Healthy Housing and Fiscal Wellness for a Healthier Georgia

Summary

Healthy housing and fiscal wellness research-based consumer education was provided through collaboration with The University of Georgia Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Extension, Chatham County municipal governments and Georgia Department of Public Health for Georgia consumers prior and during the COVID 19 Pandemic to achieve healthier wellness outcomes.

Situation

According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, mold in damp indoor environments is associated with upper respiratory tract (nasal and throat) and numerous physical health symptoms are increased when an individual is impacted by other chronic diseases related to COVID 19. Information was delivered during 2020 through in-person, email, media, websites, social media, and newspapers. The fiscal health of homebuyers, renters and property managers were impacted with job closings that resulted with consumers not able to pay rent and mortgages. FACS educational outreach intensified to assist clientele to navigate healthier housing and family finance wellness solutions with the emergence of COVID-19.

Response

FACS Agent followed UGA Extension guidelines to safely pivot FACS outreach and discovered the new normal to connect virtually with clientele as a result of COVID 19. Research-based educational outreach to clients was delivered by FACS Agent working remotely from home and sheltering in place using phone, email, webinars and Zoom in collaboration with community partners to stay engaged. Agent partnered with Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to provide a webinar about the “Bank On” free bank account for unbanked consumers. This was an opportunity to provide a safe delivery of stimulus and unemployment checks to consumers through direct bank deposit. Collaborations previously established between Chatham County Health Department, City of Savannah, non-profit and United Way agencies, America’s Second Harvest Food Bank (serving Southeast GA), FACS ELS-PDT advisory team and FACS stakeholders transformed into virtual outreach with FACS Agent delivery through virtual platforms for county consumer and program delivery in partnership with these organizations. The FACS Agent provided resources for property owners through renters’ request to complete corrective actions while working with housing code enforcement and health departments. Two dozen community partners were eager to work with UGA Extension FACS to provide timely COVID -19 resources developed by the statewide network of UGA Extension personnel. The responses included electronic distribution of Extension publications and newsletters and the opportunity to communicate and respond to consumer questions and provide research-based information.

Impact

FACS Agent was able to help deliver the first virtual health fair reaching 50 consumers and established new virtual deliverables for clientele for Family and Consumer Sciences outreach in healthy housing and family fiscal wellness financial education prior and throughout the Pandemic. 385 consumers received research- based information including: “Eight Steps to a Healthy Home”, “Preventing and Removing Mold in the Home”, “Leasing Smart”, “Home Buyer Education”, “Family Financial Wellness and COVID -19 UGA Extension resources. The FACS Agent provided resources for 110 property owners through renters’ request to complete corrective actions to work with housing code enforcement and health departments to make healthy housing repairs. Chatham County Health Department referred 80% of these requests to FACS Agent. Tenants were informed about GA House Bill 346 and the responsibilities of property owners to complete timely home repairs which impact renters to maintain healthy housing and not face eviction. Agent worked with GA Legal Services on this connection with consumers. Twenty-six Power Point presentations including webinars and Zoom programs including: “Renting Basics…Finding a Place to Call Home” and “How You Spend Makes a Difference” developed by FACS Agent outreach to 250 consumers to make informed decisions. Participants established one or more consumer goals to maintain a healthy home or family fiscal wellness plan. FDIC - Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation collaborated and provided webinar for unbanked consumers to learn steps to open bank accounts in order to receive stimulus and unemployment checks for direct deposit which resulted with direct contact with 215 participants. Consumers and agencies responded with positive comments to UGA Extension FACS for pro-actively responding prior and during the on-going Pandemic. Comments included: “thanks for providing UGA Extension resources so I can make an informed decision”, “I now realize the importance of an emergency fund and have set up a personal budget and savings account”, “Our agency is so thankful to have FACS Extension in Chatham County providing publications and newsletters that we can reproduce for our clients, especially during the Pandemic, thank-you”.

State Issue

Health & Wellness

Details

• Year: 2020
• Geographic Scope: County
• County: Chatham
• Location: College Station, Athens
• Program Areas:
  • Family and Consumer Sciences