and residents," said BHA Director of Occupancy Gloria Meneses. "We're glad to be a part of this collaborative effort to support families who are in need of housing." The Healthy Start in Housing program provides housing, paired with intensive case management aimed at housing retention, engagement in supportive services, along with other interventions that contribute to participants achieving their long-term housing goals. This year's graduates were joined by Boston's Chief of Health and Human Services Felix G. Arroyo, alumni, family and friends, and BPHC and BHA staff and welcomed by BPHC's Director of Child, Adolescent and Family Health, Deborah Allen.

About the Boston Public Health Commission

The Boston Public Health Commission, the country's oldest health department, is an independent public agency providing a wide range of health services and programs. It is governed by a seven-member board of health appointed by the Mayor of Boston. Public service and access to quality health care are the cornerstones of our mission - to protect, preserve, and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable. The Commission's more than 40 programs are grouped into six bureaus: Child, Adolescent & Family Health; Community Health Initiatives; Homeless Services; Infectious Disease; Bureau of Recovery Services; and Emergency Medical Services.