ALPENA — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority have launched a program called Good Housing = Good Health and partnered with health departments across Michigan, including Northeast Michigan agencies, to increase access to housing.

The Northern Michigan Public Health Alliance — a large team made up of seven health organizations, including District Health Departments No. 2 and No. 4, which both serve Northeast Michigan — will help in the new program.

While neither DHHS nor the Northeast Michigan health departments could not provide specifics on how the agencies would accomplish their goals, the program hopes to increase access to housing for older adults, low-income residents, people going through treatment for substance use disorder, and others. The program also aims to inspect households for lead, give access to cleaner water, and improve the weatherization of structures. Another objective is to provide information and resources for households to prevent loss of housing.

The program’s key objective is to provide better housing access for people to promote better health and well-being.

“Creating thriving, healthy communities is a collaborative effort,” Amy Hovey, executive director of MSHDA, said in a statement. “By partnering with MDHHS on the Good Housing = Good Health program we’re expanding essential services and creating more pathways to stable, safe housing for all Michiganders.”

Grants will be provided to participating health departments to send out state resources and information, such as emergency shelter services, referrals to nearby providers, ways to reach other services, and more.

“The Northern Michigan Public Health Alliance is taking a regional approach to combating the housing crisis in northern Michigan and will look to convene a variety of partners to understand current strengths and challenges in the housing sector,” said Devin Spivey, community health director and epidemiologist for District Health Department No. 4 and deputy health officer of District Health Department No. 2. “This grant will also allow our community health workers, through the Community Connections program, to have a more intentional focus on housing insecurity in our area, connecting people to housing resources.”

Spivey said the program’s workplan and budget are being finalized and more information on the health departments’ upcoming actions should be available in the coming weeks.

The Good Housing = Good Health program is a part of DHHS’ Michigan’s Roadmap to Healthy Communities initiative, which aims to build stronger and healthier communities between 2022 and 2024 by promoting health equity, housing stability, and food security for everyone in the state.

“Housing affordability is a major problem for many families, as too many of our neighbors are spending a third of their income or more on housing their family,” Elizabeth Hertel, director of DHHS, said in a statement. “This new program is a critical part of our goal of keeping children safe and keeping families together, as we work collaboratively to make Michigan the safest and best place in America to raise kids and nurture families.”

District Health Department No. 4 serves Alpena, Cheboygan, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties, while District Health Department No. 2 covers Alcona, Iosco, Ogemaw, and Oscoda counties.