Helping Children Breathe and Thrive in Chicago's Public Housing (HCBT)

Helping Children Breathe and Thrive in Chicago's Public Housing is a program conducted out of the Sinai Urban Health Institute of Mt. Sinai Hospital.  HCBT is an inner-city Chicago program funded by HUD, that utilizes the Community Health Worker model.  Community Health Workers, hired from their respective Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) communities, provide comprehensive in-home asthma education to asthmatic children and adults in these communities.  As the program's focus is on pediatric asthma, children and their families enrolled in the program receive a year long intervention which includes 6 home visits over the course of the year, whereas asthmatic adults enrolled in the program receive a 6-month intervention which includes 4 home visits.  Building education sessions are also provided throughout the course of the 2-year long program; these sessions are open to all residents of each community, not only those enrolled in the program.  Topics include but are not limited to: Integrated Pest Management, Smoking Cessation, Healthy Cooking, Green Cleaning, Exercise, and more.  CHWs assist program participants not only with thorough asthma education, but with navigation of the health care system and finding a primary care physician, referals for assistance with behavioral health or other social issues, conducting a thorough home assessment in order to identiy and address asthma triggers and asssitance communicating with resident management companies to resolve building/unit problems.