Regional Asthma Coalitions in New York State

Asthma is an epidemic in the nation and in New York State with significant public health and financial consequences. It affects nearly five million children in the United States and an estimated 370,000 children in New York State. Asthma is the most common childhood chronic disease and the number one cause of school absenteeism. While asthma hospitalizations have been declining due to New York's action to control asthma, asthma hospitalization rates in New York remain more than two times the Healthy People 2010 Objectives.

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) issued a call to action, urging communities to organize to fight childhood asthma. In 2000 and again in 2006, the NYSDOH, through a competitive Request for Application (RFA) process, formed 11 Regional Childhood Asthma Coalitions, reaching almost all counties and high risk neighborhoods in New York State. The coalitions are an organized group of leaders in community organizations and volunteers within a specific region who work together to improve the quality of care and the quality of life for children and families with asthma. The regional coalitions not only work to control asthma within their communities, but they also share information about what is working with the other coalitions across the state. For the past six years, the asthma coalitions have proved to be effective mechanisms to improve asthma outcomes.

The goal of the coalitions is to control asthma by:

  • improving access to quality asthma care and management;
  • promoting the appropriate use of asthma medications;
  • identifying and reducing triggers that cause asthma symptoms;
  • and providing education to providers, children and families so they are better able to manage asthma.