Mercy Housing

Affordable housing residents experience higher occurrences of chronic disease, disparity in life expectancy, and below-average access to healthy food and safe fitness opportunities.

This innovation project by Mercy Housing Northwest (MHNW) primarily aimed to expand access to a wide array of resources that can help diminish health disparities and promote increased health equity among residents, the majority of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and/or who were born outside of the United States. Their secondary goal was to promote a healthier work environment for resident-facing staff, addressing burnout, secondary trauma, and preventing turnover stemming from these impacts.

MHNW partnered with Washington Asian Pacific Islander Community Services (WAPI) to provide behavioral health services using a family-centered service model that emphasizes client voice and individualized goals and service preferences. Together, their innovation catalyzed the ability of an affordable housing provider like MHNW to invest in and activate a deep bench of behavioral health resources for both residents and staff.