New Jersey In-Home Asthma Intervention Pilot Project: Henry J. Austin Health Center

The Henry J. Austin Health Center (HJA) is a Federally Qualified Health Center and the largest non-hospital-based ambulatory care provider in Trenton. Its goal is to provide patient-centered, comprehensive, accessible, and high-quality primary care, mental health, and substance use treatment services to uninsured and medically underserved communities in the greater Trenton area. HJA provides care to approximately 19,000 individuals at four locations.

This pilot project aims to improve asthma outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs for children ages 2 to 17 years in Trenton 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.

HJA 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:

Health Coalition of Passaic County

Rutgers School of Nursing

New Jersey Medical School Department of Pediatrics

Jersey Shore University Medical Center Foundation

Learn more about Henry J. Austin Health Center.