Since Dr. Beata Nelken opened Jenks Parks Pediatrics in Central Falls in 2020, she has noticed a pattern. Many of the medical conditions her patients face can be traced back to the same problem: housing.
“ I can treat your asthma, but how can I make a dent if you’re going home to a moldy kitchen that never gets repaired?” Dr. Nelken said at a press conference on Friday morning. “Never mind if you’re living in a cold car in the winter, there’s no chance that I’m gonna make a difference.”
In an effort to better address the root causes of her patients’ medical issues, Dr. Nelken has taken an unusual step for a pediatrician: investing in 30 units of new, rent-stabilized housing for women and children at risk of homelessness.
The new development, Dr. Nelken said, seeks to address the role housing plays in overall health. Poor quality housing, research shows, can have negative impacts on both physical and mental health.
“Housing is that upstream healthcare need that we can’t ignore anymore,” Dr. Nelken said.
Dr. Nelken turned to Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera for assistance and financial support in acquiring a former assisted living facility a few doors down from her pediatric office and transforming it into rent stabilized housing.
“The challenges in Central Falls can be overwhelming,” Rivera said. “I couldn’t be prouder of this amazing project.”
With a $1 million grant from Rhode Island Housing, the city purchased the building. That grant combined with funding from the Papitto Opportunity Connection, a Rhode Island nonprofit, covered the costs of renovations. Next month, women and children will move into the fully-furnished rooms inside the pale yellow, unassuming building.
Dr. Nelken, through her pediatric firm and her adjacent nonprofit, the Central Falls Children’s Foundation, will operate the development, which will provide wraparound services like job training, healthcare, and more. Family Service of Rhode Island, a nonprofit that supports children and families, will provide additional social workers.
The housing is intended to be transitional, so tenants will be able to live at the development for two years. During that time, social workers will help them engage with workforce development opportunities and find their next home.
