RUMFORD — A workshop aimed at identifying home health risk factors and ways to get assistance to fix them is scheduled this month for residents of Oxford, Franklin and Androscoggin counties.

Healthy Homes Training, sponsored by the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 29 at 49 Franklin Street. It is for everyone, including homeowners, those who enter homes as part of their jobs, such as home health nurses, landlords, code enforcement officers and others who enter homes to provide a service.

Patricia Duguay, director of the RVHCC, said the idea to bring the workshop to the Rumford area came from regular state-level health risk meetings she attends.

“I thought it would be good to offer information to people who go into homes and to homeowners,” she said.

Keynote speaker is Eric Frohmberg from Maine Healthy Homes who will provide an overview of contaminants and other risks that may be present. They include lead paint, cigarette smoke and mold, and physical hazards that could cause accidents.

Following his talk, panel discussions will be held on each specific potential hazard. Round table discussions and small group discussions will delve deeper into each hazard.

Among the other speakers are Gary Fish from the Board of Pesticides Control, Christine Crocker from the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, Katharyn Zwicker from the Maine Injury and Violence Prevention Program, Jim Braddick from Maine Asthma Prevention and Control, and Tina Pettingill from the Smoke Free Housing Coalition of Maine.

Duguay said some hazards can be eliminated for low cost of no cost, while others will require funds. Those attending the workshop will learn where to go for help.

After the workshop, Duguay said plans are to design a worksheet that people could check off problems or potential problems people find when assessing their homes.

A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

A grant from the Maine Health Access Foundation supports the workshop.

Those wishing to attend should register by Friday, March 16, by sending a check for $15 to River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, P.O. Box 86, Rumford, ME 04276. If the fee is a problem for anyone, Duguay asks that they contact her at the RVHCC office at 364-7408.