“The Harlem Children’s Zone Asthma Initiative is one of the most effective community-based, service-minded organizations making quality health care and information accessible to families. It is using the best in technology to create programs that reach high-risk families quickly and that offer a range of social, medical and legal services. The Fund is delighted to be working in partnership with our former board member and exemplary leader, Geoff Canada.”
Mary McCormick, President, Fund for the City of New York
The Harlem Children’s Zone Asthma Initiative (HCZAI) is a community-based home-visiting program designed to serve the roughly 30% of children ages 0-18 suffering from asthma in Harlem. Prevalence of asthma is disproportionately high in Harlem due to numerous social and environmental risk factors in this community.
History
Founded in 2001, HCZAI was created to address asthma-related illness through improved surveillance and care coordination. HCZAI’s goal is to reduce the high rate of school absences, emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to childhood asthma. We strive to improve the quality of life and academic achievement of asthmatic children, helping families break the revolving cycle of poverty that is worsened by chronic disease.
Model
HCZAI employs an evidenced-based, culturally competent model for helping families control asthma and maintain healthy, active lives. Our staff work closely with families, schools, clinics, emergency departments, inpatient units and our legal partners to coordinate medical, environmental prevention and control efforts for maximum health benefit.
The HCZAI model is predicated on data showing that relying on community health workers effectively reduces exposure to indoor asthma triggers and promotes community-wide efforts to reduce home environmental hazards.
Program evaluations have consistently shown significant reduction in environmental triggers in the home such as mold, dust and use of insecticides as well as improvement in asthma outcomes. The effectiveness of HCZAI underscores the utility of community-based health programs in addressing health disparities in vulnerable populations.