The city has gotten a pair of grants totaling $5.1 million to promote safe, nurturing households, authorities say.
City Council’s Operations, Management, Budget & Legislative Affairs Committee this week voted to accept a $1.185 million grant and extend the city’s subontract with nonprofit Family Life Education for five more years, Mayor Pedro E. Segarra said Wednesday. Council must ratify both.
The Nurturing Families Network Program, overseen by the city’s Health and Human Services department, supports parents who are at low risk of being abusive or neglectful with educational materials and information about relevant community services. High-risk families are enrolled in intensive home visits and case management services.
Nurturing Families is also establishing a similar program for fathers.
Separately, Segarra said Wednesday the city got a $3.9 million federal grant to continue its lead remediation efforts and to assist in implementing Healthy Homes, a federal program new to Hartford that addresses environmental factors impacting childhood wellness and injuries in the homes.
Lead abatement can include removing paint, replacing pipes or changing windows.
Starting Jan. 1, 2015 through December 2017, $3.5 million of the grant from federal Housing and Urban Development will be used to remove lead from 205 homes, Segarra said.
The remaining $400,000, he said, will be allocated to Healthy Homes, a HUD program that teaches families and children how to use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
As many as 300 homes will be assessed and supplied with appliances, including allergy friendly vacuums, filters, humidifiers and air purifiers, he said. Many of the homes that receive lead abatement will qualify for Healthy Homes.
The city got similar HUD grants in 2005 and 2011.
