Implementation of a statewide asthma training institute: Training Lay Health Educators in six target areas in Illinois in asthma management

The state of Illinois has one of the highest asthma mortality rates in the U.S., with asthma contributing to 1,307 deaths between the years 1998–2002. Asthma morbidity is also high; in 2003, the state of Illinois spent $800 million providing asthma care through Medicaid alone. An innovative Lay Health Educator (LHE) model developed by the Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI) and targeted to African American urban communities demonstrated that using LHEs to provide asthma education in families' homes could decrease asthma-related morbidity and urgent healthcare utilization. The Illinois Department of Public Health sought to expand upon this effective model by implementing a statewide initiative entitled Controlling Pediatric Asthma through Collaboration and Education (CPATCE). CPATCE targets both urban and rural communities in Illinois that experience a disproportionate asthma burden, and seeks to reduce asthma-related morbidity and mortality, reduce asthma-associated costs, and improve the quality of life for children with asthma and their families.

The SUHI Asthma Training Institute was developed to support this statewide initiative by training LHES in six targeted areas on asthma management. The Asthma Training Institute also provides guidance and support in recruiting, hiring and supervising LHEs, and in quality assurance. This session will highlight the process of implementing the statewide training institute and of training LHEs throughout the state. Lessons learned and site-specific perspectives will be shared by the Asthma Training Coordinator of the CPATCE initiative and a seasoned community health worker who serves as the LHE supervisor for the Sinai Asthma Program.