Date
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
The Air District is partnering with Regional Asthma Prevention Management, or RAMP, a project of the Public Health Institute, to provide portable air filtration units to low-income residents diagnosed with poorly-controlled asthma who are enrolled in the state’s Asthma Mitigation Project to receive in-home asthma care services.
Through the partnership with RAMP, the Air District will provide some 2,000 individuals living in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma, and Santa Clara counties with portable indoor home air filtration units.
The Sierra Health Foundation's Center for Health Program Management was selected to administer the project. Air filtration units will be distributed through seven Bay Area nonprofit organizations, community-based health care providers, health departments, and managed care organizations that were awarded funds through the California Asthma Mitigation Project, a statewide project to provide in-home asthma care services.
The program provides culturally and linguistically appropriate asthma home visits, education, and environmental remediation. By partnering with this on-going effort, the Air District aims to ensure that this vulnerable population not only has access to these air filtration units - a critical tool for mitigating wildfire smoke impacts - but is also provided guidance about how to optimally place, use, and maintain the units through this and future wildfire seasons.
Wildfire smoke can have immediate health impacts and trigger wheezing in those who suffer from asthma, emphysema, COPD, or other respiratory conditions. Residents can find relief from wildfire smoke by setting up a cleaner air room in their home using a portable air filtration unit.
During wildfires, air pollution has real and significant health consequences, even for those without pre-existing conditions. Wildfire preparedness tips, school air quality recommendations, information on air quality data, and more is available on the Air District's Wildfire Safety web page.
More information about the Home Air Filtration Program is available on this Asthma Mitigation Program Fact Sheet. This program is focused on Medi-Cal patients, particularly those children and adults with poorly controlled asthma, as well as undocumented adults who are not otherwise qualified for Medi-Cal and have poorly controlled asthma. Eligible clients should be individuals with asthma and a severity classification of moderate to severe or poorly controlled asthma (as determined by an asthma-related emergency department visit or hospitalization, or two sick or urgent care asthma-related visits in the past 12 months, or a score of 19 or lower on the Asthma Control Test4 ), or the recommendation from a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
For questions about the Asthma Mitigation Project and home visiting program enrollment requirements, please contact the Regional Asthma Management and Prevention at info@rampasthma.org or the following counties for more information:
Alameda County – 510-383-5178 (English) or 510-383-5185 (Spanish)
Contra Costa County – 925-839-0193
San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara Counties – 503-884-7896 or kiran@lungsrus.org
Sonoma County - info@rampasthma.org
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Last Updated: 8/9/2021