Since 1997, HHS Secretary Donna Shalala and EPA Administrator Carol Browner have co-chaired a Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, which chose asthma as one of its four priorities. In at least two regions, HHS and EPA are drawing on these national collaborative asthma efforts. In May 2000 in New England, HHS, EPA and HUD co-hosted a regional summit of commissioners of public health, environment, housing and education, and have begun to implement the action plan developed at the summit. Recommendations included the establishment of a government/non-government Regional Asthma Council, an asthma tracking system that pools data from around the region and includes information about air pollutants and costs, as well as health outcomes, and the development of guidance for designing, maintaining and renovating buildings so that exposures in homes and schools do not make asthma worse.
A complementary HHS-sponsored initiative in New England, the public health/managed care collaborative, also focuses on asthma as one of four priorities. It has provided a forum for the six public health commissioners and medical directors of the major managed care organizations to agree on joint actions. Planning for implementation of the recommendations begins this fall.
Can a Department as vast as HHS, with so many asthma activities, really think and act cohesively? What does it take for HHS to take bold steps that require action by so many decision-makers? How can we ensure that innovative, collaborative efforts such as those on asthma in New England survive in future administrations?
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Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.