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Allies Community Health Workers: Bridging the Gap

Allies Against Asthma, Center for Managing Chronic Disease at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Frances D. Butterfoss, PhD, MEd

Consortium for Infant and Child Health (CINCH), Center for Pediatric Research at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia

James W. Krieger, MD, MPH

King County Allies Against Asthma program of the King County Asthma Forum (KCAF), University of Washington, Public Health—Seattle & King County in Seattle, Washington

Jane W. Peterson, PhD, RN

King County Allies Against Asthma program of the King County Asthma Forum (KCAF), Seattle University College of Nursing in Seattle, Washington

Maura Dwyer, MPH

Kimberly Wicklund, MPH

Michael P. Rosenthal, MD

Allies Against Asthma (PAAA), Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lilly Smith

Allies Against Asthma program of the Eastern Virginia Medical School Department of Pediatrics Center for Pediatric Research Health Promotion and Disease Prevention section in Norfolk, Virginia

Allies Against Asthma coalitions each employ a community health worker (CHW) program as part of its community action plan. The structure and management of CHW programs vary in response to the resources and needs of the local community, as do the roles and characteristics of the CHWs hired. All programs utilize CHWs to provide community-based education and/or outreach to community members, primarily in their homes. Using an asthma action plan, most Allies CHW programs function as an extension of and link to the clinician, providing basic asthma education and care coordination in a supportive, family-friendly setting, context, and location. Community health workers rely heavily on relationship building and family empowerment to assist families in improving asthma control. Working within a coalition framework helps integrate the CHW program into other services and resources in the community. As participants in coalition activities, CHWs often bring an important and meaningful viewpoint to the coalition.

Key Words: asthma • community health worker • lay health worker • care coordination • asthma education • home visiting

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