This paper focuses on one of the five essential elements for improving asthma outcomes in children: the ability to continuously exchange information and monitor progress, using health IT. The accompanying chart describes ACA provisions and implementation activities that could be activated to help millions of children most at risk for asthma.
This paper focuses on one of the five essential elements for improving asthma outcomes in children: learning what works and increasing knowledge. The accompanying chart describes ACA provisions and implementation activities that could be activated to help millions of children most at risk for asthma.
This paper focuses on one of the five essential elements for improving asthma outcomes in children: high-quality clinical care, case management and asthma education. The accompanying chart describes ACA provisions and implementation activities that could be activated to help millions of children most at risk for asthma.
This paper focuses on one of the five essential elements for improving asthma outcomes in children: reducing asthma triggers in homes and communities. The accompanying chart describes ACA provisions and implementation activities that could be activated to help millions of children most at risk for asthma.
On May 31, 2010, the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children (“Task Force”) released the Coordinated Federal Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Asthma Disparities (“Action Plan”). In general, the Action Plan calls on federal agencies to synergize their actions by coordinating federal programs and partnerships to reduce asthma disparities.
Specifically, the Action Plan provides an outline for federal action over the next 3 to 5 years to combat asthma in the following strategic categories: (1) Reduce barriers to the implementation of guidelines-based asthma management; (2) Enhance capacity to deliver integrated, comprehensive asthma care to children in communities with racial and ethnic disparities; (3) Improve capacity to identify the children most impacted by asthma disparities; (4) Accelerate efforts to identify and test interventions that may prevent the onset of asthma among ethnic and racial minority children. Please refer to the attached document for further details.
The Asthma Disparities Working Group, which is part of the Task Force, will oversee and support the progress of each of the strategies in the plan. The progress that federal agencies have made on the Action Plan’s implementation will be documented semiannually and made public.
In February 2010, the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Health Policy (GWU) released Changing pO2licy: The Elements for Improving Childhood Asthma Outcomes (Changing pO2licy). The report was released with support from the Merck Childhood Asthma Network (MCAN) and the RCHN Community Health Foundation and provides a comprehensive look at childhood asthma prevalence, risk factors and disparities; describes best practices for clinical care and disease management; and outlines evidence-based policy recommendations to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of childhood asthma.
The report identified five essential elements for improving asthma outcomes in children, including: (1) stable and continuous health insurance; (2) high quality clinical care, case management, and asthma education available for all children, including those who remain ineligible for insurance coverage; (3) the ability to continuously exchange information and monitor progress, using health information technology (HIT) as much as possible; (4) reducing asthma triggers in homes and communities; and (5) learning what works and increasing knowledge. Please see the attached document for further information on this landmark report.
In October 2012, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a request for information on the adoption of smoke-free housing policies. The purpose of this request was to provide a meaningful opportunity for stakeholders to assist HUD in its development of guidance to support the implementation of smokefree policies in both public housing and multifamily housing. The Childhood Asthma Leadership Coalition submitted comments to HUD.
On September 13, 2012, the Childhood Asthma Leadership Coalition hosted a webinar examining the Affordable Care Act and opportunities for childhood asthma. The following presenters participated in this webinar:
Presenters took a close look the opportunities that exist within the Affordable Care Act for advancing the field of childhood asthma, and what advocates can do now to take advantage of new opportunities under health reform. Slides from the webinar can be found in the attached document; a recording of the webinar is also available.
In October 2012, Professors Katie Horton and Mary-Beth Harty, both of George Washington University, presented at a meeting hosted by the American Lung Association on the Affordable Care Act and asthma. Professors Horton and Harty discussed health reform and its intersection to the programs offered under the National Asthma Control Program. Slides from the webinar can be found in the attached document.
