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Creating Asthma-Friendly Schools & Earning the Asthma-Friendly School Award

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Asthma-Friendly School Award Partners

FL Asthma Coalition: Statewide coalition of over 150 members working to improve asthma outcomes and reduce associated costs.

FL Department of Health: Awarded a 5 year CDC grant to address asthma in FL through 2014.

ALA: Funded by DOH to provide School Based Asthma 101 and Open Airways for Schools programs.

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About Asthma

Chronic lung disease. Characterized by inflammation of the airways and

recurring attacks of symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness.

Cannot be cured, but symptoms can be controlled with proper education, clinical intervention, and environmental management.

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Asthma Prevalence is on the Rise

Asthma prevalence is increasing locally, statewide, and nationally.

In 2012, 1 out of 5 Florida middle and high school

students (20.6%) had ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they had asthma. This prevalence has increased significantly by 21.2% from 2006 to 2012.

Source: Florida Youth Tobacco Survey, 2012

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Asthma’s Impact on Students Absenteeism

Poorly controlled asthma is a leading cause of absenteeism. An estimated 1 out of 4 students with asthma missed one or

more school days in the past school year due to asthma. Many more miss classroom time for health room visits.

Academic Performance Asthma can negatively impact students’ sleep, reducing

their ability to focus and concentrate, even when they are well enough to be in class.

Physical Activity Asthma can limit a child’s ability to fully participate in school

activities and sports.

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Asthma’s Impact on Florida Students

More than 441,000 instructional hours were lost in Florida due to asthma-related absences in the 2011-2012 school year.

Source: 2011 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey and 2010 Florida Child Health Survey

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National Asthma Guidelines recommend school-based programs to improve asthma outcomes.

Schools, families, and the community can work together to help students and school staff better manage asthma.

The Florida Asthma Coalition developed an award program to recognize schools with asthma management programs that meet set criteria.

We can make a difference through the Asthma-Friendly School Award!

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Asthma-Friendly Schools Award Criteria

Bronze 1. School-Based an Asthma Leadership Team (or existing health or wellness team). 2. Professional development for school nurses, faculty and staff (ALA’s Asthma 101). 3. School ensures immediate access to asthma medications per Florida statute. 4. School provides student centered asthma management support.

1. identifying children with asthma at the beginning of the school year, having asthma action plans on file for students with known asthma, and coordinating between parents and health care providers.

5. School posts asthma posters in high-traffic areas. 6. Physical education and activity opportunities meet needs of children with asthma.

Silver (All Bronze and Criterion 7 and 8) 7. School provides self management education to students with asthma (ALA’s Open Airways

for Schools Program). 8. School provides education to parents about asthma management (ALA’s Asthma 101).

Gold (All Bronze, Silver and criterion 9) 9. School implements an indoor air quality program.

Platinum (All Bronze, Silver, and Criterion 10) 10. School implements comprehensive asthma procedures or a policy which includes the

activities listed in criterion 1-9 and a comprehensive tobacco free campus policy.

2012 -2013 Awarded Schools

Level Name of School District Awarded

Partners

Gold John Love

Elementary Duval 5.17.13

American Lung Association (Mentor) Duval County Public Schools The Player’s Center at Wolfson Children’s Hospital FDOH in Duval County

Gold Orange River Elementary

Lee 5.21.13

American Lung Association (Mentor) School District of Lee County Lee Memorial Health System FDOH in Lee County

Silver John M. Sexton

Elementary Pinellas 5.20.13

American Lung Association (Mentor) Pinellas County Schools All Children’s Hospital FDOH in Pinellas County

Bronze Pineview Elementary Leon 5.21.13

Leon School Health Advisory Committee (Mentor) American Lung Association Leon County Schools FDOH in Leon County

Bronze W. H. Rhodes Elementary

Escambia 5.31.13

Sacred Heart Hospital (Mentor) Santa Rosa County Schools American Lung Association FDOH in Santa Rosa County 9

Simple Steps to an Asthma-Friendly School Award

1. Submit an Asthma-Friendly School Interest Form. 2. Complete the Criteria. 3. Apply for Recognition. 4. Celebrate Your Accomplishment!!

Get Started - Submit an Interest Form

Submit an Asthma-Friendly School Interest form www.floridasthmacoalition.com/schools

Once the form is received, you will be contacted by a trained Asthma-Friendly School Mentor who can answer questions and help guide your school in: Obtaining administrative approval Engaging parents in the process Developing a timeline for achieving success Building community partnerships

1. Asthma Leadership Team School has a Champion who leads the school’s Asthma Leadership Team

Asthma Champion An ideal Asthma Champion is someone who has a vested interest in

improved asthma outcomes (school nurse, administrator, teacher, coach, or parent of a child with asthma).

Oversees tracking of actions and outcomes and communication.

Leadership Team Members Can include teachers, staff, parents, community partners, healthcare

providers, etc. Should be a diverse group who can help sustain this initiative in future years.

Role of the Leadership Team Oversee and coordinate efforts toward achieving the award. Should align or interface with existing School Wellness Team, or other

school health team, like the Alliance for a Healthier Generation teams.

2. School Staff Training – Nurses School nurses, faculty, and staff participated in basic asthma education

Asthma Management and Education On-Line Training 7 FREE CE Hours for Nurses and RTs. 12 modules of self-paced study. Structured around the 4 components of Asthma. Management

as defined by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (EPR-3 Guidelines).

2. School Staff Training – Faculty & Staff School nurses, faculty, and staff participated in basic asthma education

ALA’s Asthma 101 1-1½ hour program for school faculty and staff.

Focuses on school faculty and staff as a critical to maintaining a network of support for students with asthma. Asthma basics & emergency response What staff can do to make their school asthma-friendly

All school staff that interact with children should have a basic knowledge of asthma and appropriate responses to symptoms

3. Student Access to Medications Students have access to appropriate medications at all times

Per Florida Statute Title XLVIII K 20-1002.20 (3) (h) the

school has a policy or process that enables students with parent or physician approval to carry and self-administer metered dose inhalers.

In 2010: 22% of parents of school-aged children with asthma report that their child is allowed to carry and self-administer emergency medicine for asthma.

Source: Florida Child Health Survey

4. Student Asthma Management Support School identifies, tracks, and supports students with asthma

Annually identify new students with asthma & assess status of students previously defined as having asthma.

Monitor absenteeism of students with asthma using attendance records.

Promote positive partnerships between the school, parents, students, and health care providers to support asthma management.

Make linkages to medical care and insurance for children with undiagnosed or poorly managed asthma symptoms.

All students with asthma should have an Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) that includes a written Asthma Action Plan approved by the health care provider. IHCP is developed by an RN and serves as the foundation of

health care planning for each student with a chronic disease

Provide IHCPs and/or Asthma Action Plans to appropriate school staff such as teachers, coaches, office staff, etc.

4. Student Asthma Management Support School identifies, tracks, and supports students with asthma

5. Post Awareness Posters in High-Traffic Areas 1. Steps to Follow for an Asthma Episode or Attack in the School Setting 2. Top Actions to Reduce Asthma Triggers in the School Setting

6. Physical Education Opportunities for Students with Asthma

PE teachers must: Participate in Asthma 101. Receive Airnow.gov alerts. Have a plan in place for indoor activities on poor air

quality days. Provide modified activities as indicated by a student’s

Asthma Action Plan. Ensure quick access to medication before activity and

in an emergency.

7. Self-Management Education Children with asthma in grades 3-5 participated in the American Lung Association’s Open Airways for Schools Program within the last 24 months

In 2010, only 1 out of 10 parents of children with asthma (10.3%) report that they or their child has taken a course or class on how to manage the child’s asthma.

Self-Management Education is critical to proper asthma management and control.

ALA’s Open Airways for Schools program is the recommended program.

Source: Florida Child Health Survey

8. Parent Education Parents were offered an opportunity to participate in the American Lung Association’s Asthma 101 Course within the past 24 months.

Schools invite parents to participate in ALA’s Asthma 101 Program.

There are many other free asthma education materials that can be distributed to parents.

Only 1 out of 5 schools in Florida (21.9%) report providing parents and families with health information to increase parent and family knowledge of asthma.

Source: 2010 School Health Profiles Survey

9. Healthy School Environment: IAQ Program School implements an Indoor Air Quality Program- (i.e. EPA Tools for Schools)

•Establish an Indoor Air Quality team (may align with an existing team).

• Implement an IAQ Management Plan and promote a healthy school environment that minimizes human exposure to indoor and outdoor hazardous chemicals, allergens, irritants, and pollutants.

10. Comprehensive Asthma Policy & Tobacco Free Campus Policy

• Establish a school policy that encompasses all criteria in the previous 3 levels of recognition and a tobacco free campus policy.

• Ensure the items in the policy are monitored for annual compliance.

Success is Rewarded! Awarded schools have been recognized: On the Evening News In Newspaper Articles In Local Magazines During District School Board Meetings

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Thank you for the opportunity to share information about this initiative.

Please contact us if you have any questions:

Julie Dudley Program Manager

850-245-4444 x2869

Jamie Forrest Epidemiologist

850-245-4444 x2998

FlAsthmaCoalition@gmail.com

Florida Asthma Program:

Florida Asthma Coalition: