Program Management/Evaluation

Building Systems to Sustain Home-Based Asthma Services is a new eLearning and technical assistance platform designed to equip staff in public health agencies, state asthma-control programs, state Medicaid agencies, and other housing and health organizations with information about how to build the systems, infrastructure, and financing to put home-based asthma services in place in their own states, communities, or regions.

This literature review highlights approaches used among CHW interventions that demonstrated effectiveness in terms of improving service quality, cost-savings, and/or improving health and quality of life outcomes. As CHW interventions are gaining greater recognition as a promising element of healthcare reform, the research summarized is hoped to shine a light on promising practices for implementation in the state of Maine. Given limited research, important elements for replication and the range of outcomes that may be expected are only starting to emerge. Some mixed findings exist that further research by the larger field of researchers may eventually help to illuminate. For example, the central importance of home visiting and other face-to-face interactions was emphasized in the ICER 2013 Report, specifically that 75% of successful CHW models they reviewed along with their expert review team came to consensus on the importance of home visiting. However this is not found consistently to be imperative across subsequent studies for all conditions. With such caveats in mind, the literature does point to models that can be drawn upon that may be relevant for advancing the Maine Community Health Worker Initiative and the pilot CHW programs the Initiative supports.

This report highlights the impact of MCAN on:
The implementation of evidence-based interventions and their role in reducing morbidity related to childhood asthma. Advocacy for public policy
debate and changes needed to facilitate improved asthma care. Sustainability of effective interventions in diverse settings, primarily in
impoverished communities.

The Helping Children Breathe and Thrive in Chicago’s Public Housing (HCBT) project was developed based upon previous asthma interventions implemented at SUHI, mainly the Healthy Home, Healthy Child (HHHC) initiative. HHHC has proven to be an effective model for addressing poorly controlled asthma in the primarily African American, underserved community of North Lawndale. HCBT built upon this model in order to translate it to Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) properties.

Genesis TPM Asthma Program

National Asthma Control Initiative (NACI) Takes a Big Bite of the Big Apple

To respond to persistent disparities in health outcomes, the public health workforce must have the sensitivity and flexibility to work effectively in diverse contexts. Similarly, evaluation of programs requires a culturally responsive approach. To that end, the National Asthma Control Program, in partnership with the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, developed Practical Strategies for Culturally Competent Evaluation. This guide and accompanying tip sheet highlight opportunities for integrating cultural competence throughout the six steps of the CDC evaluation process. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/program_eval/other_resources.htm

The Green & Healthy Homes (GHHI) Healthy Homes Demonstration Project utilized the standards and practices created by GHHI: A Holistic Housing Assessment coupled with environmental health education and combined as an integrated environmental health and energy housing intervention for children with asthma, ages 2–14.

Explore how our initiative to combat childhood asthma made a difference in our region, and how it lives on today.