Focus area(s)

• Communities & Constituencies-focused Work
• Environmental Health
• Health
• Population
• Public Health

Where and how we live can have a profound impact on family stability, children’s developmental and educational outcomes, and long-term health. Healthy housing is critical, but equally important are the other environmental factors at play. Where we work, go to school, and live matters, as it determines the kind of built, social, and ecological environments we are exposed to. 

We invite funders with an interest in housing, children and families, education and learning, health, environment, and/or community partnerships to participate in an engaging and provocative discussion with a panel of experts who will provide compelling evidence about:

• The need to view the family in the context of the home and the home in the context of the family;
• New ways for health, housing, families, and the environmental funders to connect their work - not as separate fields of focus, but as linked to each other.

Dr. Cathy Jordan’s research explores community context and its profound influence on children, both in terms of health and educational success. According to Steven Gilbert, “the proportion of environmentally-induced learning and developmental disabilities is a question of profound human, scientific, and public policy significance, and has implications for individuals, families, school systems, communities, and the future of our society.” Sue Gunderson believes that family-centered services are the most effective approach to addressing environmental health threats — interventions must consider the family, home, and community environments in relationship to each other.

Presenters: Dr. Steven Gilbert is the director and founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND). Sue Gunderson is the executive director CLEARCorps USA. Dr. Cathy Jordan is the associate professor of Pediatrics and Neurology and director of the Children, Youth, and Family Consortium at the University of Minnesota.

Moderated by: Dr. Kathy Burgoyne, vice president of Comprehensive Health Education Foundation.

Co-sponsors: Comprehensive Health Education Foundation, Enterprise Community Partners, The Bullitt Foundation and The Seattle Foundation.