Training Materials

NCHH is excited to announce the release of a valuable new resource for those working to institute or expand the delivery of home-based asthma services. Building Systems to Sustain Home-Based Asthma Services is a new eLearning and technical assistance platform designed to equip staff in public health agencies, state asthma-control programs, state Medicaid agencies, and other housing and health organizations with information about how to build the systems, infrastructure, and financing to put home-based asthma services in place in their own states, communities, or regions. A collection of 10 free eLearning modules and the availability of technical assistance and support from a team of NCHH-lead experts and partners combine to maximize opportunities to launch and grow large-scale, evidence-based, sustainable asthma home visiting programs. Visit http://bit.ly/NCHH_eLearn or http://nchh.org/Program/EquippingStatesforReimbursement.aspx to learn more today!

The American Lung Association's Asthma Management in Schools: Assessing a Child’s Readiness to Carry and Use a Quick-Relief Inhaler course is a free interactive online learning module designed to assist designated school health staff assess a child’s readiness to carry and use a quick-relief inhaler.

This course will teach participants to:

• Describe the barriers to access to asthma medication in schools
• Overcome barriers with a variety of resources
• Assess a child’s readiness to self-carry asthma medications in schools
• Implement support activities for all students with asthma regardless of their level of independence

This online course is a component to a larger effort that the American Lung Association is working on to improve asthma management in schools. There are several resources that can support your efforts. Please visit the Asthma Medication in Schools page on Lung.org.

• View our Interactive Learning Tool to review actions that schools can take to improve access to asthma medications in schools.
• Use the standardized Student Readiness Assessment Tool for designated school personnel and parents to help determine a child's readiness to self-carry a quick-relief inhaler.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has created a Spanish-language version of its Wee Breathers™ program, which is designed to educate families and young children about asthma care and prevention.

Asthma is a growing concern in the Hispanic community, especially for Puerto Ricans who have the highest rate of asthma attacks and asthma prevalence 80% higher than non-Hispanic whites. AAFA is dedicated to ensuring that people with asthma have access to educational resources to help reduce the burden of this chronic disease. Wee Breathers™ in Spanish is designed to reach people who are disproportionately affected by asthma and may have low English-language proficiency.  

Wee Breathers™ is a flexible and interactive program used by asthma educators to families of pre-school-age children. The program curriculum consists of seven one-hour lessons, an instructor’s guide and two checklists for identifying asthma triggers in the home and in child care centers. Program handout materials are easy-to-read (6th grade reading level or lower) and are now available in Spanish. Instructors for this program should be a Certified Asthma Educator (AE-C), or other health professional experienced with pediatric asthma management.

Since young children spend most of their time at home or in other caregiver sites like child care centers, Wee Breathers™ was designed to educate families one-on-one in their homes or with a group of parents in a child care setting. The program was developed and reviewed by an advisory team of asthma education professionals, then field-tested with experienced English- and Spanish-speaking asthma educators across the US.

Wee Breathers™ in Spanish is made possible by a cooperative agreement between AAFA and the National Asthma Control Program of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All program materials are available free-of-charge at www.aafa.org/WeeBreathers.