Energy and Public Health

The Energy Programs Consortium serves as technical advisor to the District of Columbia’s Department of the Environment, Energy Division, and the United Planning Organization (the District’s community action agency) for the DC REACH/Be Warm, Be Well project. The project is supported by a three year REACH demonstration grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

DC REACH/Be Warm, Be Well tailors energy assistance outreach to enroll local residents whose health is most likely to suffer from inadequately heated or cooled homes, whether from the temperature itself or as a result of home budget decisions made in response to high utility bills, for example, the heightened risk of fire from using a space heater, or the decision to forego filling a medical prescription to save money.

Most low-income residents in DC are not enrolled in LIHEAP but do have connections with other social or health services, including the WIC program (federally-subsidized food for pregnant women and young children), Food Stamps, Meals on Wheels (for elders and persons with disabilities who have limited mobility), or Medicaid and related safety net health care programs.

DC REACH/Be Warm, Be Well is establishing referral relationships with local benefits programs and safety net providers and lowering administrative obstacles to a coordinated approach that promotes the health of low-income residents, in part by sending outreach staff to health care and feeding sites throughout the District. Be Warm, Be Well aims to improve the health of DC residents through energy conservation and services. It will be evaluated by a team at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Health Policy.

For more information, please contact Lynne P. Snyder, Senior Public Health Advisor, at lsnyder@energyprograms.org, phone (202) 246-5817.