School Asthma Management Plan Act
School Asthma Management Plan ActThe most common chronic disorder in children, ASTHMA affects nearly seven million children. Over half of these children suffered with an asthma attack or episode in 2014 to their poorly controlled condition. As well as the health risk involved, these asthma attacks resulted in 10.5 million missed school days and U.S. $56 billion in healthcare expenditures. A good number of these costs are preventable when a prescribed Asthma Plan is implemented correctly.On April 22, 2015 Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Asthma Management Plan Act with Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Bob Casey (D-PA).From AAAAI.com
The School Asthma Management Plan Act allows schools to apply for grants that help them: 1) develop asthma management plans, and 2) purchase medication and equipment necessary to treat students affected by asthma.Bill Summary• Develop and implement school asthma management plan—Schools shall use grant money to develop asthma management plans based on national guidelines that include, among other provisions, methods for identifying all students with asthma diagnoses, implementing asthma education for all staff, providing access to medication and methods to administer medication for all affected students, and developing medication and emergency policies specific to each school.• Purchase asthma medications and devices—Schools shall also use grant funds to purchase asthma inhalers, spacers, air purifiers, asthma education materials, and other supplies necessary for the relief and treatment of affected students.• Improve communication and coordination—Schools receiving grants shall find ways to encourage bidirectional communication between schools and physicians, and improve adherence to asthma treatment my students. Schools shall also utilize existing systems and resources when possible.The AAAAI is on the record as a supporter of the bill, having submitted an official letter of support to Senator Gillibrand. In it, AAAAI President Robert F. Lemanske, Jr., MD, FAAAAI, states: “As the current president of the AAAAI, this bill is of great interest to me personally since my major presidential initiative focuses on the creation of the Office of School-based Management of Asthma and Allergic/Immunologic Diseases within the AAAAI to serve as a resource for the creation of programs to establish optimal clinician-school nurse-family communications to better care for children with asthma in the school setting.”
If you have questions about Asthma or how to control asthma with an Asthma Treatment Plan, please contact an allergist. Live in NYC or tri-state area, please feel free to contact my office for a consultation. The first step to Asthma control, is adhering to your prescribed Asthma Treatment Plan.