[Bed Bug Suppliment] A Need for Outreach

After a long absence in the United States, bed bugs have certainly shown their presence in recent years. The consensus is, bed bugs were likely re-introduced by those who travel abroad. The travel industry was among the first in the country to be directly affected by the appearance of bed bugs. Hotels, in particular, are believed to have experienced the earliest onslaughts.

Today, as we continue to battle bed bugs while also observing an ongoing increase in complaints, the severity of certain infestations seems to be growing. We are coming across cases so severe, they’re being investigated for criminal neglect, which illustrates an unfortunate trend: Bed bugs are steadily becoming a worse problem for those who are least prepared to deal with them. The most vulnerable members in our society to suffer bed bug infestations appear to be those who are disabled, elderly, poor or have some combination of these traits.

THE MOST VULNERABLE. So why are bed bugs on the rise, especially in poor communities? It may be that there is a considerable lack of understanding about bed bugs by landlords, tenants, and medical and social workers. It may be that there are no resources to help people pay for extermination that can’t otherwise afford it. It also may be that there is very limited access to resources that provide much-needed outreach.

Today, awareness of emerging social issues is commonly raised via the Internet, websites, fact sheets, blogs and image galleries. However, the demographic of Americans who need bed bug information most often cannot be reached easily through digital media.

The use of the term "transient" in this article is deliberately broad and includes those living in supportive housing, the homeless, elderly, disabled, those with substance abuse issues, people with very low incomes and those experiencing major life changes or upheavals in their daily lives. They may not change residences often but their circumstances can make them susceptible to bed bug infestations.

Supportive housing choices for the transient include emergency or long-term shelters, group homes, SROs (single room occupancy), or low-income housing (Section 8). In these settings, people live quite close together and do not have as much personal space as in private homes. Clutter can be an issue, as well as housing quality. Pests may be a lower priority than other, more pressing or life-threatening issues.

Observations from homeless service providers suggest that the homeless typically do not have bed bugs. They generally live in uncomfortable or harsh conditions and are often separated from their few belongings. Bed bugs prefer more secure living conditions and typically become problematic in longer-term shelters, group homes, nursing homes and more permanent housing.

Residents of low-income or subsidized housing generally have limited resources, and when faced with bed bugs, they often discard their furniture and bedding. However, replacement with affordable items may perpetuate the infestation if second-hand items are purchased. In New York state, for example, there are no regulations for the process of refurbishment of mattresses, including how they are sanitized or rebuilt. These factors combined may contribute to the increase in severe cases.

GROUP HOUSING CHALLENGES. Group homes are unique. They are usually operated by non-profit organizations and offer supportive housing to those who, for reasons of mental or physical capabilities, cannot live entirely on their own. Residents are housed in "scatter site" apartments, single-family houses, multi-unit buildings owned or operated by the organization, and also in institutional settings, such as rehabilitation centers. Residents are often housed two to a room, staff turnover is frequent, visitors are common (family, caretakers, staff), and residents are not always capable of identifying problems. Additionally, residents of group homes go to programs during the day and may spend great amounts of time in common areas of the building. The avenues for bed bug introduction are abundant, and in cases where residents need and receive less attention, bed bugs can fester for months before someone notices.

Intense reservoir populations are being found in group home settings. Scatter site homes present additional challenges because they are often apartments in regular buildings, rented by the organization and sublet to the residents. There is no control over the neighboring units when an infestation occurs. The client can also refuse to allow entry of the organization housing them or the property manager.

There are untold numbers of incidents of bed bugs in supportive housing, many of which become severe or costly. In Bronx, N.Y., for instance, a large housing provider responded to the fear-driven complaint by a staff member that a bed bug was sighted in the organization’s 80-unit dormitory building. This led to the evacuation and treatment of the building, while rehousing about 200 people. The bed bug sighting was never confirmed. This incident cost the organization tens of thousands of dollars and, if repeated, could lead to devastating financial losses.

In another case, a scatter site apartment of a supportive housing provider with two residents caused neighbors to complain about bed bugs. When the organization gained access from the reluctant tenants, they were overwhelmed by the severity of the bed bug infestation and forced to abandon the apartment altogether, as well as pay for treatment.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. Lessons about bed bug prevention and management can be learned from innovative people who early on began to take this issue seriously. A supportive housing organization on Long Island that offers housing, therapy, schooling, and programming for both children and adults provides a great example. Their first bed bug problem occurred in 2004. Due to a lack of awareness, the response was all wrong — discarding furniture and belongings (which was very traumatic for the person) and the use of total release foggers.

The operations director sensed that bed bugs would become a recurring pest, and she was right. Since 2008 there have been 19 known bed bug issues or introductions to their facilities. The operations director instituted regular staff training for inspectors and client caretakers, mandatory protocols for dealing with a bed bug sighting or suspected bites, reduction of clutter, a close relationship with their pest management company and a process for emergency actions. Heat treatments are performed when called for, canine scent detection is used for routine inspections, mattress encasements are mandatory and a dedicated van is used to transport infested items.

In a bold move, the organization also designated a large storage container at their headquarters as a heat box, where furniture is treated rather than being discarded. This saved the organization thousands of dollars. The program has been deemed a success because they are now ahead of the bed bugs and able to intercept and deal with them in an efficient and economical way.

COORDINATED EFFORTS. The challenges faced in transient and supportive housing are numerous. There are more people involved (staff, service providers, landlords and clients) and coordinating among the parties can be difficult. People are housed close together, they have less personal space, and this can result in very cluttered living conditions. The quality of housing, in some cases, can be poor and exacerbate pest problems. Reservoir bed bug populations are being discovered in these types of housing, as they may go unnoticed or unattended for months. Reinfestation is thought to be common, but with a limited ability to raise awareness among clients, it can be difficult to determine the source. As we proceed into the future and public understanding of bed bugs grows it will be important to do as much as possible to diminish the fear and panic associated with the pest, while still raising awareness, and also encouraging housing providers to opt for logical science-based protocols and solutions, especially to avoid the development of reservoirs of bed bugs.

Preventing the spread of bed bugs can be accomplished through public awareness. Success stories, such as the Long Island supportive housing provider’s account, illustrate that despite frequent introductions, prevention of the spread and successful management of bed bugs in their facilities are achievable within economic bounds.

The author is an entomologist and senior extension associate for the New York State IPM Program at Cornell University. She can be reached at jgkaufmann@giemedia.com.