Bureau of Community Health Nursing
Division of Community Health & Prevention
Illinois Department of Human Services

Program Description

Target:

Chicago communities and schools

Purpose:

To identify children with asthma and refer them for treatment and other needed services. To educate teachers and parents of children with asthma regarding the reduction of asthma triggers in their environment. To recruit parents as "peer health educators" to educate more adults and children in the school and community about prevention, and management of childhood asthma.

Services:

The Department funds two asthma programs for children, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the children's Asthma Management Partnership program (CAMP) operated by the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois. The University of Illinois trains peer educators to teach parents of children with asthma, school staff, children, and community residents about asthma. They also collaborate with the Breath-mobile team of health care professionals, to provide asthma services to Chicago Public School children and their families. The CAMP program offers asthma screening, asthma education, home environmental assessments, social service referrals and primary care follow-up.

Delivery Method:

Parents are selected and trained to conduct asthma screening by the University of Illinois at Chicago, and follow-up services are provided from a mobile van that is supported by other funding sources. CAMP services are partially funded by the Department, and through personal assistance from project staff.

Program Data

Performance Indicators SFY03 SFY04 SFY05 SFY06
Grant Amount (Numbers in 000's) $220.00 $220.00 $240.00 $240.00
Number of Grantees 2 2 2 2
Number Served 27662 24260 24260 39000

Program Effectiveness

Asthma screening efforts identified children at risk and referred them for medical care and treatment.

At least 24,260 children were screened for asthma or related symptoms and 9,476 were referred for treatment. The childhood Asthma program has been instrumental in effecting the city of Chicago's Clean Indoor Air Ordinance effective January 16 2006, and the Carbon monoxide emission from idling busses and other automobiles parked near school buildings.