Alameda County Public Health, Asthma Start

Asthma Start is an asthma management and education program for parents of children 0-18 years old that are living with asthma. The program also addresses psychosocial issues such as lack of insurance, need for a medical home, housing etc. The programs Asthma Coordinators go to the homes of clients referred to the program and collect a brief medical history, provide education, perform an in home environmental inspection, provide tools to assist with managing asthma (pillow and mattress encasings, non bleach based cleaner etc), connects them to need services and advocates with landlords. The programs objectives are to educate parents to take control of their child’s asthma, reduce the child’s asthma symptoms, ED visits and hospitalizations. The program has had significant success in all of the above objectives