Bed Bugs: A Municipal Case Study and Beyond

Phil Alexakos, MPH, REHS

Chief of Environmental Health & Emergency Response

Manchester Health Department

Bed Bug History in Manchester

• First Calls 2002

• Langdon Mill Building – 20 Units– Multiple Languages– Older Construction– Multiple Complaints

Health Department Role

• Not in the business of housing code enforcement– Some in the audience may be wearing both

“hats”– Educational role– Connections and access to resources in the

Community

More History

• Collaborative Efforts– 2005

• Mailings to all Laundromats, used furniture providers (that we knew of), furniture rental businesses

• Development of educational materials for the public– Awareness and Treatment Guidelines

– English, Spanish, Russian, Bosnian

• Posted on Web

Langdon Mill 2005

• October 2005– Identification of a major bedbug and cockroach

infestation – Coordination with Housing Code to ensure

proper enforcement– Coordination with Pest Control Company to

assure that residents were instructed on treatment preparation

Langdon Mill 2005

• Major issues encountered– Language Barriers

– Functional Needs Barriers

– Cooperation Barriers• Laundering

• Site Prep

– Financial Barriers (for tenants and owner)

• Where it all fell short…..LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

Landon Mill 2009

• March 2009

• Reports of children and infants were being “eaten alive” by bed bugs in this building

• Community advocacy groups began to act on behalf of these residents on their behalf

• Meetings of stakeholders were organized

Langdon Mill 2009

• Organizers– Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP)– American Friends Service Committee

• Utilized their resources to bring all parties to the table

• Ensured that meetings were well organized and people/ agencies were accountable to effort

Langdon Mill 2009

• Property Ownership– Engaged from DAY 1!!– Committed to a solution– Ensures that resources invested are effective– Integral in the success of any effort

Langdon Mill Part 2009

• City Government– Health Department

• Hosted meetings

• Provided access to educational materials

• Functioned as the primary linkage to all City services

• Provided technical expertise and training to volunteers and participants

– Public Works• Provided free access to the City Transfer Station for disposal

Langdon Mill 2009- Community Organizations

• Multiple Faith-Based groups and most importantly volunteers were energized and trained to continue engaging the residents– Remember, one of the shortcomings of the previous

initiatives was sustainability!• Social Service Agencies

– These groups are likely to encounter people affected by bedbug issues

– Training these workers also protects them from unknowingly putting themselves at risk

Langdon Mill 2009- Community Organizations

• Cultural Organizations– Assist with translation and training efforts– Increased “buy-in”– Enhanced understanding of issues and

challenges for planners and volunteers– Allowed effort to penetrate deeper into the

community

Langdon Mill 2009

• School Department – Social workers, nurses and teachers are likely

to encounter the issue• They can help identify problems before they

become severe

– Provided two great “Case Workers” during the effort which increased trusttrust and continuitycontinuity during the relocation

Langdon Mill 2009

• Colleges – Provided an opportunity for “service learning”

in the community.– Provide an unlimited supply of volunteers over

time.– Access to grants and research opportunities

Langdon Mill 2009

• Businesses– Provided needed monetary support and

resources needed to properly enact the effort– Increase awareness and reduce the stigma

associated with bed bugs– Local Pest Control Company lent its expert to

the effort

Langdon Mill 2009- Timeline

• April/May Community Planning• May/June Tenant Education• June Media and Community Awareness• June/ July Furniture and Household Items• July/August Tenant Relocation• August Treatment of Building and Maintenance• August Re-Housing• ONGOING Education and Prevention

Langdon Mill 2009- Logistics

• Housing

• Transportation

• Volunteer Coordination

• Donation Coordination

• Food

• Case Workers

• $$$$ ????

Everyone is Back…Now What?

• Ongoing involvement– Owner has designated an apartment as a “volunteer

office”

– Local college remains a strong presence in the building with student volunteers

– Tenants are engaged to ensure safe practices

– New tenants are educated upon arrival

– Units are surveyed for any signs of activity

– Action is taken immediately at the first sign of an issue

Next Steps

Keeping the Momentum Going

This Isn’t the Only Problem in Town, Let Alone the State

• Bed Bug “Task Force”, “Policy Group”, “Coalition” was formed

• Knowing this continues to be an issue the members of the Langdon Mill Project were determined to energize others to advocate for bed bug awareness and infestation prevention

New Partners

• NH Department of Agriculture, Pesticides

• New Hampshire Legal Assistance

• The Way Home

• NH Cooperative Extension and UNH Manchester

• Medical Providers

• Many Community-Based Agencies

Subcommittees

• Public Education

• Policy

• Funding

Public Education

• Who needs information– Tenants

– Property owners

– Policy makers

– Businesses

• Where to go for information– UNH Cooperative Extension

– NH 211

– Websites

Public Information

• Needs– Pamphlets– Magnets– Stickers

• Considerations– Ease of reading and understanding– Culturally appropriate– Consistency– Funding $$$

• Grants and Partnerships

Policy

• Assessment and Ownership of the Problem– Data collection– Target areas for interventions– Municipal Policy Maker Resolution

• Evidence Based Best Practices– What are other places doing?

• Minimizing Risk– Enforcement, trash collection, regulation of used furniture place

• Consistency• Linkage to Resources

Funding

• Increase public and civic awareness

• The more people and businesses know…– This is a REAL problem– Less stigma– More apt to want to commit resources to

prevention and treatment– Opportunities to collaborate

• Healthy Homes

Future

• Bed Bug Task Force will continue to expand and meet

• Hope to organize a statewide conference

• Formalize a centralized location for bed bug information

• Engage state policy makers