Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is the LISC Donor of the Month
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
LISC DONOR OF THE MONTH – MAY 2022
Housing and health are inextricably linked. Those dealing with homelessness are more easily exposed to illness and violence, and without a stable address, healthcare is a tremendous challenge. For housed individuals, factors such as housing instability (moving frequently, falling behind on rent), or the condition of their home also has a huge impact on health. Older housing units have a correlation with elevated levels of lead poisoning and asthma, and those dealing with housing instability are more likely to experience poor health than their stably housed peers.
As much as 75% of Rhode Island’s housing stock is more than 40 years old, and like much of the country, Rhode Island is faced with an alarming crisis of supply. For more than 27,000 of Rhode Island’s lowest income households, 81% of families are cost-burdened and pay more than 30% of their income on housing expenses. Of this population, more than 16,000 households are severely cost-burdened and spend more than half their income on housing.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island understands that housing is a foundational social determinant of health and is working with LISC and other housing advocate organizations to help address the crisis. In 2019, BCBSRI partnered with the Brown University School of Public Health to launch the RI Life Index. This annual statewide assessment captures Rhode Islanders’ perceptions of social determinants of health and well-being, such as education and housing. The survey results were and continue to be clear: There is a critical need for more affordable housing, and BCBSRI is taking action to help.
In addition to providing an investment of $4M to LISC Rhode Island in seed money for a Health and Housing program, BCBSRI also provides funding for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Providence’s Aging in Place Program, which helps older adults to safely age in their own homes. BCBSRI has also invested more than $1,000,000 in housing initiatives, helping thousands of Rhode Islanders receive aid from programs that locate housing for underserved populations and provide pro-bono legal assistance on housing issues.
Passionately leading a state of health and well-being across Rhode Island.
With support from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, LISC will target housing development using an equity lens, and increase the availability of affordable units within the state, while continuing to explore the development of effective programs to address homelessness. These include permanent supportive housing and medical respite housing, both of which offer support services to residents. LISC Rhode Island is committed to creating and preserving more than 1,000 rental units and making it possible for 100 Rhode Islanders to become new homeowners by 2024.
LISC is grateful to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island for its support in this important work for all of our communities.
