Minnesota Department of Health recently awarded grants totaling $250,000 to seven local health agencies — including Meeker County — to develop and implement programs that address health hazards frequently found in homes.
“We’re really happy we were funded,” said Pam Miller, a Meeker County public health nurse and supervisor. “We’re in a lot of homes — visiting moms with new babies, doing case management for elderly folks. All of our nurses are out in homes throughout the county, so sometimes we’re able to see things, but we don’t have the resources to help them. This will help with some of those things.”
Among the many hazards to be targeted are lead, carbon monoxide, radon and mold.
The grant money will fund local efforts that are designed to encourage prevention activities, and provide guidance and support to people exposed to unhealthy conditions in their homes.
Public health workers will target high-risk populations, which include children under age 6, low-income and minority populations, the elderly, and homes with lead.
The grant will help train public health nurses to identify potential problems in homes and educate homeowners on how to eliminate them. Public health nurses then will integrate the identification and education into what they already are doing, Miller said.