About the Healthy Homes Initiative
The aim of the healthy homes initiative is to increase the number of people living in homes that are warm and dry. More people living in healthy homes will mean that tamariki and their whānau will have:
- better health and wellbeing
- less housing-related hospitalisations.
The initiative contracts providers who work with:
- eligible whānau and families
- other government agencies
- local partners.
They provide education and access to interventions to create healthy homes.
What the initiative provides
Interventions given to these families include help with:
- accessing insulation
- curtains
- beds and bedding
- minor repairs
- floor coverings
- ventilation
- heating sources
- Full and Correct Entitlement assessments through Work and Income
- support with power bills
- finding alternative accommodation as needed.
Healthy homes initiative background
The Healthy Homes Initiative was established in December 2013 and covered 11 district health boards (DHBs) with a high incidence of rheumatic fever. When it started, the initiative targeted low-income families with tamariki at risk of rheumatic fever who were living in crowded households.
Since 1 July 2022, the programme has been extended to cover the whole country.
Reach and impact
- Over 53,373 tamariki have been seen by healthy homes initiative providers.
- Over 175,304 whānau members have been seen by healthy homes initiative providers.
- 76% of referrals to the healthy homes initiative have been either Māori or Pacific people.
- Over 203,645 services and products have been received including education, beds, bedding, curtains, heating, insulation, and support to find alternative accommodation.