Case studies
The case studies are the backbone to this library. They serve as a living resource linking thousands of communities together. They are an internet 'knowledge exchange' that enables one community to build on the learning of another. There are more than 55 case studies catalogued by health issue, size of community, ethnicity, source of funding, gender, federal eligibility, location, etc. Each highlight the critical success factors involved and the outcomes reached. All provide contact information so you can follow up with one or more of the principles involved.
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Spotlight case studies
Bladen HealthWatch
In 1992, a health care needs assessment in rural Bladen County, NC, revealed that many of the area's residents did not know how to access local health care services. At the same time, there was growing concern in the county about the high rates of chronic disease, particularly heart disease and diabetes, which affected nearly every family. Together, these two factors served as a wake-up call to local agencies that people in their county were facing serious health problems with little information about where they could go for help. So in March 1993, Bladen County Hospital hired a full-time coordinator to begin figuring out how to better connect local residents with the health care resources that were available to them. Read the full case study.
Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP)
CHIP of Roanoke Valley creates access to medical homes and comprehensive systems of care for low-income children ages 0-6. Pediatrician Douglas Pierce developed the program in 1999 in response to the intense health problems and sporadic care of the many poor children he saw through his practice. Thirty-five full and part-time employees and 282 volunteers serve the current caseload of 1,093 children. The total expense budget for FYE June 30, 2004 was $1,417,440 and for FYE June 30, 2003 was $1,274,084. Major sources of funding include grants, federal and local government allocations, fund raising contributions, and United Way Partner Agency funds. Read the full case study.
WINGS Breast Cancer Treatment for Uninsured Women
WINGS was founded in 1999 by two breast cancer survivors to provide breast cancer treatment to uninsured women in South and Central Texas. WINGS offers comprehensive breast cancer treatment at no charge to the patient. This includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, reconstruction, laboratory, post-mastectomy supplies, psychosocial assistance, home care and medications. As of June 1, 2005, 503 women have been referred to WINGS. Of these, 229 were diagnosed with breast cancer and received treatment. The "typical" WINGS client is 52.8 years old, married with children, and a household income of $11,300; about 65% are Hispanic; WINGS provides a bilingual patient navigator. Our annual budget is under $1 million ($789,036, 2004; $975,486, 2003) and we have three employees. Our primary funding source is in-kind services donated by doctors and hospitals. There are over 200 providers in our expanding network. We also receive funding from the Komen Foundation and Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Read the full case study.
Palmetto Health's Dental Health Initiative
Since 1998, Palmetto Health's Dental Health Initiative has grown from starting the community's first Medicaid Dental Clinic for children and uninsured adults, to providing full restorative dental care to uninsured individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and periodontal disease screening and treatment for uninsured pregnant women. These services fill a critical need for the medically underserved and uninsured in Columbia, S.C., which includes Richland and Lexington counties that have a combined total population of 563,402. Ten part-time employees and four volunteers staff the Initiative's programs. The budget for FY 2004 was $236,143 and FY 2005 was $208,080, which is provided by Palmetto Health. There also is support from government agencies, foundations, community organizations and individuals. Read the full case study.
Child Asthma Link Line
The Child Asthma Link Line, grew from a collaboration of more than 40 organizations in the Philadelphia Allies Against Asthma Coalition, coordinates the care of children with asthma living in medically underserved communities n North and West Philadelphia. Over 30% (16,987) of all 5-12 year-old children in the area served by Link Line have been diagnosed with asthma. These children come from some of the city's poorest neighborhoods: over 41.6% of all children in the program area live below the poverty level. Staff develop Asthma care plans, identify health and social service supports, and reach family goals over a four-month period. With a staff of three and an annual budget of $191,000, Link Line is funded by the Philadelphia Foundation, the Federally-funded "STEPS to a Healthier Philadelphia," Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Community Asthma Prevention Program, and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Since its inception in 2002, The Link Line has documented a reduction in ER visits, asthma symptoms, missed school and workdays, smoking, and anxiety about asthma care among families in the program. Read the full case study.
Metta Health Center, Inc.
The Metta ("love and compassion' in Buddhist Sanskrit) Health Center was established by Lowell Community Health Center in 2000 to address the ethnocultural and institutional barriers to health and mental health care for the Southeast Asian communities in Lowell, Massachusetts, home to the second largest Cambodian population in the U.S. The "West Meets East" approach builds on the strengths that Southeast Asians brought with them. The Center's model is built on four integrated service delivery components: two western based m primary health and mental health services, and two Southeast Asian based - traditional healing consultation and alternative medicine. The success of the Center relies on these components as gateways to the comprehensive array of services available, The Center has 25 staff, 12 volunteers, a budget of $1,300,000 in 2004 and $1,450,000 in 2005; its primary funders are the federal Bureau of Primary Health Care and third party insurers Read the full case study.
The Childhood Asthma Initiative
The Childhood Asthma Initiative (CAI) provides comprehensive asthma services to homeless and poor children in New York City, with an emphasis on the South Bronx. Since it was established in 1997, the CAI has significantly reduced asthma severity and preventable hospital use among this medically underserved population by incorporating best practice NHLBI guideline-based asthma care, education and psychosocial services into primary care. The CAI's unique approach to asthma care also includes a significant community education component. The CAI team has four staff members, and additional clinical and psychosocial service staff members spend a portion of their time providing care to patients. CHF received $1,375,344 in 2003 and $1,300,000 in 2002 to help support the Initiative and core medical costs. The primary funder of the program is the Picower Foundation. Read the full case study.
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