RAMP is excited to work with School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) across the country to address environmental asthma triggers. Research shows that SBHCs are already leaders in the clinical management of asthma. SBHC clients are: less likely to go to the emergency department or be hospitalized due to asthma; less likely to have asthma-related restricted activity days; and less likely to miss school as a result of asthma. We believe that SBHCs are uniquely positioned to also be leaders in the environmental management of asthma given their close connection to families, schools and communities.

With funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RAMP has partnered with the California School-Based Health Alliance to develop resources for SBHCs, and has facilitated several SBHC learning collaboratives. Through these efforts, RAMP has built the capacity of SBHCs to directly address environmental factors affecting asthma. Below is a list of RAMP’s resources for SBHCs.

Asthma Environmental Intervention Guide for School-Based Health Centers
The purpose of this guide is to support SBHC staff in leading or supporting evidence-based strategies and promising practices to reduce exposure to environmental asthma triggers. The guide describes the relationship between asthma and a number of environmental asthma triggers and shares scientific evidence that SBHC staff can cite when educating others on the need to address environmental asthma triggers. The guide also offers practical steps to implementing trigger-reducing activities.

Case Studies
These success stories highlight the actions that SBHCs have taken to reduce environmental asthma triggers in communities across the country. Four of the case studies feature SBHCs that were already addressing environmental asthma triggers before we started are project and the rest feature SBHCs that participated in one of our learning collaboratives. Our hope is that all of the case studies will serve as inspiration and motivation for SBHCs nationwide.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS! School-Based Health Centers: Leaders in Reducing Environmental Asthma Triggers
Since we began our work with SBHCs, we have supported twenty-seven SBHCs across the country in implementing these interventions. Based on their experiences, we have identified six key tips to follow, regardless of which intervention you choose. This document shares lessons learned, best practices, and tips for success. Check out the tool here.