Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Rhode Island Advancing Health Equity in Asthma Control through EXHALE Strategies - The Rhode Island Asthma Control Program (RIACP) is an award-winning, nationally recognized asthma program, as part of the Center for Preventive Services (CPS) within the Division of Community Health and Equity (CHE) at the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). Established in and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 1999, RIACP has continuously built a robust infrastructure utilizing strong diverse partnerships to deliver evidence-based asthma services. A business case developed by RIACP, for example, indicated a 33% return on investment in reduced health care costs for key asthma services such as our home visiting program which also demonstrated that program participants had improved use of controller medications and decreased school absenteeism. RIACP has taken an innovative approach to controlling asthma in Rhode Island by increasing focus on cross-disciplinary prevention. RIACP’s Comprehensive Integrated Asthma Care System (CIACS) model creates a holistic framework that coordinates asthma interventions across systems including health care, housing, education, and transportations. This model integrates RIDOH’s leading health priorities, including: 1) addressing the socioeconomic and environmental determinants of health; 2) eliminating the disparities of health and promoting equity; and 3) ensuring access to quality health services for Rhode Islanders, especially vulnerable populations. Secondly, it utilizes CDC’s EXHALE technical package to inform and expand RIACP asthma services within the four RIACP Strategic Plan priority areas, including: 1) Housing; 2) Health Care/Systems; 3) Education System & Schools; and 4) Air Quality & Transportation. Implementation of RIACP initiatives is state-wide with a prioritization in areas of elevated asthma burden, also commonly referred to as RI’s four core cities, where 25% of the pediatric population lives below the federal poverty level (Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket). Lastly, the CIACS model ensures the breadth of asthma services and remains supported and possible through a concerted effort of diverse strategic partnerships including community-driven Health Equity Zones (HEZs), Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), national organizations, and state programs. As described in the proposal, by 2028, RIACP anticipates achieving the CDC’s short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals as proposed under each main strategy: increased coordination of care across settings, reduced exposure to environmental asthma triggers, improved sustainability of health- equity community partnerships, decreased asthma-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and reduced asthma disparities across the state. Through comprehensive, evidenced- based multi-component approaches, RIACP aims to reduce the asthma burden and improve asthma outcomes in Rhode Island.
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).