Alameda County Asthma Start & Health Homes Programs
Description
Alameda County’s Asthma Start and Healthy Homes programs partner to provide comprehensive asthma case management for children 0-18 years of age who are diagnosed with asthma and living in Alameda County.
Asthma Start provides families with the education, tools, and resources needed to manage the child’s or adolescent’s asthma. The program also addresses the family’s psychosocial needs to ensure that the social determinants of health are addressed. This work helps families avoid emergency department visits and hospital admissions, promotes healthy homes and lives, and prevents the long term complications of asthma.
The Healthy Homes Department provides home assessment, consultation and follow-up services when asthma triggers, and other safety and healthy homes issues, are identified. Healthy Homes Specialists work with occupants and/or landlords to improve indoor air quality and reduce asthma triggers by helping to resolve housing issues such as pest infestations, mold and poor ventilation. The Department also provides technical and financial assistance to reduce lead hazards and other safety concerns in qualifying homes.
Resources
Asthma Start Website: Our website has resources, useful information, frequently asked question and our contact information.
Healthy Homes Website: Healthy Home has a variety of information regarding their programs, available services and reports.
Reports: County reports can be located at the following website and include asthma and other health related issues in Alameda County.
Collaborations: Asthma Start and Healthy Homes collaborates with numerous organizations to include Regional Asthma Management and Prevention Program (RAMP), Alameda County Asthma Coalition, Ethnic Health Institute, and School Environmental Health and Asthma Collaborative (SEHAC)
How we meet the SPAC objectives
Asthma Start and Healthy Homes work to meet the objectives as stated in the Strategic Plan for Asthma in California, 2014 – 2019:
5A.1 Facilitate the establishment and implementation of comprehensive asthma policies and procedures in districts and schools to ensure the health and well-being of students and staff with asthma.
5A.2 Advocate for school and district implementation of, and compliance with, existing laws and regulations that impact asthma; recommend new laws/ regulations or changes to existing ones as needed.
5A.3. Increase the number of qualified personnel in schools and districts to better meet the needs of students and staff with asthma and all school visitors.
5A.4. Institute targeted and specialized trainings for district and school personnel on asthma management and indoor environmental quality in schools, to include health personnel, administrators, teachers, front office staff, coaches, maintenance/facility personnel, food preparation workers, and bus drivers.
5A.5. Minimize exposure to contaminated outdoor air and promote safe and
healthy outdoor school environments.
5A.6. Advocate for the resources, financial and otherwise, to support asthma management and healthy indoor environmental quality in schools.
Contact Information
Brenda Rueda-Yamashita
Chronic Disease Program Director
510-577-7081