Regional Asthma Management & Prevention (RAMP)
Program Description:
RAMP envisions healthy communities where asthma is reduced and well-managed, and the health, social, and environmental inequities that contribute to the unequal burden of the disease are eliminated. RAMP’s mission is to reduce the burden of asthma through a comprehensive approach, ranging from clinical management to environmental protection. It collaborates, coordinates, share resources, advocates, and promotes policy changes in order to reduce inequities, strengthen asthma prevention efforts, and improve management for all communities. RAMP recognizes that asthma disparities are largely attributable to social and environmental inequities in society and targets its efforts on addressing those inequities. RAMP promotes and leads strategies in numerous areas including: supporting health plans and providers in improving the quality of asthma care; addressing asthma in schools and child care settings; advocating for health and equity to be considered in policies related to land use, transportation, and outdoor air quality; and promoting healthy housing.
Resources:
Asthma Action Plan: RAMP’s Asthma Action Plan includes a School Medication Authorization Form, and is available free of charge in four languages.
Asthma in 15: This PowerPoint presentation and handout are designed to makeit easy for school staff to understand asthma management and emergency situations.
Breathing Easier: The case study report focuses on schools that found the switch to certified green cleaners to be not only feasible but successful.
Green Cleaning In Schools: A Guide for Advocates: This guide provides information and strategic guidance on how parents, students, and other advocates can work with their school district and others to improve IAQ by switching to certified green cleaning products.
Bleach Exposure in Child Care Settings: Strategies for Elimination or Reduction: The San Francisco Asthma Task Force, with support from RAMP, identified bleach-free disinfectants and sanitizers that do not act as a strong irritant that exacerbates asthma symptoms or causes new asthma cases.
Asthma Environmental Intervention Guide for School-Based Health Centers: Soon to be released. Check www.rampasthma.org. for update.
RAMP works to meet these 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
Anne Kelsey Lamb, MPH, Director
Regional Asthma Management & Prevention
(510) 302-3317