Rebecca Flournoy, MPH, PolicyLink, 101 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607, 510-663-2333, rebeccaf@policylink.org

While we cannot cure asthma, there are many things that can be done to improve quality of life for children with asthma. This includes good asthma management and access to care, as well as reducing environmental triggers of asthma in the places where children live, learn, and play. To address environmental conditions that can trigger asthma, there is a need for effective policy at multiple levels. Community members have a deep understanding of the factors contributing to asthma in their communities, and need to be involved in determining and promoting appropriate solutions. Community Action to Fight Asthma (CAFA) has empowered community members to engage in advocacy to promote policies that will improve environments to make communities more livable.

To effectively promote policy, community members need local connections to one another. They also need linkages beyond the local community – to other advocates, to policymakers, to researchers, to media. CAFA gives community members the opportunity to strengthen local coalition structures, while also providing chances to connect with other local stakeholders and stakeholders across the state. The existence of strong local coalitions, with high levels of community involvement, integrated into a network of other coalitions, regional coordinating centers, a state office, and technical assistance providers, has allowed CAFA to promote policies that are reducing environmental triggers for school-aged children with asthma in California.

Learning Objectives:

• List two ways that community members can increase their ability to effectively promote public policy.
• Discuss why community involvement is important for developing good environmental policy.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.