On Mar. 21, FLOURISH MORE, a group within FLOURISH focused on housing, hosted a “Community Meet & Greet” to address concerns raised by Clinton Peabody Housing Complex residents. Residents have been battling unhealthy and unsafe living conditions , caused by mice infestations. A mice infestation poses health and safety risks for babies and small children, and heightened stress levels put pregnant moms at risk of premature birth.
Since 2018, FLOURISH has been working with the Missouri Association of Health Plans (MAHP), three Medicaid-funded managed care plans, to improve housing conditions and overall health of Clinton Peabody residents, more than 870 of whom are members of these managed care plans. One health plan reported over $55,000 in expenses for respiratory-related illnesses among its members in the last 18 months, and six out of 16 births in the last six months have been premature. Plans have also identified behavioral health and other stress-related inflictions for its members living in Clinton Peabody.
“There is still work to be done. Residents continue to suffer from poor housing conditions, so there is an opportunity for our community to engage their private and political networks to escalate matters,” said Rose Anderson-Rice of Generate Health. “We are committed to progress in Clinton Peabody and have identified ways to raise awareness, address health issues, and ultimately keep moms, babies and families healthier.”
The 2019 plan includes:
- Empowering residents to know their tenant rights and demand for appropriate housing conditions.
- Educating landlords on the relationship between quality housing and birth outcomes.
- Championing public policies that provide healthy, sustainable and quality housing for moms and families.
- Highlighting the impact of quality housing on health in the St. Louis region through PSAs via social media.
If you or your organization wants to get more involved in helping Clinton Peabody, contact Rose Anderson-Rice at randersonrice@generatehealthstl.org.
