About Us
About Us
Eliminate Asthma

Our History

Through collaboration and partnership, the Arizona Asthma Coalition serves as a catalyst to develop strategies, policies and an advocacy agenda. A Board of Directors and an Executive Director assumes leadership for the Coalition. The American Lung Association of Arizona, which is a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt organization, serves as the fiduciary agent for the Coalition.

Recent accomplishments for the Arizona Asthma Coalition include:

  • A major update of the Arizona Asthma Coalition's website, www.azasthma.org. The most current asthma information and tools are included. The website was designed for easier access for patients, families and healthcare providers.
  • In 2005, a position paper titled, "Breathing Easier in Arizona: An Action Plan for Change" was written by members of the Coalition and widely distributed to policy makers and other stakeholders. The position paper is available on the Coalition's website.
  • An educational mailing was sent statewide to all school Superintendents and school nurses informing them about the new student self-carry laws for asthma medications.
  • The Clinical Management Committee published a Provider's Asthma Tool Kit and a Patient/Family Asthma Tool.  Both Tool Kits were distributed to pediatricians, family practice physicians, pediatric nurse practitioners and family nurse practitioners throughout Arizona.
  • A School Nurse's Asthma Tool Kit was published by the School Health Committee and sent to 1,400 school nurses in Arizona.
  • All three Tool Kits are now available on the Coalition’s website.
  • The AAC was honored to be asked to participate in a Learning Partnership to reduce disparities in children's asthma care in Arizona. The Partnership was sponsored by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The AAC worked with five other State Asthma Coalitions to share ideas and successes. A team representing diverse constituents on the Coalition worked find ways to decrease the effects of asthma on disparate populations.
  • The First Asthma Conference, sponsored by the Arizona Asthma Coalition was held at Banner Children’s Hospital at Banner Desert Medical Center. The Conference addressed barriers to: a) providing good asthma education to patients and their families, b) providing better access to asthma medication. Due to the success of the Conference, an annual asthma conference is held each year.
  • The second Annual Asthma Conference was held at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center and addressed the most current information and "best practices" in asthma care and management.
  • Planning for the third Annual Asthma Conference is underway and will be held at Phoenix Children's Hospital May 3, 2008.
  • The AAC successfully advocated policies supporting clean air, other sound environmental policies that affect asthma patients and increased access to healthcare.
  • An asthma curriculum for school nurses has been developed to provide them with a tool they can use to present important information about asthma to teachers, school administrators, other school personnel and parents.