Conducting an Assessment & Intervention in Houston's inner city

The Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) conducted the Tri-Community Assessment & Intervention (A&I) project in September 2006 when members of the community approached the department for help identifying solutions to lack of access to health care. A&I's purposes was 1) to investigate access to health care; 2) to explore environmental concerns affecting the community due to their close proximity to the ship channel; 3) to serve as a safety net by linking residents to health and human service providers; and 4) to mobilize both HDHHS and the community in the A&I process.

A survey was conducted with the goal to assess and provide intervention by visiting, door-to-door, every home in the Tri-Community. A total of 322 (53%) households consented to participate. Based upon answers to survey questions, 183 (57%) of the households that completed surveys requested further intervention assistance.

Fewer than one in five households surveyed had problems with access to health care. Among the households that reported experiencing a barrier to health care, lack of transportation, lack of insurance, lack of money to pay for health care and not having a doctor/clinic to go to were reported most often. In contrast to access to health care survey results, over half (67%) of the residents surveyed expressed concern about the environment.

Lessons learned from the Tri-Community A&I are complex. Current planning, based upon these lessons, is underway for future A&I projects to be conducted in 2007 with other underserved Houston communities.