New Jersey In-Home Asthma Intervention Pilot Project: Health Coalition of Passaic County

The Health Coalition of Passaic County (HCPC) is a collaborative effort of community organizations aimed at improving the health of the underserved in the City of Paterson, especially the Medicaid population. The Coalition is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors and has a 27-member Community Advisory Board representing a broad range of community agencies, programs, and services.

This pilot project aims to improve asthma outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs for children ages 2 to 17 years in Paterson who are enrolled in NJFamily Care, New Jersey’s Medicaid program. The project provides an evidence-based in-home asthma intervention designed to reduce environmental triggers that exacerbate the condition. The intervention consists of three home visits, conducted over two to three months, and a follow-up phone call six months after the final visit. Community health workers provide the in-home visits, which include an environmental assessment; the provision of supplies proven to reduce exposure to known triggers, such as dust and pests; asthma education; and asthma care coordination with the children’s primary care provider.

The Health Coalition of Passaic County is one of four sites participating in this asthma pilot intervention. The multi-site project is a partnership with the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). NJDOH is supporting a cost evaluation that will be conducted by The Center for State Health Policy. The evaluation will assess whether the intervention contributes to overall savings in health care costs by reducing avoidable hospitalizations. In addition, the project supports Health Resources in Action, which is providing technical assistance to the four sites as they implement the intervention and is conducting a programmatic evaluation of the project. The other sites participating in the initiative are:

Rutgers School of Nursing

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Department of Pediatrics

Henry J. Austin Health Center

Jersey Shore University Medical Center Foundation

Learn more about the Health Coalition of Passaic County.