Above 6th Grade

EICA was one of 14 community-based initiatives conducted by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Partners for Asthma Action (formerly Controlling Asthma in American Cities Project). EICA was an in-home program with goals of:

1. Reducing asthma symptoms by lessening exposure to environmental asthma triggers in the home environment.
2. Reducing school absences.
3. Decreasing health service utilization and thereby reducing health care costs.

EICA was modeled after two successful home-environment modification programs for children with asthma in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area—Environmental Action for Children’s Health led by Minneapolis Environmental Regulatory Services and funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Minnesota Department of Health’s Reducing Environmental Triggers for Asthma funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pilot Project-Care For Their Air Logic Model (Georgia Asthma Control Program) displayed in the 10/24 webinar.

The Minnesota Department of Health has created a free home environmental assessment training, named Reducing Environmental Triggers of Asthma–Home, or RETA-Home. This program teaches you about the triggers of asthma found in the home and suggests simple interventions that can limit or eliminate exposure to them. It also tours a home to show areas where asthma triggers are found. The training takes about 40 minutes to view. It includes pre- and post-test questions that highlight important points, and you may print out a certificate of completion at the end. In addition, there is a resource section that can be accessed both during the program and after the program has been completed.

This training utilizes the expertise of individuals who have extensive experience in both providing in-home asthma management and conducting home assessments. It builds on data from projects showing that environmental interventions, coupled with in-home asthma medical management, are effective in reducing nighttime symptoms, missed school days, and the number of asthma hospital visits and unscheduled, urgent care office visits.

This training program was made possible from grants from EPA Region V and CDC.