Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
Connecticut's Public Health Approach to Asthma Control - CDC-RFA-EH19-1902 Project Abstract Summary CONNECTICUT’S PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO ASTHMA CONTROL The Connecticut Asthma Program (CAP), a nationally-recognized program with an established track record of asthma activities emphasizing quality, innovation and sustainability, is housed in the State of Connecticut (CT) Department of Public Health (DPH). The CAP’s mission is to reduce asthma morbidity and mortality, and improve the quality of life of CT residents burdened by asthma. Our efforts are closely aligned with CDC’s ‘Controlling Childhood Asthma Reducing Emergencies’ (CCARE) initiative. To that end, CAP will promote asthma education, assess and evaluate providers’ best practices, provide access to quality and culturally competent care, implement policies, and eliminate home, schools and workplace environmental triggers. With this application, we seek to leverage CAP’s past experiences and broaden impact across regions through multi-sector partnerships designed to strengthen linkages and, implement the EXHALE strategies through a coordinated and equity approach. Short-Term Outcomes: In the first three years, CAP will identify high Emergency Department (ED) utilization and at-risk communities for the implementation of the EXHALE program. During Year 1, CAP will integrate Community Health Workers (CHWs) in its Home Visiting Program, Putting on AIRS (POA), to deliver team-based and culturally competent services and support coordination of care through social and health services. This approach will result in improved participants’ program completion rates, improved asthma control and self-management skills and, reduce environmental triggers. CAP is engaged to develop an educated, skilled, culturally competent workforce of asthma experts to: 1) offer asthma education; 2) offer asthma guidelines trainings to healthcare professionals; and 3) increase local-regional-state collaborations between Asthma Regional (AR) lead agencies and local/regional health care organizations for seamless referral mechanisms to the POA. Expected Outcomes: increase of Certified Asthma Educators (AE-C) and, the creation of regional bureau of asthma educators. Electronic referral mechanisms and health information exchange system between health providers and ARs will be evaluated. In collaboration with the Asthma Regional Council (ARC) of New England, the CAP will engage in an initiative to disseminate and promote the CCARE Initiative and EXHALE strategies to stakeholders. Intermediate Outcomes: In Year 4, CAP will work with ARC to assess primary providers’ adherence to asthma guidelines. Other outcomes include tracking participants engaged in services e.g. social resources, smoking cessation programs and, remediation assistance (e.g. energy efficiency, weatherization). CAP will report on the advancement of payer’s commitment toward POA services’ reimbursement and the implementation of environmental policies. Long-Term Outcomes : Given CCARE’s goal of preventing 500,000 asthma hospitalizations and ED visits nationally, CAP will report on the number of people who completed the POA program, achieved asthma control, and improved their quality of life. Other outcomes will include: improved asthma management and coordinated care in high-risk communities, monitoring of quality control of asthma services, expansion of implemented asthma friendly policies in multi-unit housings and communities and, best environmental practices in homes, schools, community social environments and, workplace. Data will be reported on school/work missed days, reduced ED visits and hospitalizations, and improved overall quality of life. Finally, analyses on health care cost reductions will be reported.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).