What about School Environments - Children are there almost as much time as home.

Submitted by jshaw on 27 May 2015 - 3:10pm

Many schools also have IAQ, pest, mold/mildew/moisture, dust, etc. issues that exacerbate Asthma - a wide variation from what we have seen locally and other areas of the country.  Do either of your programs also address school environments (using IAQ Tools for Schools or other evaluations)?  Should they?  Previous EPA award winners focused on Schools-based programs similar in many ways to what you described.  Combining/aligning and engaging BOTH home and school is child-centered, and likely to generate even better returns.

Forums: 
Live Online Q&A for 5/27/2015 Webinar Forum

ruthannnorton1

27 May 2015 - 3:22pm

We agree and are looking with baltimore City to align work from the home to the school, school health centers and back to the homes.  Right idea!

susan steppe

27 May 2015 - 3:23pm

To date CHAMP has not addressed school environmental issues on a global basis, but as we have identified concerns for our specific patients.  We agree that this is significant issue deserving attention and we just "aren't there yet".  We have brought up the issues with school health leadership but didn't get very far in the first foray into that territory.

jshaw

27 May 2015 - 3:29pm

Susan:  You mentioned that you deliver the Asthma Action Plan and Meds to the schools and train school staff - this addresses a big push-back we see from school nurses that don't have the time to do it themselves.  You can highlight this paperwork savings value (plus improving attendance to get more Education funding) to make a business case to get them involved - and maybe convince them to do school environment reviews as well.  I plan on sharing your intervention with our local Asthma Coalition in a few weeks.  Thank you!  John Shaw.