Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition Meeting January 11, 2018 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: TBD

Kelvin Molina hired as Environmental Health Manager Kelvin brings extensive experience in project and program management along with developing cross-sector partnerships and coalition building. As a Springfield native, he has been working alongside several Springfield neighborhoods and residents for the past 8 years in addressing a variety of issues connected to environmental health. Kelvin holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration on Community Planning as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Regional Planning and Environmental Science from Westfield State University. Full Bio

AAFA Launches New Program to Improve Asthma Research

Research can bring new asthma treatments, insight and medicine. It can help improve quality of life for those with  asthma . So wouldn’t it be great if people with asthma play a greater role in that research? The Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America is conducting a project to increase awareness of asthma and research and to increase patient participation in research.  The PAPER project  is a collection of 11 videos to help you understand asthma and asthma research. Short topics include: Asthma basics Asthma symptoms Different levels of asthma Warning signs of an asthma attack Asthma triggers Asthma treatment Why we need asthma research Finding accurate research info Outcome measures Clinical research Clinical trials You can take part in this research study by watching the video series. Then take a very short survey after each one to give us your feedback.

Attorney General Maura Healey sues the EPA over Ozone Pollution Attorney General Healey joined a coalition of 15 state attorneys general in suing the EPA for failing to update area designations with respect to National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Clean Air Act legally mandated that the EPA update NAAQS area designations by October 1st of this year.  Press Release - Office of AG Maura Healey

Boston Medical Center has a new prescription for it's most vulnerable: Housing Boston Medical Center is embarking on a significant new initiative to tackle one of its patients’ most daunting problems by investing $6.5 million over five years in a variety of affordable housing projects throughout Boston.  Article in The Boston Globe

Hospitals find asthma hot spots more profitable to neglect than fix Incentives of healthcare payment systems have made it more lucrative to treat severe asthma attacks than prevent them. The Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson, says he favors reducing asthma risks in public housing as a way of cutting expensive hospital visits and that the agency is discussing ways to finance pest removal, moisture control, and other remediation in places asthma patients live. Article in The Washington Post

Air Pollution May Harm Babies Even Before They Are Born Researchers in London calculated mothers’ exposure to air pollution and traffic noise in various parts of the city from 2006 to 2010. The findings in the BMJ study suggest that air pollution from road traffic adversely affects fetal growth. Article in The New York Times

Resources

American Lung Association Controlling Your Asthma During the Holidays You Don't Have to Wheeze at Work Springfield Healthy Homes Allery and Asthma Network

Upcoming Meetings and Trainings

The Massachusetts Community Health Centers Asthma Educators' Collaborative (MACJCAEC) has the goal of providing a forum, a place of sharing, for all healthcare providers devoted to helping patients and their families manage asthma. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, January 19th at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM. English Meeting Flyer Spanish Meeting Flyer 

Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition | 413.794.7600 | pioneervalleyasthmacoalition@gmail.com pvasthmacoalition.org Convened by  Partners for a Healthier Community, Inc.