Elisa A. Nicholas, MD, MSPH and Maura W. Dwyer. Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma, The Children's Clinic, 2651 Elm Ave Suite 100, Long Beach, CA 90806, 562-427-4249, enicholas@memorialcare.org

Background: Improvement of care for children with asthma must take place where children live, study and play. Allies Against Asthma (AAA) sites throughout the country have focused intervention efforts on preschool, school, childcare and afterschool settings.

Methods: Through a participatory planning process involving stateholders from schools, preschools, afterschool and childcare, a range of needs were identified, including asthma action plans for each student with asthma; access to asthma medications; reductions of asthma triggers;trained staff able to recognize and respond to an asthma emergency; and coordination with family, provider and community efforts to manage asthma.

Results: The coalition planning process created an opportunity to create a cohesive strategy. Engagement efforts focus on introducing programs and policy concepts into existing meetings and structures and the utilization of key relationships. Intervention efforts include implementing curricula to support self-management (Open Airways), parent and staff training (A is for Asthma, EZ Breathers), and linkage with the health care system. Asthma-friendly policies and procedures have been implemented, asthma action plans and educational materials have been disseminated, and school staff have been integrated into asthma case management programs, improving care and enhancing institutional capacity for serving children with asthma.

Conclusion: While creating asthma-friendly schools, preschools and after-school programs is a major challenge, coalitions are using key relationships and strategic approaches and programs to enable educational institutions to meet the needs of students who have asthma. Challenges, lessons learned, strategies and tools developed will be delineated in the presentation.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Identify range of needs and strategies to improve intervention efforts in preschool, school, child care and after school settings.
  7. Delineate engagement efforts that focus on introducing programs and policy concepts into existing meetings and structures and utilization of key realtionships.
  10. Identify use of strategic approaches and programs to enable educational institutions to meet the needs of students with asthma.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.