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Community Outreach and Education
Follow the links below for messages designed for you.
Parents and Caregivers
Find out what you can do to eliminate asthma triggers in your home (go to www.noattacks.org
[En Español]
Learn about asthma studies and how you can help patients manage environmental asthma triggers.
Learn how to partner with us and receive materials at no-cost.
View public service announcements (PSAs, video news releases (VNRs) and other media materials about asthma and learn more about our National Public Awareness and Media Campaign.
EPA partners with national organizations, Federal agencies and health care plans and providers to implement community-based outreach and education initiatives. We work with our partners to educate a variety of groups, such as parents and caregivers, health professionals, teachers and school nurses and many others about environmental triggers and asthma.
- School-Based Education Programs
- In-Home Environmental Education
- Health Care Industry and Health Care Providers
- AIRNow Air Quality Index (AQI)
- Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Program
- IAQ Design Tools for Schools
- Smoke-free Home Pledge Campaign
School-Based Education Programs
EPA supports national organizations with existing school and child care-based asthma education programs to ensure that environmental management is integrated into overall asthma management and education programs. These programs educate children, school officials and child care providers about indoor asthma triggers and actions to reduce exposure to these triggers. To read about ongoing programs and learn how to bring similar programs to your community, visit the School-Based Education Programs page.
Health Care Industry and Health Care Providers
Through collaboration with the Health Care Industry and Health Care Providers, EPA promotes the incorporation of environmental controls into clinical practices and standards of care. We provide the health care community with information about environmental risk factors and encourage health insurers and providers to develop comprehensive asthma management programs. Learn more about EPA's Health Care Initiative.
AIRNow Air Quality Index (AQI)
EPA promotes the Air Quality Index (AQI) as a tool to provide clear and timely information on local air quality and potential health risks from air pollution levels. The AQI is reported and forecasted on local weather reports and in national media. EPA's AIRNow site provides a map of the U.S. with up-to-date information on air quality and potential health risks. Visit the site at www.epa.gov/airnow.
Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Program
The Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Program teaches schools to identify and prevent environmental asthma triggers and provides materials to educate school personnel and decision makers on the importance of healthy school environments. Twenty percent of the U.S. population, nearly 55 million people, spend their days in our elementary and secondary schools. In the mid-1990s, studies show that 1 in 5 of our nation's 110,000 schools reported unsatisfactory indoor air quality, and 1 in 4 schools reported ventilation -- which impacts indoor air quality -- as unsatisfactory. Students are at greater risk because of the hours spent in school facilities and because children are especially susceptible to pollutants. Visit the IAQ Tools for Schools site at www.epa.gov/iaq/schools
EPA web-only tool - IAQ Design Tools for Schools - provides both detailed guidance as well as links to other information resources to help design new schools as well as repair, renovate and maintain existing facilities.
Read Managing Asthma in the School Environment or visit our publications page.
Smoke-free Home Pledge Campaign
The Smoke-free Home Pledge Campaign educates parents and caregivers about the health risks, including asthma, associated with secondhand smoke. EPA developed the Secondhand Smoke Community Action Kit, which contains the Smoke-free Home Pledge brochure and other useful tools to help community leaders educate the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke, especially to children with asthma. An automated toll-free hotline (1-866-SMOKEFREE) is available for people to take the Smoke-free Home Pledge.
To learn more about Asthma Partners and activities in your community, see our list of contact information at the Asthma Partners and EPA Regions page.