03.20: Asthma Policy For Schools
The American Lung Association’s Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative™ provides a comprehensive approach to asthma management in schools. Check out resources from the Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative Toolkit for additional information on asthma policy in schools.
Asthma management in schools can be addressed through a two-pronged approach:
- Creating a comprehensive asthma management plan
- Establishing an environmental assessment plan.
1.Create an Asthma Management Plan
For more detail on what is included in a comprehensive plan, see the CDC’s Strategies for Addressing Asthma within a Coordinated School Health Program.
Although many schools are able to easily adopt asthma policy, other schools find it easier to incorporate school practices or protocols instead to help support an asthma-friendly school environment. For example, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has created a tracking form called the Asthma Chronic Illness List (ACIL), with an accompanying ACIL Instructions sheet, which helps to track the absences, asthma action plan data, asthma emergencies and other pertinent information of all students with asthma.
- Obtain and ensure the use of Asthma Action Plans for all students with asthma.
- Establish standard emergency protocols.
- Educate all school personnel (especially health personnel, physical educators and coaches) about asthma, including how to respond in an emergency.
- Provide a full-time registered nurse in every school, every day, all day.
- Ensure students with asthma have access to quick relief medications.
- Ensure that students whose asthma is not well controlled are provided self management education and case management.
2.Support an Asthma-Friendly School Environment
All school systems should adopt and implement an environmental assessment and management plan.
- Develop and implement indoor air quality management plans that address dampness problems, mold contamination, maintenance and repairs, cleaning, integrated pest management and other factors as identified in the EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools.
- Require schools, grounds, facilities, vehicles, and sponsored events to be 100% tobacco-free.
- Establish a protocol to minimize students’ exposure to outdoor air pollutants on days with unhealthy levels of air pollution.
* Appendix*
Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative Toolkit
A planning tool based on real-life activities that have been used in schools throughout the U.S. to create a long-term asthma management plan. The Toolkit provides step-by-step guidance that includes tools, templates and resources that aim to keep students healthy, in school and ready to learn.
1. Master planning
- Organize stakeholders
- Conduct a needs assessment
- Create a 5-year plan
- Create a year one work plan
2. Strategy 1: Maximize School Health Services
- Identify and track all students with asthma
- Download and installation instructions
- Use an asthma action plan for all students with asthma
- Assure immediate access to medications as prescribed
- Use standard emergency protocols
- Provide special services for students most affected by asthma
- Facilitate linkages with the medical home and referrals to medical provider
- Provide a Fulltime Registered School Nurse All Day, Every Day, for Each School
- Assure access to consulting physician or healthcare provider
3. Strategy 2: Build Asthma Education
- All school staff
- All students
- Parents and children
4. Strategy 3: Provide a Healthy School Environment
- Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
- Tabacco-free
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Manage student exposure on high outdoor air pollution
5. Strategy 4: Manage Physical Education & Activity
- Encourage full participation when students are well
- Manage physical activity or students with asthma
- Ensure ready access to pre-medication and quick relief medication
- Provide options for modified activities
