New program to support healthier pregnancies, safer homes for Indianapolis families

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana University School of Medicine has launched the Healthy Homes for Maternal and Infant Health program, a new initiative designed to support healthier pregnancies and safer home environments for low-income families in Indianapolis. 

Led by Jack Turman, PhD, a professor of pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine, the new program will aim to address unsafe housing conditions, such as environments with mold, pests, inadequate ventilation and structural hazards, which are closely linked to negative maternal and infant health outcomes. 

"Among families we serve in another healthy housing initiative called the Healthy Beginnings at Home program, 52% have experienced poor habitability issues that needed resolution to ensure the health and safety of the mother and infant," said Turman, who is also director of IU’s Grassroots Maternal and Child Health Initiative. "These experiences mirror national trends and underscore why this work is so urgent."

The Healthy Homes for Maternal and Infant Health program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through a grant awarded to Turman. It will serve 175 families through a comprehensive, home-based approach that includes:

• Environmental home assessments conducted before and after the intervention.
• Remediation supplies to support healthier housing conditions.
• Education on the Eight Principles of a Healthy Home, delivered by community health workers and case managers.
• Legal education on tenants’ rights, provided by legal aid partners.

Turman said the program is built on collaboration with trusted local partners. Indianapolis Healthy Start community health workers and Healthy Beginnings at Home case managers will provide education and skills building for program participants. This instruction will take place over four monthly visits and help build participants' capacity to maintain a healthy home environment. Each participant will also receive tenant's rights education through partners at the Indiana Justice Project.

In addition to the educational instruction, each participant will receive a full home inspection by either the program manager or a RDOOR Housing Corporation home inspector. Small remediations will be addressed by the program's grant funding, while large remediation needs will be addressed through funds provided to partners at the Indiana Housing and Community Development Agency.

The program reflects a growing national recognition that stable, safe housing is a key driver of maternal and infant health. Turman hopes the model will inform Healthy Start programs and other home-visiting initiatives across the nation.

"All my research lives in the community and is shaped by the experiences of the families we serve," Turman said. "We will continue learning from participants and adapting our approach based on their feedback. Our work has the potential to strengthen family stability and promote better long-term health outcomes well beyond the postpartum period."

About the Indiana University School of Medicine

The IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to leading medical research and rich campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations consistently recognized for livability. According to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the IU School of Medicine ranks No. 13 in 2024 National Institutes of Health funding among all public medical schools in the country.

Writer: Salem Lucas, slucas2@iu.edu

For more news, visit the IU School of Medicine Newsroom: medicine.iu.edu/news